The Luka Trade Revisited — And What Everyone Still Misses | Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges

One year later, the Luka Dončić trade still gets talked about — just not completely.

In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm Hitzges revisits the shocking deal that sent Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, and explains why most retrospectives still leave out the most important details.

Yes, Luka was a brilliant offensive force. Yes, Dallas fans adored him. And yes, the trade wrecked the Mavericks almost immediately. But Norm lays out three realities that rarely get mentioned: Dončić never improved defensively in his six-and-a-half seasons in Dallas, he consistently showed up to seasons overweight, and the financial commitment looming over the franchise was staggering — five years, $345 million guaranteed.

Norm argues that Dallas would have accepted the turnovers, the shooting inefficiencies, and even the injuries — if Luka had simply taken conditioning seriously while he was there. Instead, that lack of commitment quietly shaped the Mavericks’ decision in ways fans and analysts still resist acknowledging.

Then, just when the conversation feels heavy, sports does what it always does — it delivers something you couldn’t make up if you tried. Norm tells the unbelievable story of heavyweight boxer Jarell Miller, a career full of suspensions, comebacks, and one unforgettable Madison Square Garden moment when a perfectly timed uppercut sent Miller’s toupee dangling — and then flying — into the crowd.

It’s classic Just Wondering: hard truths, missing context, and a reminder that sports will always find a way to surprise you.

Chapters

00:00:00 – One year later and still wondering about the Luka trade

00:01:29 – Revisiting the shock of Dončić to the Lakers

00:02:13 – What most trade recaps leave out

00:03:03 – Luka’s playoff defense problem

00:03:52 – The $345 million elephant in the room

00:04:43 – Conditioning, injuries, and missed games

00:05:30 – Why Dallas would have paid him anyway

00:06:07 – “If he’d just gotten in shape…”

00:06:55 – Sponsor break: Bob’s Steak & Chop House

00:07:35 – Full Moon Healing Balm and aging realities

00:08:20 – Enter Jarell “Big Baby” Miller

00:09:02 – A heavyweight career full of suspensions

00:10:17 – Failed drug tests and strange explanations

00:11:49 – Comebacks, casinos, and global fight stops

00:12:38 – Madison Square Garden and the toupee incident

00:13:25 – The ammonia bleach explanation

00:14:20 – Why boxing always delivers the unbelievable

00:15:15 – Sponsors and closing thoughts

00:15:37 – Final sign-off