Mark Cuban reportedly did not want the Dallas Mavericks to go through with the Luka Dončić trade.
Dallas shockingly parted ways with its face of the franchise on Feb. 2, trading the 25-year-old Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster deal centered around Anthony Davis. Dončić is expected to make his Lakers debut on Monday night against the Utah Jazz.
Cuban, however, never wanted to see Dončić wear the Lakers' purple and gold—or any other NBA team's color scheme, for that matter. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Cuban was "stung" by the lack of notice he received about general manager Nico Harrison's decision to trade Dončić.
"By the time Cuban found out about the Luka-for-AD trade, it was too late," Stein reported Sunday. "[Mavs owner Patrick] Dumont never approached for advice. Sources say Cuban urged Harrison not to go ahead with the swap ... only to find out that the deal had already been sealed with the Lakers by verbal handshake."
When Cuban sold his majority stake in the Mavericks back in November 2023, it was reported that he would retain control of basketball operations. While he remains a minority owner in the franchise, the Dončić trade makes it clear his role has diminished within the walls of the facility.
Cuban has been outspoken about his admiration for Dončić over the years, going so far as to joke in 2020 that he'd more likely get divorced from his wife Tiffany Stewart than part ways with Dončić.
Unfortunately for the 66-year-old billionaire, he didn't have a say in the franchise- and league-altering Dončić trade.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Report: Mark Cuban Urged Mavericks GM to Not Go Through With Luka Doncic Trade.
