Mavericks Fans Plan Billboard Campaign to Protest Luka Doncic Trade to Lakers
A Frustrated Fan’s Plan to Make a Statement
Many people from the Los Angeles area are thrilled with the blockbuster trade that made former Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic a member of the Lakers over the weekend. Jacob Posner is not one of those people. That’s because the Palisades Charter High School graduate is a diehard Mavericks fan — and he became one because of Doncic.
"When Luka came into the league and became a Mavs [player], I immediately was like, ‘That’s my guy and I wanna be a Mavs fan,’" Posner told CBS News Texas from a hotel room in Sicily, Italy, this week.
A Plan to Make a Statement
A 20-year-old Dartmouth student who is in Rome to learn Italian, Posner came up with an idea to help himself and other Mavericks express their frustration toward general manager Nico Harrison and the Adelson family, the team’s controlling owner.
"Our plan is to cover the area around the American Airlines Center with protest billboards, letting the front office know that Dallas Deserves Better when it comes to team decisions," Posner wrote on the GoFundMe page he started this week to raise money toward the cause.
"Trading away Luka Magic has left a deep void in the hearts of Dallas fans. By banding together for this billboard campaign, we’re sending a strong, undeniable message to the Mavs front office: We refuse to be overlooked, and we deserve better decisions."
The Cost of the Campaign
At 25, Doncic is considered one of the NBA’s best players. A five-time All-Star, he finished third in the league’s MVP voting last year and helped the Mavericks make the NBA Finals.
The news broke late Saturday of the trade that sent Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to L.A. in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round draft pick (the Utah Jazz also received Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers and second-round picks from L.A. and Dallas to facilitate the trade).
Harrison told reporters Tuesday that the team was looking to get "out ahead" of what might have been tough negotiations with Doncic this summer over a supermax extension that would have been worth nearly $350 million over five seasons. It also has been reported that the Mavericks had concerns over Doncic’s diet and conditioning.
The Goal: $82,600
Posner is asking Mavericks fans to submit designs for the billboards. He has created an Instagram account @dallasdeservesbetter (its bio simply reads, "Protesting the worst trade in history") where he will post photos and updates as the project progresses.
As of Thursday afternoon, the campaign had raised more than $33,000 toward Posner’s stated goal of $82,600, an amount he determined after researching the cost of renting billboards that are available around the arena. He wrote Thursday on GoFundMe that he’s working to get the first billboards up before the Mavericks’ next home game, Saturday against the Houston Rockets.
"Whatever amount we raise is going straight to billboards," Posner wrote, "whether we come in short, meet it, or surpass it. One way or another, these billboards are happening."
Conclusion
The campaign, which has garnered significant attention on social media, is a testament to the passion and dedication of Mavericks fans. While some may see the trade as a necessary step forward for the team, Posner and his supporters believe that the team’s front office has let them down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the goal of the campaign?
A: The goal of the campaign is to raise funds to rent billboards around the American Airlines Center to express frustration and disappointment with the trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Q: How much money has been raised so far?
A: As of Thursday afternoon, the campaign has raised more than $33,000 toward a goal of $82,600.
Q: How will the money be used?
A: The money raised will be used to rent billboards around the American Airlines Center to display the protest message.
Q: How can I submit a design for the billboards?
A: Posner is asking fans to submit their designs for the billboards on the GoFundMe page or through the Instagram account @dallasdeservesbetter.
