Luka Doncic rejects ESPN report that he has ‘strongly indicated’ a roster upgrade before 22-23 trade deadline

Coming from Luka Doncic himself, the Wednesday report that details his rumored intent to push the Dallas Mavericks to make a trade is nothing but a mere fantasy.

After dropping 30 markers and dishing out eight assists on a losing effort for the Mavericks’ 130-122 close fight against the visiting Atlanta Hawks, Doncic grabbed the postgame podium and made it known that he is not influencing the team’s front office to orchestrate roster moves.

“Obviously, I know, the people who are next to me, who I talk to, they know that’s not true,” Doncic said, courtesy of Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “I didn’t say nothing about that. I talk to Nico. I talk to Fin [assistant GM Michael Finley] more than I used to. But that’s just not the way I talk to them. We have great communication and that just stays between us.”

An ESPN story has suggested that Doncic “has strongly indicated” the Dallas brain trust that he intends the team to get upgraded ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline this 2022-23 campaign.

As such, Mavs team governor Mark Cuban already took a defensive stance against this report, noting that the Slovenian phenom didn’t approach their management to demand nor discuss changes in the lineup.

Rumblings of Doncic needing a robust and reliable supporting unit have been a non-stop swirling narrative around Dallas since previous years of having significant progress as contenders. Amid the Mavs’ strong Conference Finals finish last season, the superstar swingman still notably lost his trusty backcourt mate Jalen Brunson last offseason, leaving for the New York Knicks on a reported $104 million deal for four years.

This year, Doncic still got well-rounded backup cogs of Christian Wood, Spencer Dinwiddie, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dorian Finney-Smith, as they are currently looking to climb up even higher of the West standings as the fifth-seeded Club (24-22).