Heartbroken fan mourns Luka trade with symbolic casket
In the middle of Zople's living room is a casket — the same one heartbroken fans carried outside the American Airlines Center after hearing about the Luka trade.
"They shipped him in the night, no one knew. I woke up, ring, ring. They traded Luka, that was it," Zople said.
Like many, Zople says the news was baffling, which is why he felt a casket was fitting.
"I don't know what possessed Nico to do this trade. Our hearts, Luka was the heart of the city… It felt like a funeral. The city was dead, we needed a casket to represent our dead franchise," Zople said.
He says he called around, and $3,000 later, he got the casket delivered.
"The season wouldn't be over if we had Luka and he did the step-back thing he always does," Zople said.
While fans are still confused by the trade, Zople says he's ready to move on, which is why he posted the casket for sale on Facebook.
"People are reaching out. They are trying to buy it. We have one guy offering $1, I had a guy offer me $900."
Zople hopes that by letting go, good luck will come.
"Maybe if I get rid of it, it will break the curse immediately, so maybe if I sell it the curse will go away, maybe Nico Harrison will be shipped off in the night like Luka, I don't know," Zople said.
