How the Mavericks went from the NBA’s final four to national punchline

Less than 12 months after an improbable run to the Western Conference finals, the Mavericks have fallen apart and emerged as one of the NBA’s biggest jokes. How? It takes a village

TEAM DOWNFALL: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks. Pic: John Fisher/Getty Images

After committing one of the most egregious tank jobs in NBA history on Friday, the Mavericks have set the stage for Luka Dončić to leave the franchise within the next two years. 

No sooner had Dallas waved the white flag and sat five key players in game they had to win in order to keep their playoff hopes alive did NBA commissioner Adam Silver open an investigation into the Mavericks’ desperate, transparent attempt to hold onto their first-round draft pick this year.