Good morning. Let’s basketball.

Portrait of a Main, Possibly an Architect or Geographer; Peter Paul Rubens; 1597

A Bit More Luka

Read Marc Stein’s big piece compiling news he’s learned since the Luka trade a week ago. There’s a ton of new info in there, including the fact that Mark Cuban begged Nico Harrison not to go through with the trade once it was set.

Part of Stein’s piece deals with an interview new-ish Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont gave to the Dallas Morning News. Respect for talking to the press. Never do it again.

“If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — [Michael] Jordan, [Larry] Bird, Kobe [Bryant], Shaq [O’Neal] — they worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win,” he said. “And if you don’t have that, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks.

“That’s who we want. I’m unwavering on this. The entire organization knows this. This is how I operate outside of basketball. This is the only way to be competitive and win. If you want to take a vacation, don’t do it with us.”

Everyone’s making a point to highlight Shaq’s inclusion on that list, because Shaq famously … was not known for working really hard every day with a singular focus to win. It’s truly an egregious example — no shade to Shaq. Amazing player. Four-time champion. Not a classic gym rat.

But set him aside. What about Larry Legend? From the Los Angeles Times, July 1985.

Larry Bird conceded he was in a Boston bar where a bartender says the Celtics’ star slugged him during the National Basketball Assn. playoffs in May, Bird’s attorney said Tuesday.

The fight allegedly occurred before Bird disclosed a right index-finger injury that damaged his effectiveness in the NBA finals, which the Celtics lost to the Lakers.

Jordan wasn’t getting in bar fight (he was busy fighting his teammates), but MJ played golf, gambled and smoked cigars with rivals during the Finals. Luka hits the hookah and has a beer after winning Western Finals MVP. OK. Does he perform? Does he produce? Does he lead the team to new heights?

I wrote last week that Patrick Dumont doesn’t know ball. Confirmation received.

Siri, Undo Risky Trade

Two days after the NBA trade deadline, the Lakers hit Ctrl-Z on the Mark Williams deal after the young, oft-injured center failed his physical. ESPN reports that the issues aren’t related to Williams’ back, but another part of his body. Mysterious. ...