Seven months have passed since that fateful February night when Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, thus changing the entire landscape of the Dallas Mavericks.
While most of the protagonists have since moved on from that shocking development, the transaction still stings for some, most notably Mavs minority owner Mark Cuban.
Advertisement
After all, Cuban was at the head of the table when the franchise engineered a draft day trade with the Atlanta Hawks that brought Luka to the Big D.
During his appearance on the “Road Trippin'” podcast, the affable businessman shared some details surrounding the trade and how his conversation with Mavs general manager Nico Harrison was basically a revelation, not a consultation.
Cuban was informed of the trade and was never consulted
Mark actually brought Nico into the organization back in 2021. At that time, he still owned a majority stake in the franchise and had control over all basketball-related decisions. The dynamic shifted in December 2023 when he sold his majority stake in the team. This move granted Nico the authority to make key decisions, backed by the support of team governor Patrick Dumont.
Advertisement
It was this authority that allowed Nico to pull off one of, if not the most shocking trade in NBA history.
“I was at an event in Florida and it was a Saturday night, I think, maybe around 11 or 12:00. I get a text from Nico — or maybe he called me — and I called him back,” Cuban narrated.
He initially thought the conversation they were having was a meeting of the minds. He soon realized that it wasn’t.
“At first, I thought he was asking me, ‘What do you think about this?'” Cuban surmised. “Then I realized he was telling me that this was done. And obviously, I was not happy at all.”
Advertisement
Almost in a panic, Mark immediately touched base with Patrick, who gave him the same spiel.
“I was like, ‘This is gonna be a mistake. Huge mistake,'” he added. “But then I thought, okay, I gotta get on board, because if I don’t at least stand up a little bit for it, who knows?”
Cuban looks at the silver lining
Seven months later, no amount of pining, complaining, or cursing Nico out would bring Luka back to Dallas.
Advertisement
Purple and Gold now run through his veins and will for years to come after he signed a contract extension.
All Cuban and Mavs fans can do is look at their roster and hope for the best.
“You look at the good side. AD is AD, right? If we stay healthy, we’re going to have a great defense, etc. I was pissed. I was upset. But as much as I could, I just tried to get my mindset right going forward,” Cuban remarked.
“Like, if someone asked me, I’d explain it wasn’t my idea and I didn’t know anything about it. But right now, whether we got Coop (Flagg) or not, you know, get Kyrie back and we have a squad — if we stay healthy. But that’s always the big thing,” he continued.
Advertisement
Cuban will always hold the Mavericks in high esteem, regardless of how the Luka saga unfolded.
Yet, February 1, 2025, will remain a bittersweet memory — a day when things might have turned out differently.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 12, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.