Nowitzki 'disappointed and sad' for Doncic after shock trade to Lakers

Dirk Nowitzki was just as stunned as the rest of the basketball world when he learned the Dallas Mavericks traded franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

"I felt a little disappointed and sad for (Doncic)," Nowitzki said Friday at an event hosted by Sportsradio 96.7 FM/1310 The Ticket, according to The Dallas Morning News. "He obviously didn't see this coming, so he invited me to come out to his first game in L.A., and I felt like I had to support him."

Mavericks legend Nowitzki played his final NBA campaign alongside Doncic. The two have maintained a close relationship since the Hall of Famer's retirement after 21 seasons with Dallas.

When Nowitzki heard that Doncic was reportedly "disappointed" with how the shocking trade went down in early February, he didn't hesitate to fly out to Los Angeles for his Lakers debut.

"It was surreal to see him play for the Lakers," Nowitzki said. "I'll never be a Laker fan, but I'll always be a Luka fan. It was good to see him and good to be there for him."

Doncic is averaging 14.7 points, 6.7 boards, and 5.3 assists through his first three appearances for the Lakers, who play the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.