The Dallas Mavericks made two terrible moves at this season's trade deadline. Nothing will ever be as surprising as the deal that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in the middle of the night for Anthony Davis and Max Christie, but Nico Harrison also sent Quentin Grimes to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caleb Martin, who hasn't played for the Mavericks yet (he could be making his debut Friday night).
Grimes has been fantastic for the 76ers since that trade. In the last week alone, he's had a game with 44 points, one with 30 points, and another with 9 assists. The extra opportunity he's been getting due to injuries to stars Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey has been well worth it as he's set to enter restricted free agency this summer.
READ MORE: Former Mavericks stars Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson swap jerseys after Lakers-Knicks
Grimes recently spoke with Jared Weiss of The Athletic to talk about his start with the 76ers, but he also took the opportunity to express his disappointment in the Mavericks for the "narrative" they've tried to create about Luka Doncic since the trade.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) controls the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
"Grimes took issue with the way Dončić has been portrayed on his way out the door from Dallas. Grimes dismissed the team’s concerns about Dončić’s conditioning and work habits, saying his former teammate was always in the gym whenever he would show up for his late-night shooting sessions or practice-day weightlifting. 'It’s just a narrative around him. Once a narrative gets thrown out there, everybody just runs with it,' Grimes said. 'Whatever they’re saying, if he’s 270 (pounds) and he gets to the Finals, let him be 270 then. It’s crazy.'"
Dallas tried to say that they had concerns about Doncic's conditioning and long-term health, thinking his career could wind up like Joel Embiid. But Doncic has made it further than Embiid in the playoffs twice, including a trip to the NBA Finals last season, despite being in the NBA for four fewer seasons.
READ MORE: Mark Cuban breaks silence on Mavericks' return in Luka Doncic-Lakers trade
Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2024-25 Season
Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey on Twitter