Fans of the Mavs are clear: Mark Cuban would not have traded Luka Doncic

Fans of the Dallas Mavericks felt like they were living a nightmare on Saturday night when it was revealed that Luka Doncic had been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most surprising decisions in sports history. What initially seemed like an impossible rumor was confirmed on Sunday morning, leaving the fans in disbelief at what had happened. The sentiment on social media is that this is something that would have never happened under Mark Cuban.

The trade sent Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a first-round draft pick in 2029. This move has been dubbed as one of the worst in NBA history, as Dallas chose to part ways with their 25-year-old star, who has yet to reach his peak, for a player with injury history, a promising young talent, and just one draft pick.

Mavericks' general manager, Nico Harrison, initiated talks with the Lakers without Doncic being aware of the situation. Initial reports indicate that the Slovenian player was completely unaware of the team's intentions, and the fan reaction has been mostly negative.

This move came a little over a year after Mark Cuban sold the majority of his shares in the team to the Adelson family. If Cuban were still in charge of the sports decisions, this trade likely would have never happened. During his tenure, Cuban always showed a strong commitment to his stars and aimed to keep them satisfied. What happened with Doncic has been interpreted by many as a lack of respect towards the franchise centerpiece.

As of Sunday morning, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, Harrison had not directly spoken with Doncic. He had only attempted to reach out through text messages and voicemails, primarily communicating through his agent, Bill Duffy. "My assumption is that he probably doesn't want to talk to me," Harrison stated.

While there were concerns within the organization about Doncic's physical condition leading up to his supermax contract extension this summer, these factors do not justify such a drastic decision. Any NBA team would be willing to offer him that extension without hesitation. Instead of hastily parting ways with a generational talent, the franchise could have sought alternatives to address any concerns.

Mark Cuban, with his long-term approach to team-building, would have done everything possible to keep Doncic happy and surrounded by the necessary talent to compete. He did so throughout Dirk Nowitzki's career, ensuring Dallas remained a contender as long as their star was able to play. While his management wasn't flawless, he would never have considered getting rid of Doncic in this manner.

The Mavericks' fanbase is still coming to terms with the news, feeling that the franchise has made an irreparable mistake.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los fans de los Mavs lo tienen claro: Mark Cuban no hubiese traspasado a Luka Doncic