Hall of Fame coach Don Nelson protested the Dallas Mavericks' trade of Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers by wearing Dončić's signature sneakers at Game 2 of the NBA finals, where he received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award. Nelson called the trade a 'tremendous mistake,' adhering to Red Auerbach's philosophy of not trading generational talents, a move that had previously angered Dallas fans.
Former Mavericks coach Don Nelson stages Luka Dončić trade protest at NBA finals
Luka DončićNBA finalsDallas MavericksSportsUS sportsNBA
AI Summary
TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Hall of Fame coach Don Nelson protested the Dallas Mavericks' trade of Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers by wearing Dončić's signature sneakers at Game 2 of the NBA finals, where he received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award. Nelson called the trade a 'tremendous mistake,' adhering to Red Auerbach's philosophy of not trading generational talents, a move that had previously angered Dallas fans.
Trending- 1 Luka Dončić was traded by Dallas to the Los Angeles Lakers this season.
- 2 Dallas Mavericks won the draft lottery and gained the chance to draft Cooper Flagg No 1 overall (recent weeks).
- 3 Don Nelson staged his protest at Game 2 of the NBA finals (2025-06-09).
- Fans in Dallas were furious (though anger subsided with draft lottery win)
- Nelson's public protest drew attention to the trade
What: Don Nelson protested the trade of Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers by wearing Dončić's signature sneakers at the NBA finals.
When: Game 2 of the NBA finals (published 2025-06-09). The trade occurred 'this season'.
Where: NBA finals (specific city not mentioned, but implies a US city).
Why: Nelson believes trading generational talents like Dončić is a 'tremendous mistake,' citing Red Auerbach's philosophy. He has deep ties to Dallas, having coached the Mavericks for eight seasons.
How: Nelson publicly expressed his protest by wearing Dončić's signature Jordan Brand sneakers and stating his disapproval during a news conference where he was receiving the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award.