The second half of the 2024-25 campaign has been a nightmare for the Dallas Mavericks, whether it be due to their injury situation, or their trade that sent superstar guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. The latter is still something folks haven't gotten over, leading to a brutal admission from the team's former owner, Mark Cuban.
Back in December 2023, Cuban sold a 73% share of the Mavericks, and while he still owns a 27% share of the team, he is no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of the team. In the immediate aftermath of the Doncic trade, Cuban lamented the fact that he felt Dallas did not get enough in return for the face of their franchise.
"If the Mavs are going to trade Luka, that's one thing," Cuban said "Just get a better deal. No disrespect to Anthony Davis, but I still firmly believe if we had gotten four unprotected No. 1s and Anthony Davis and Max Christie, this would be a different conversation."
Cuban has tried to hold back when discussing the Mavericks decision to trade Doncic, but he recently dropped the gloves when looking at the deal. Cuban admitted that he was "dumbfounded" by the trade, and that had he still been involved with the team, the trade never would have taken place.
"I have no idea," Cuban said on "Your Mom's House" when asked about the Doncic trade. "If I had any influence, no ... The majority owner, Patrick Dumont, decided that he was comfortable with Nico Harrison, the general manager, and the team he had put together, which is his choice ... It was like, 'OK, in Nico we trust.' So here we are."
Mark Cuban: "If I had any influence, the trade wouldn't happen. I was just as dumbfounded as everybody else. After I sold the Mavericks, the new owner Patrick Dumont decided that 'Ok, in Nico we trust.' So, here we are."
Via Reddit pic.twitter.com/0pcMwJw6UD
— Kirk Henderson (@KirkSeriousFace) March 21, 2025
The Mavericks have completely faltered as of late, losing 11 of their past 13 games to fall all the way to the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference. Doncic, meanwhile, is averaging 26.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and eight assists per game while shooting 40.5% from the floor in his first 16 contests with the Lakers.
Related: Former NBA Player Doesn't Hold Back on Luka Doncic's 'Reputation' Issue
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This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 3:27 PM.