Former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban stated he would not have traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers without securing a more advantageous deal. In light of recent criticisms faced by Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison over a surprising three-team trade on February 1, which also involved Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a first-round draft pick for 2029, Cuban remarked:

“If the Mavs are going to trade Luka, that’s one thing. Just get a better deal. No disrespect to Anthony Davis, but I still firmly believe if we had received four unprotected No. 1s along with Anthony Davis and Max Christie, we would be having a different discussion.”

The Lakers are now viewed as potential contenders for the championship, while the Mavericks risk missing the playoffs due to injuries to both Davis and Kyrie Irving.

Cuban, who retains a minority stake in the Mavericks, hesitated to confirm if he would have executed a trade for Doncic; however, he drew parallels to 2004 when he allowed Steve Nash to leave for the Suns, leading Nash to achieve MVP honors in his first two seasons in Phoenix. Cuban emphasized,

“The good news is that we went to the Finals and won a championship, but social media wasn’t around then, so it wasn’t quite the same. Mistakes are a part of the game. I believe the Mavs’ biggest challenge now is the lack of communication from key decision-makers.”