NBA Rumors: Luka Dončić Wasn't Aware of Mavericks' Plan to Sit Him, Kyrie Irving

The Dallas Mavericks didn't alert Luka Dončić to their potential plan to throw in the towel and abandon their slim chances of qualifying for the play-in tournament, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Stein reported that "Dončić had not yet been presented with the plan" prior to rumors surfacing of Dallas possibly shutting him and Kyrie Irving for what's left of the season.

The following day, the four-time All-Star told reporters Tuesday he intended to play as long as Dallas still had a path to the postseason.

By Friday, the Mavericks removed any doubt about their short-term priorities. They announced Irving would be unavailable to play against the Chicago Bulls because of an injury, and ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported Dončić would exit after the first quarter.

Head coach Jason Kidd addressed the situation, and his comments underlined how quickly things had evolved within the organization:

NBA spokesman Mike Bass confirmed the league has opened an investigation to see whether the Mavs violated any rules by ruling out Irving and removing Dončić early from Friday's 115-112 loss to the Bulls:

There's no question Dallas made the smarter long-term play. The Mavs' 2023 first-round pick is only top-10-protected and will convey to the New York Knicks if they fall any further than that in the lottery draw on May 16.

Keeping that pick was more valuable than narrowly making the play-in tournament and either getting knocked out there or reaching the first round for what would likely be a brief playoff stay.

But the optics are always terrible when a franchise goes from reaching the conference finals and is reduced to tanking the following year. It certainly doesn't send a great message to a star like Dončić, either, and the lack of communication between him and team officials compounds matters.

Ownership and the front office might have some questions to answer this offseason as it regards to whether they have a coherent plan to return the team to contention.