The Dallas Mavericks owners have faced a barrage of abuse from their own fanbase and beyond following Luka Doncic’s trade to the Lakers, and NBA legend Jalen Rose has urged them to sell the franchise.
The basketball world is still yet to return to baseline after being rocked by Luka Doncic’s blockbuster trade to the Lakers, which saw an aging and injury-prone Anthony Davis head the other way.
In the aftermath of what could well be the NBA’s most shocking trade, the Dallas faithful have largely been left in the dark as to the reasoning behind the switch.
General Manager Nico Harrison has been a chief target in the torrent of insults and obscenities, with some fans even being ejected from the American Airlines Arena after calling for his resignation.
While analysts have tried to make sense of the trade – with a select few suggesting that it could stem from the Mavs’ desire to transform into a defensive juggernaut, or even relocate the franchise to Vegas – the consensus is Doncic’s departure was as nonsensical as it was shocking.
One man who made no secret of his thoughts about the trade, former Pacers and Raptors forward Jalen Rose, even went as far as saying the Dallas Mavericks owners may as well close up shop if they didn’t want to pay for Doncic.
“Normally, when you’re about to get traded, there comes out negative things about your character publically… I don’t like that it happened with Luka before he got traded and after he’s traded.
“Is he in the greatest shape? No. Does he have some off-court things that he probably needs to improve as a 25-year-old? Absolutely.
“I love Anthony Davis. But he was the second-best player on a championship team. When Luka wins the championship, by the way, he just led them to the Finals last year and has been All-NBA [First Team] five times, he’s going to be the best player on a championship team.
“So, to me, it seems like they didn’t want to pay Luka. If you don’t wanna pay Luka, just sell the team. That’s how I feel about it, because if you ain’t gonna pay somebody that accomplished what he accomplished already, I don’t know…
Doncic would have been eligible to sign a supermax contract worth nearly $350 million this summer, which some – including Rose – have suggested is the reason why Doncic was allowed to leave.
The Dallas Mavericks owners are made up of several controlling parties, with casino magnates Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont holding a 69% share after entering into the franchise in 2023.
The team’s most successful owner, Mark Cuban – who reportedly urged Nico Harrison not to trade Doncic – retains 27% and oversight of the Mavericks, although the Adelson and Dumont families have final say over all business and basketball decisions.
While Dumont ruled out rumours of the franchise relocating to Las Vegas, he did echo comments made by GM Harrison, which suggest Doncic’s character and commitment may have been under question.
“In my mind, the way teams win is by focus, by having the right character, by having the right culture, and having the right dedication to work as hard as possible to create a championship-winning outcome.
“And if you’re not doing that, you’re going to lose.”
