Mark Cuban sets the record straight on Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade had he been in charge

Nearly two months have passed since Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, and many are still struggling to understand why Dallas Mavericks‘ general manager, Nico Harrison, made the decision to part ways with the 26-year-old Slovenian star. Recently, Mark Cuban cleared the air on what would have transpired had he remained in control of the team.

In a recent appearance on the Your Mom’s House podcast, the former Mavericks owner made it clear that if he had any say in the matter, the Luka Doncic trade would never have happened.

“If I had any influence, the trade wouldn’t happen,” Cuban said. “After I sold the Mavericks, the majority owner, Patrick Dumont, decided that he was comfortable with Nico Harrison, the general manager, and the team he had put together, which was his choice”.

However, Cuban also acknowledged that under Harrison’s leadership, the Mavs reached the NBA Finals last season. “You can’t totally argue with him because we went to the Finals,” Cuban continued. “It was his choice, and he made his choice. I’m just a fan now. Over time, it was just like, ‘Ok, in Nico we trust.’ So, here we are”.

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball against Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the third quarter of Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Cuban reveals the exact moment he found out about the trade

For many, the news of Luka Doncic joining the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis seemed like a joke at first. Cuban, however, recalls receiving a text message from Harrison about the trade, initially thinking the GM was asking for his opinion.

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“I was in Florida at a conference. It was 11 at night and I got a text,” said Cuban. “It was from our general manager, and I thought he was asking me what I thought. And then I realized very quickly that he was telling me what happened, and I told him I didn’t agree with it, but it wasn’t my decision to make”.

Cuban draws parallels between Doncic and Steve Nash

Cuban also reflected on the Doncic trade, drawing a comparison to the decision he made in 2004 to let Steve Nash leave the Mavericks for the Phoenix Suns, where Nash would go on to win back-to-back MVPs.

“Look, you know, in 2004 I let Steve Nash walk, and he won two MVPs the next two years,” Cuban explained. “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”.