A Bittersweet Homecoming: Luka’s Return Highlights What Dallas Misses

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The prodigal son returned Wednesday to American Airlines Center, and fatted calf was the only thing not on the menu. A billboard in the catacombs paid thanks to Luka Doncic. Giveaway T-shirts draped over seats did the same. In Slovenian, no less. Frankly, it was all a little surreal. Certainly ironic, considering only two months ago the Mavs kicked him to the curb.

The way Jason Kidd talked about Luka before the Lakers’ 112-97 rout, calling him “one of the greatest players in the world,” you might have wondered why he didn’t try to stop Nico Harrison from making the biggest mistake of his life.

Which is why now and, for the foreseeable future, the Mavs’ general manager will hear fevered chants of “Fire Nico” whenever things get dull.

And make no mistake, even if the Mavs eventually make good on Nico’s promise of winning it all one of these days, life without Luka will be duller.

A two-minute video tribute during the Lakers’ introductions — covering memories stretching from the day he was drafted nearly to the day he was dumped — reminded us of what we’ll miss.

Luka conjuring trick shots, Luka passing behind his back, Luka finding teammates most guards could locate only with an assist from a bloodhound.

Luka laughing. Luka winning.

Luka snarling at poor Rudy Gobert.

Luka crying after the video was over, echoes of “Lu-ka … Lu-ka” still ringing in his ears.

“A lot of emotions,” he said after the game, typically understated.

“It was amazing.”

The Mavs leaked a lot of foolishness about Luka after the trade in an attempt to justify it on the sly. Some of it was even true. The problem was none of it rose to the level of trading a player who, in another five, 10 years, would have eclipsed Dirk Nowitzki as the greatest player in franchise history.

As it looks now, unless Anthony Davis or Kyrie Irving play into their dotage, Dirk will retire the title.

Nico talks a lot about culture, implying Luka didn’t fit the one he’s crafting. But if Luka didn’t bleed Mavs blue, it was sure hard to tell after Wednesday’s video. Especially with his head buried in LeBron James’ shoulder.

Of course, Luka being Luka, it didn’t take long for him to put on his game face. His coach, JJ Redick, called his show of vulnerability, followed by a line of 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals — on the second night of a back-to-back, at that — “superhuman.”

Almost as though we were watching the video all over again, only with the Mavs as the bad guys.

On his first drive, the buzz in the building growing with each dribble, Luka got to the block and threw a perfect behind-the-back pass to Jaxson Hayes under the rim.

No assist.

Not even a completion.

Hayes couldn’t have been more surprised by the basketball if he’d been sitting in the 10th row, knocking back a cold one.

Clearly, Luka and the Lakers are still getting acquainted. They don’t have much in the way of frontline talent beyond Luka, King James and Austin Reaves, yet, since the trade, they’ve clawed past Denver for third place in the Western Conference. Say what you want about Luka — and, judging by Wednesday’s official reaction, the Mavs are all over the map on the subject — he can lift a team, as he proved in ‘22 and again last season.

Meanwhile, the team he left behind will do well to make the last play-in slot, then beat a hasty exit.

Besides the worst trade in local lore, a lot has gone wrong for the Mavs this year. More than Anthony Davis can fix, anyway. Look, I’m not blaming him for this mess. He’s played well when he’s healthy, which is the book on him. As Kidd reminded us Wednesday, he’s an all-time top 75 player. A certified two-way threat.

But, no matter how diversified your portfolio, it’s hard to make much of an impact without the ball in your hands.

The Mavs are still getting used to Davis, too. As the other guy playing against his former team Wednesday, Davis finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Not awful, but not exactly what you’d expect against a team flexing just one true center, either.

In his first game back at his old digs, Luka put on his usual show, and the grateful locals reacted to every pass, shot or penetration as though he’d never left. Hard to tell sometimes which team was at home.

This is what happens when you’re still trying to wrap your head around a deal that left you feeling like your kid came home from college with a new set of parents.

Going into the game, Kidd expected Mavs fans to show their allegiance to Luka, and he was cool with it. Even the boos. He acknowledged there will always be arguments over what in the world could lead the Mavs to trade a player so beloved, even after he’s wearing a different uniform in the same building. He asked only that those same fans believe in these Mavs.

“There’s still hope,” he said, “and there will be hope 10 years from now.”

A nice sentiment, except it’s hard to see at the moment. Hard to think about Luka 10 years from now, still in a Lakers’ uniform, his Mavs’ days long since past. Hard to imagine Kidd still here. Nico, too. The kid sitting a few feet from me banged the “Fire Nico” chant long, loud and often. Especially personal when you realize you won’t get to grow up with Luka after all. He looked to be about 8. A lifetime of grief still to give.