Regardless of the harsh criticism, the Dallas Mavericks and top brass believe they have done the right thing by trading away Luka Doncic. After leading the Mavs to the NBA finals just last season, Luka was a beacon of hope in Dallas to end their title drought since 2011. But you never know what happens in the NBA trading window. Former majority owner Mark Cuban, who was the mastermind behind bringing a 19-year-old Doncic to Dallas, chose to maintain his calm on the historic trade until this Friday.

“If I had to choose between my wife and keeping Luka on the Mavs, catch me at my lawyer’s office prepping for a divorce,” Cuban said previously. Tells you how much Doncic meant to the former majority Mavs owner. But thanks to the Mavs top brass, including GM Nico Harrison, Dallas has gifted their generational talent to the Lakers. Cuban, who was so confused after Harrison traded the Mavs kingpin, has now spoken out for the first time—shedding light on his true feelings about the move.

The billionaire has been a long-time believer in the Slovenian guard. Recently, at an event with the former World’s Richest Man Bill Gates, he admitted to further struggles.

“I gotta tell you, I’ve had a rough week,” Cuban said at the Eisemann Center according to Dallas News. Cuban considered Doncic more than just a franchise-altering star. He thought from a skill perspective, he was even better than Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki. From his days in Real Madrid, the former Mavs owner fell in love with him.

Understandably, it’s hard for Cuban. The Mavs minority owner didn’t have any say in the trade. Furthermore, he also made a funny analogy to Gates to help him understand his situation. “If after you left Microsoft, you found out that Steve Ballmer traded Windows 11 — like, the new hot operating system — for Windows 10, the Hall-of-Fame but older operating system, what would you do?” he posed the question to Gates.

The 69-year-old billionaire admitted he would have to “hide from people” in such a situation. The shame currently drapes over the Mavericks organization too as fans have outraged over the trade of their young superstar. And in this time all they wish is that Cuban would still have been the majority owner.

Mark Cuban would never have traded Luka Doncic

Top Comment by Rod Mullin

OH HELL YEAH

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Debate

In the wake of the trade, the Mavs fans have come in unison. They are asking for the firing of Nico Harrison, the GM who put the Doncic-Anthony Davis trade together. The mastermind behind sending Doncic to Los Angeles is being bashed left and right for the right reasons.

Per Tim McMahon of ESPN, the Mavs GM has even received multiple death threats from loyal Dallas natives. “There have been some very unfortunate developments regarding that anger, that angst. Nico Harrison has been subjected to death threats… Nico Harrison is not going to be in his normal seat in the stands,” the ESPN insider said.

However, as far as the front office, he has received support from those around him. That comes with the exception of Cuban. Former Mavs star Tim Legler spoke about the situation. And in his view not only would have Cuban laughed at the idea of trading Luka Doncic, but Harrison may not have been in office a day after suggesting the trade.

“Not only would Mark Cuban not have done the deal, Mark Cuban would’ve fired a person who suggested it on the spot… Because he’d be certain that person has to be doing something in terms of narcotics…” Legler ruthlessly admitted on the ALLNBA podcast a few days ago.

Sadly, the Mavericks have to live with a bitter reality.

Additionally, the manner of his exit could dissuade Doncic from joining forces with the Mavericks again. The situation is extremely bitter for the fans and Mark Cuban. They can only hope that Harrison’s bold call results in a title, because as far as showing the promised land, Doncic just did that.

Do you think Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving at the core is what the Mavs need to become champions? Let us know your views in the comments below.