Mark Cuban says he had no control over the shocking Luka Doncic trade, calling himself “just a fan now” as the Mavericks struggle through a disappointing, injury-filled season.
Months have passed since the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic out of Dallas, but the shockwaves are still being felt across the city. The Dallas Mavericks, fresh off an NBA Finals appearance last season, have stumbled hard in the wake of the deal. With injuries piling up and a Play-In spot now their best hope, fans are angry, confused, and looking for answers.
Mark Cuban appeared on the Your Mom’s House podcast recently, and the topic of the Doncic trade came up fast. He didn’t shy away from how he felt. “If I had any influence, the trade wouldn’t have happened,” Cuban said. “I was just as dumbfounded as everyone else.”
From Power to the Sidelines
Cuban explained that while he once had control over basketball operations, things changed after he sold his majority stake in 2023. He handed over control to Miriam Adelson, Sivan Dumont, and Patrick Dumont in a $3.5 billion deal—while keeping a 27% share of the team.
Originally, he thought he’d still be involved in major decisions. “That was the plan when I sold the team,” he said. “But over time it became clear—‘In Nico we trust,’ and here we are.”
It was general manager Nico Harrison who quietly made the stunning deal, pulling it off overnight. Even Doncic himself was reportedly blindsided. Cuban said he was in Florida at a conference when the news broke. “It was 11 at night and I got a text from Nico asking what I thought. I told him I didn’t agree with it—for a bunch of reasons. But it wasn’t my call.”
Fallout in Dallas
The reaction in Dallas was immediate and intense. At a movie premiere, Cuban said someone even yelled “Fire Nico!”. “You don’t have to convince me,” he said. “I don’t get it either.”
Cuban’s relationship with Luka was strong, even if they weren’t especially close friends. “I would text him all the time, DM him, send motivational quotes, recommend books… I loved the guy. We got along great with his dad, too.”
As the season plays out, the contrast between the two teams involved in the trade couldn’t be more obvious. The Lakers, who received Doncic, have surged and are now chasing the No. 2 seed in the West. The Mavericks, meanwhile, are crumbling. Anthony Davis, who came to Dallas in the deal, injured his groin in his debut. Then Kyrie Irving tore his ACL, ruling him out for the rest of this season.
Fans are still reeling, and Cuban, now more spectator than shot-caller, understands their frustration.
“Trades are always judged with time,” he said. “In 2004, I let Steve Nash walk, and he won two MVPs. He even knocked us out of the playoffs. But the next year, we made the Finals, and then won a title.”
Even so, it’s clear the Luka deal still stings.
