Tim MacMahon

from Europe as a teenager to not just America and Dallas, but to the NBA, all inner circle people for him who he liked, but more importantly, he respected, he trusted. And then Nico brought in people who were referred to around the Mavericks as Nico's guys. And Luka didn't know them, didn't particularly like them, didn't trust them. Now, Luka does have his own body team, which started last year.

But just the working, and that's not unusual, right? You know that. Like for a superstar to have his own guys, whether it's a massage therapist, strength coach, physical therapist, whatever. A lot of these superstars have these body teams. Often, they're good working relationships with the teams, with the franchise. That wasn't the case this year. And that was part of the lead up to this trade.

But just the working, and that's not unusual, right? You know that. Like for a superstar to have his own guys, whether it's a massage therapist, strength coach, physical therapist, whatever. A lot of these superstars have these body teams. Often, they're good working relationships with the teams, with the franchise. That wasn't the case this year. And that was part of the lead up to this trade.

But just the working, and that's not unusual, right? You know that. Like for a superstar to have his own guys, whether it's a massage therapist, strength coach, physical therapist, whatever. A lot of these superstars have these body teams. Often, they're good working relationships with the teams, with the franchise. That wasn't the case this year. And that was part of the lead up to this trade.

And then, obviously, the fourth calf strain in a 28-month span. Nico certainly was frustrated, feeling like, hey, you're not taking care of your body. You're not putting in the work. You're not doing the preparation. This is kind of what happens.

And then, obviously, the fourth calf strain in a 28-month span. Nico certainly was frustrated, feeling like, hey, you're not taking care of your body. You're not putting in the work. You're not doing the preparation. This is kind of what happens.

And then, obviously, the fourth calf strain in a 28-month span. Nico certainly was frustrated, feeling like, hey, you're not taking care of your body. You're not putting in the work. You're not doing the preparation. This is kind of what happens.

You know, Luca's side would say, well, we rushed back from the calf strain and training camp that, by the way, you reported as a contusion to get ready and then rushed back from a heel bruise just before Christmas was playing on our tippy toes or on his tippy toes. And yeah, stuff happens. It's unfortunate.

You know, Luca's side would say, well, we rushed back from the calf strain and training camp that, by the way, you reported as a contusion to get ready and then rushed back from a heel bruise just before Christmas was playing on our tippy toes or on his tippy toes. And yeah, stuff happens. It's unfortunate.

You know, Luca's side would say, well, we rushed back from the calf strain and training camp that, by the way, you reported as a contusion to get ready and then rushed back from a heel bruise just before Christmas was playing on our tippy toes or on his tippy toes. And yeah, stuff happens. It's unfortunate.

Whatever side you want to take, this all leads to just Nico being so frustrated, feeling like we can't invest in this guy, can't invest in this Supermax deal, and trading him while he really only got one bid. I mean, not... Didn't, yeah, like flat out only got one bid. So you gave up on this generational talent who was at the time 25, about to turn 26.

Whatever side you want to take, this all leads to just Nico being so frustrated, feeling like we can't invest in this guy, can't invest in this Supermax deal, and trading him while he really only got one bid. I mean, not... Didn't, yeah, like flat out only got one bid. So you gave up on this generational talent who was at the time 25, about to turn 26.

Whatever side you want to take, this all leads to just Nico being so frustrated, feeling like we can't invest in this guy, can't invest in this Supermax deal, and trading him while he really only got one bid. I mean, not... Didn't, yeah, like flat out only got one bid. So you gave up on this generational talent who was at the time 25, about to turn 26.

And people I've talked to around the league, there's two camps. One, you just can't give up on that kind of a talent unless you've got the proverbial gun to your head, you have to trade them, which was not the case here. Two, there are people who say, you know what, I get wanting to get out of the Luca business because of these concerns, but you have to maximize the return.

And people I've talked to around the league, there's two camps. One, you just can't give up on that kind of a talent unless you've got the proverbial gun to your head, you have to trade them, which was not the case here. Two, there are people who say, you know what, I get wanting to get out of the Luca business because of these concerns, but you have to maximize the return.

And people I've talked to around the league, there's two camps. One, you just can't give up on that kind of a talent unless you've got the proverbial gun to your head, you have to trade them, which was not the case here. Two, there are people who say, you know what, I get wanting to get out of the Luca business because of these concerns, but you have to maximize the return.

And I have not talked to a single person outside of the Mavericks organization who feels like Dallas did that.

And I have not talked to a single person outside of the Mavericks organization who feels like Dallas did that.

And I have not talked to a single person outside of the Mavericks organization who feels like Dallas did that.

It's certainly the standard for Nico, right? And Nico had relationships with a lot of guys over the years at Nike, none like he did with Kobe. I mean, he worked his way up the ranks at Nike in large part by being Kobe's guy and then working up from there.