Was Luka Doncic Traded for Drinking Beer and Smoking a Hookah?

Posted on: February 26, 2025, 11:53h. 

Last updated on: February 26, 2025, 12:00h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
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  • Speculation about the Luka Doncic trade continues
  • Doncic fancies beer and hookahs
  • Casino billionaire Dr. Miriam Adelson controls the Mavs franchise

Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers by the Dallas Mavericks, the NBA franchise controlled by Las Vegas Sands billionaire Dr. Miriam Adelson and her son-in-law, Patrick Dumont, earlier this month. The exchange stunned the world of professional basketball and has since generated a slew of rumors on exactly why the Mavs shipped off their best player and franchise face.

Luka Doncic Mavericks Adelson Lakers
Luka Doncic celebrates during his Los Angeles Lakers’ 107-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles. Doncic was reportedly traded by the Mavs earlier this month due to conditioning concerns. (Image: Getty)

Casino.org reported on speculation that Doncic’s native homeland of Slovenia and its recent decision to formally recognize the State of Palestine perhaps ruffled Adelson’s feathers. Adelson is a staunch supporter of the Israeli State and was instrumental in prompting President Donald Trump to relocate the Israeli Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018.

A more likely reason for Adelson and Dumont, along with Mavs General Manager Nico Harrison, opting to trade the 25-year-old Doncic to the Lakers for veteran 32-year-old Anthony Davis was due to his conditioning and personal habits. 

Beer, Smoking Pleasures

Last May, an infamous video that went viral on social media following Dallas winning the Western Conference Finals showed Michael Finley, the assistant GM and vice president of player personnel for the Mavs, taking Doncic’s beer he was drinking out of his hand. Doncic shook his head and smiled off the intercept.

Only moments earlier, Doncic had been awarded the Western Conference Finals MVP award after averaging 32.4 points, 9.6 boards, and 8.2 assists during the series won by the Mavs 4-1. There are ongoing rumblings that Doncic’s taste for beer and smoking flavored tobacco products out of hookahs raised ownership’s concerns about his longevity.

Doncic drinks beer and smokes a hookah, neither of which is atypical for a 25-year-old. But those behaviors didn’t fit Harrison’s mold,” NBA insiders told The Atlantic.

Doncic faced weight issues in the past despite being the NBA scoring champion last year and largely being considered among the league’s top players.

A five-time NBA All-Star and the 2019 NBA Rookie of the Year, Doncic was additionally poised for a supermax extension with the Mavs — a five-year, $345 million package. After being traded, Doncic can only demand up to a five-year deal worth $229 million.

Whichever team agrees to take on Doncic until he’s at least 30 years old will presumably continue to face issues with keeping the superstar in shape. As most 30-plus-somethings know all too well, losing weight becomes harder as one grows older.

Adelson has spent a considerable portion of her fortune funding and running the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Research Clinic in Las Vegas, which treats people for addiction. The Adelson Family Foundation seeks to strengthen the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

Doncic Redemption

On Tuesday night, Doncic faced his old team for the first time while wearing purple and gold. He finished the game with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists for a triple-double. He joins teammate LeBron James and Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook as being the only players in NBA history to put up a triple-double against all 30 teams.

The Lakers beat the Mavs 107-99. Los Angeles was a nearly -400 favorite.

“I’m glad it’s over,” Doncic said of playing against his former teammates. “It was a lot of emotions and not much sleep.”

Davis remains sidelined with a groin injury. He’s expected back on the court in two weeks.