Mark Cuban has never been one to hold his tongue, and the former Dallas Mavericks owner proved that once again when he broke his silence on the team’s blockbuster trade of Luka Dončić.
The Mavericks shocked everyone in the NBA when they traded Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and potential starter Max Christie.
Mark Cuban Shares Frustration on Luka Dončić Trade with Bill Gates
Speaking with Bill Gates in an interview, Cuban took a not-so-subtle dig at Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison. He compared the move to downgrading from Windows 11 to Windows 10. The joke was lighthearted but showed Cuban’s apparent disbelief over the decision to move on from their 25-year-old superstar.
“And so I wanted to start off with a question because you’ve been in unique situations, and maybe you can help,” Cuban said. “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?”
Mark Cuban reacts to the Luka trade in a talk with Bill Gates (via @MavsFilmRoom) pic.twitter.com/ZhzJbHBLRg
— SLO HOOPS FAN 🇸🇮 (@SloHoopsFan) February 8, 2025
Many around the league have questioned the logic behind the deal, especially given Dončić’s MVP-caliber performances and the fact that he just led Dallas to the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Mavs GM has been under scrutiny for the trade, with ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reporting that he has even received death threats from enraged Mavericks fans.
“This is a heartbroken fanbase, and there have been some very unfortunate developments regarding that anger,” MacMahon said.
“Nico Harrison has been subjected to death threats. Some of those included racial epithets. Certainly, security’s going to be beefed up. There will be protests outside the arena early. Those are planned. Security will absolutely be beefed up. Nico Harrison is not going to be in his normal seat in the stands.”
"Clearly, lines have been crossed."@espn_macmahon with the latest on security precautions for Mavericks front office personnel following the Luka Doncic trade. pic.twitter.com/N1NffEYOWn
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 7, 2025
Cuban, who sold his majority stake in the franchise last year, wasn’t the only one to weigh in. Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont defended the move, pointing out that championship teams are built on culture, character, and work ethic. His statement, however, has done little to soothe an outraged fan base that believes they just lost a generational talent.
READ MORE: Lakers Fan Jayden Daniels Makes Feelings Known on Shocking Luka Dončić Trade
The Mavericks’ first home game since the trade was on Feb. 8 against the Houston Rockets. Dončić didn’t seem to be a problem for them, as they won 115-106. The Dončić sub, Davis, scored 26 points, with six rebounds and seven assists.
As for Dončić, the five-time All-NBA star has been adjusting to life in Los Angeles, where he’s now expected to help LeBron James chase another championship.
