Mavericks majority owner Patrick Dumont explains the reason for trading Luka Doncic to Lakers

More than a month after the blockbuster trade that stunned the NBA, many fans are still searching for answers about why the Dallas Mavericks dealt away their franchise cornerstone, Luka Doncic, to the Los Angeles Lakers. Addressing the situation was none other than Patrick Dumont, the majority owner of the Mavericks.

In a recent video released by The Real Estate Council, recapping an event held on February 13, Dumont opened up about the reasons behind trading the 26-year-old Slovenian star. He explained that the team was struggling before last season’s All-Star break and needed to make changes heading into the playoffs.

“For us, going into the trade deadline last year, we were not competitive. If you recall, we were not a playoff-bound team, and we were able to do some things to reconstruct the roster and enable the team to become very competitive. After the trade deadline last year, we actually had the best record in basketball,” Dumont said. “Which was a big accomplishment. We got to the championship games and didn’t win, so we had to decide how do we get better”.

Dumont emphasized that the trade was about securing the Mavericks’ future. “What can we do to improve our team? We looked at our trajectory during the season and realized that we did not get better, but the teams we competed against—some of which we beat—did get better,” Dumont continued. “So this was a decision about the future. If you look at our roster today and who we have, we feel like we’ve positioned ourselves to be incredibly competitive against the best teams in the NBA”.

Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts after a basket during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets. (Tim Heitman/Getty Images)

However, since Doncic’s departure, the Mavericks have faced nothing but challenges this season. Anthony Davis has only played one game due to injury, and as the team awaited his return, Kyrie Irving tore the ACL in his left knee during a matchup against the Sacramento Kings. Irving’s injury has ruled him out for the remainder of the season.

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Mark Cuban criticizes Mavs’ handling of the trade

In an interview with WFAA, Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban didn’t hold back his frustration with the decision to trade Doncic for Davis. “Yeah, of course, I was upset,” Cuban admitted.

“And I’ve said this before: if the Mavs are going to trade Luka, that’s one thing. Just get a better deal,” he added. “No disrespect to Anthony Davis, but I still firmly believe this would be a different conversation if we had gotten four unprotected first-round picks, Anthony Davis, and Max Christie”.

A season marred by injuries

The 2023-24 NBA season has been a nightmare for the Mavericks, with injuries derailing the team’s plans. Even before the trade, Luka Doncic missed over a month with a calf injury, leaving the team shorthanded. Post-trade, the injury bug persisted, sidelining key players like rookie Derek Lively II and Daniel Gafford.

Anthony Davis, who was brought in as the centerpiece for the team’s future, has only managed to play one game this season. Irving’s season-ending ACL injury has further dimmed the Mavericks’ postseason hopes. With their stars sidelined and their playoff chances slipping away, the Mavericks face a critical decision: push forward this season or start building for the long term.