The global NBA scene was jolted when, in a three‑team exchange that also involved the Utah Jazz, the Dallas Mavericks sent international superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025.
Yet Dončić’s latest injury could not have come at a worse moment—likely dashing his chances at MVP glory—as Mark Cuban, the longtime public face of the Mavericks and a former advocate for Dončić’s lifestyle amid injury chatter, finally speaks up and weighs in on the fallout.
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Dončić, 27, sustained a Grade 2 hamstring strain during last week’s 139-96 defeat to Oklahoma City, a setback expected to bench him for three to six weeks, with only a sliver of the regular season remaining.
Dončić had been a force for the Lakers, orchestrating a 15‑2 surge in March with averages of 37.5 points, 8 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. He earned Western Conference Player of the Month—and even drew a Defensive Player of the Month nod—despite critics questioning his defense.
The Slovenian star leads the NBA in scoring at 33.8 points per game and sits in the top five in assists. The Lakers (50–27) have secured a spot in the 2026 playoffs, while the Mavericks (24–52) have been eliminated from postseason contention.
Selected third overall in 2018, he quickly became a fixture among the All-Stars after Dallas swapped the No. 5 pick Trae Young to Atlanta on draft night to acquire Dončić.
So, when Dallas chose to move the 2019 Rookie of the Year to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony “AD” Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick, numerous basketball fans cried foul, with online conspiracy theories alleging the league deliberately favored the Lakers running wild.
Cuban, the Mavericks’ former majority owner, is now offering some behind‑the‑scenes insight into how Dallas handed over a generational player to a LeBron James–led squad in the same conference.
The billionaire magnate sold the controlling stake in Dallas to the Adelson-Dumont family in December 2023, while Dončić was still on the roster. Cuban still holds a 27 percent stake but has admitted feeling some remorse about giving up control.
“I don’t regret selling,” Cuban said on the March 31 episode of the “Intersections” podcast, before adding, “I regret who I sold to. I made a lot of mistakes in the process, and I’ll leave it at that.”
The “Shark Tank” panelist also revealed how he learned about Dončić’s move to the Lakers, a deal many pundits viewed as lopsided in favor of Davis, the 2012 No. 1 overall pick.
According to Cuban, he was at a Florida conference when a call from then-Mavericks GM Nico Harrison informed him that Dončić would be headed to Los Angeles in exchange for the oft‑injured Davis, then 33. The franchise relieved Harrison of his duties in November.
Cuban suggested that friction between the GM and members of Dončić’s inner circle may have contributed to the Slovenian star’s departure from Dallas. Mavs head coach Jason Kidd also came under criticism during the conversation.
“Jay Kidd had coached with Anthony Davis and was close to him, and Nico was close to AD, since he was, like, 13 years old. And so I think… there was some confirmation bias at play,” Cuban stated.
Cuban continued his open critique of Kidd, 53, and Harrison, 53, by adding, “But that doesn’t justify it for our coach and our general manager to stand up and trade our best player.”
Kidd, whom Cuban hired in 2021 to coach the Mavericks after helping the organization win a championship a decade earlier as the team’s point guard, responded to the remarks through the press.
“When are we going to move on?” Kidd asked a reporter during a pregame interview in Milwaukee on March 31. “We have to move forward. We’re focused on the present and the future, and we’ve got an incredible opportunity to build.”
The exchange sparked a heated social-media debate, with fans weighing who deserved the most blame for a trade that sent away an MVP candidate—a move that would have required approval from the Mavericks’ new majority owners.
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Danielle Brooks
I am a staff writer at New York Beacon, where I focus on culture, entrepreneurship, and the emerging voices redefining Black America. My work highlights innovators, artists, and founders whose stories often unfold beyond mainstream headlines but shape communities in meaningful ways. Through precise reporting and thoughtful storytelling, I aim to document progress, challenge narratives, and contribute to a stronger Black press tradition.