Former Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban recently went viral following his candid remarks on the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. During an appearance on the YMH Studios podcast with host Kirk Henderson, Cuban expressed confusion and disbelief over the deal, which occurred on February 2.
The Mavericks traded Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. Cuban, who no longer holds decision-making power in the organization, admitted he was caught off guard.
“You don’t have to convince me… Yeah, I don’t get it either,” Cuban responded when Henderson questioned the logic behind the move.
Mark Cuban reflects on Luka Doncic trade fallout and recalls Steve Nash decision
Cuban recalled the moment he first heard about the trade.
“Well I was in Florida in a conference and… I get a text, it was from our general manager and I thought he was asking me what I thought and then I realized very quickly he was telling me what happened. I told him I didn’t agree with it… various reasons, but it wasn’t my decision to make.”
The decision to move on from Doncic sparked backlash in Dallas. Cuban noted that his family faced immediate fallout.
“Oh yeah, my family – my daughter was at a party and had to hide when it came out. Still, I was here at South by Southwest at the premiere of The Accountant 2 and somebody started yelling, ‘fire Nico!’,” Cuban recalled with laughter.
“I don’t get it either.”
Mark Cuban on the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade
(via @KirkSeriousFace)pic.twitter.com/Md832e6pC4
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Amid the controversy, Cuban offered a historical perspective, referencing his past decision to let Steve Nash walk in free agency in 2004.
“Look, you know, in 2004 I let Steve Nash walk and he won two MVPs the next two years but the good news was he beat us in the playoffs the first year after he left… and then we made it to the Finals and won a championship so it kinda covered all of that.”
Cuban on relationship with Luka, Mavericks’ decline, and Lakers’ surge
Despite no longer overseeing basketball operations, Mark Cuban spoke highly of his relationship with Luka Doncic and the difficulty of processing the trade.
“I love Luka… we weren’t best buddies but I would text him all the time and DM him, I would give him all these motivational quotes, even gave him books to read. So we had a good relationship, got along great with his dad… I was just as dumbfounded as everybody else.”
Cuban also clarified his lack of involvement in roster decisions since selling his majority stake.
“I don’t anymore and I haven’t for a while. I didn’t relinquish… 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. You can’t totally argue with him because we went to the Finals – but it was his choice and he made his choice so I’m just a fan now.”
The Mavericks, struggling with injuries and inconsistent play, have gone 7-14 since acquiring Davis and currently sit at 33-37 as the 11th seed in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Lakers have surged to a 15-7 record since the trade and hold the fourth seed with a 43-26 mark.
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