Is Luka Dončić's cracked phone a symbol of betrayal from the Mavericks?

He threw his phone after the trade call
On February 1, Luka Dončić got the call that turned his world upside down, he was being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers . The moment hit hard. Once the call ended, Dončić threw his phone in frustration.

His manager, Lara Beth Seager , later showed the still-damaged device during an interview with ESPN ’s Malika Andrews. The phone, which didn’t have a case on it, has a chunk missing from the top and a crack running down the back. Despite that, Dončić never replaced it.

“Yeah, it still works,” he said. But it’s more than just a phone now. It’s a reminder.


The trade left Dončić heartbroken

Dončić didn’t believe the news at first. “It’s April 1,” he recalled saying, as if it were some kind of joke. But the reality quickly set in.

“Sadness, mostly,” he said. “I was still in shock, like, crazy shock. I felt like my heart was broken, honestly.”

Luka Doncic tells @malika_andrews about throwing his phone and breaking it when he found out he got traded to the Lakers 😳

"My heart was broken honestly." 💔 pic.twitter.com/rfsIGlOaBC

— ESPN (@espn) April 18, 2025

The trade marked the end of his time with the Mavericks — a team and city where he had grown into a superstar. The phone he cracked that night became a symbol of the moment everything changed.
On April 10, Dončić returned to Dallas as a Laker. During pregame introductions, a tribute video played on the big screen. He couldn’t hold back the tears.

Then he put on a show. Dončić scored 45 points, made seven three-pointers, and led the Lakers to a 112–97 win. It was a powerful reminder of what he meant to Dallas — and what they had lost.

Despite all that, Dončić revealed he hadn’t spoken to Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison since the trade. Loyalty, he said, is something he values deeply, and the trade blindsided him.

Since arriving in Los Angeles, Dončić has been the Lakers’ top performer. Over 28 regular-season games, he averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists, shooting 38 percent from three. The Lakers finished as the No. 3 seed in the West and open the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.

Even with success in Los Angeles, the trade clearly left a scar. Dončić still carries the cracked phone.