It was a tough Monday for Mavericks fans - not because of a loss on the court, but because of a win elsewhere. The NBA rolled out its Players of the Week, and the names stung a little more than usual in Dallas: Jalen Brunson in the East, Luka Dončić in the West.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 6 of the 2025-26 season (Nov. 24-30). pic.twitter.com/HMc4gWmWbR
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 1, 2025
Two stars lighting it up for two different teams. And once upon a time, both wore Mavericks blue.
What if they were on the same team? Threw this photoshop together pic.twitter.com/dqH6licQJg
— Basketball Business (@BBall_Business) December 1, 2025
Let’s rewind. Brunson was drafted by the Mavs in 2018, a second-round gem who blossomed into a playoff-caliber point guard.
Imagine if you had those two on the same team... https://t.co/d21APlSOjx
— Matt Mosley (@mattmosley) December 1, 2025
But after the 2021 season, the front office let him walk in free agency, and he took his talents to New York. Since then, he’s become the centerpiece of the Knicks’ resurgence - a floor general who’s now earning weekly honors in the league’s toughest market.
Could you imagine if these guys were teammates?? https://t.co/x6eiz8TFpP
— Bryce Gelman (@BryceGelman) December 1, 2025
Then there’s Dončić. Also drafted in 2018 - and the face of the franchise for years - his move was even more shocking.
Mavericks had it all
— Ragamuffin Man (@ragamuffinman33) December 1, 2025
The Mavericks traded him to the Lakers at last season’s deadline, a blockbuster that shifted the balance of power in the West. It was a deal that left fans stunned and scrambling for answers.
https://t.co/77WRoAiWX2 pic.twitter.com/eoRiT0QjZm
— Caner Yükselen (@CANER_PACKS) December 1, 2025
At the center of both decisions? Former GM Nico Harrison.
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) December 1, 2025
He’s no longer running the show in Dallas, but his fingerprints are all over the current state of the roster. And when the NBA dropped that Player of the Week announcement, social media did what it does best: react with memes, sarcasm, and a healthy dose of heartbreak.
https://t.co/VICut4JSdE pic.twitter.com/M2A2lx2TUS
— We back (@Aneerinyourear) December 1, 2025
Mavericks fans, still processing the departure of two franchise cornerstones, flooded timelines with jokes and jabs at Harrison’s expense. Some laughed, some winced, but the sentiment was clear - this one hurt.
The irony is hard to miss. Two players drafted by the Mavericks in the same year, now thriving on opposite coasts, both honored by the league in the same week. It’s a reminder of what was - and what could’ve been.
Damn, Nico. pic.twitter.com/DoLsCqg61j
— Knickel & Diming (@Knickel_Diming) December 1, 2025
For Dallas, it’s not just about missing talent. It’s about missed opportunity.
Oh, boy. https://t.co/MXuhtbSHaH
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) December 1, 2025
Brunson and Dončić weren’t just good players - they were foundational pieces. And seeing them succeed elsewhere only sharpens the sting.
https://t.co/7oTbTvJNJ8 pic.twitter.com/HFpdggWpgO
— MFFL (@Mavs_FFL) December 1, 2025
As for Harrison, his tenure may be over, but his legacy lingers. Not just in the moves he made, but in the ones he didn’t. And whether fair or not, fans haven’t forgotten.
Lmao @NicoHarrisonGM is a bum https://t.co/vo1UXKAmpr
— LUKA WAS TAKEN (@ExMavsFan77) December 1, 2025
#whoremembers 🥹 https://t.co/JnVET7bkUY pic.twitter.com/EVQgzS6dwK
— m⁷⁷ (@miss77ela) December 1, 2025
Lmao @NicoHarrisonGM is a bum https://t.co/vo1UXKAmpr
— LUKA WAS TAKEN (@ExMavsFan77) December 1, 2025
#whoremembers 🥹 https://t.co/JnVET7bkUY pic.twitter.com/EVQgzS6dwK
— m⁷⁷ (@miss77ela) December 1, 2025