Dallas Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont broke his silence on the shocking Luka Doncic trade that left their fans heartbroken and enraged.
“It’s hard to make tough decisions,” Dumont told The Dallas Morning News’ Brad Townsend. “And it’s hard to make the right decisions when they’re tough. And it’s easy to do nothing.
“But when you want to pursue excellence in an organization, you have to make the tough decisions and stand by them and keep going.”
The Mavericks won their first home game — 116-105 over their Texas rival Houston Rockets — since Doncic was traded.
Anthony Davis, the headliner of the Doncic return package, had a monster debut (26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in 31 minutes) in what he said postgame was a friendly reminder of who he is.
It was a much-needed performance from the 10-time All-Star and a Mavericks win that somewhat silenced the “Fire-Nico Harrison” and “Sell-the-Team” rally pregame.
“I’ve said it all along: In Nico we trust,” Dumont told Towsend. “You have to respect the track record. You have to respect his intellect. You have to respect his relationships and his judgment and his point of view and the way he communicates.
“I respect that. Our whole family respects it.”
Patrick Dumont Sends Sympathy Message to Mavericks Fans
Dumont said he understood and expected the backlash from the heartbroken Mavericks fans after they traded away the 25-year-old Doncic, who just led them to the NBA Finals last season. But it was a move to improve the team that lost to the Boston Celtics in five games.
He firmly believed that the addition of Davis and Max Christie, two defensive-minded players, gives them a better shot at winning a championship than having Doncic, an offensive force who proved he can single-handedly lead underdog teams to deep postseason runs but ultimately fell short in the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and last season’s Finals.
“I do,” he told Townsend. “Look, it’s been an emotional week for everyone. It really has. I clearly understand that, and I really appreciate that.
“I’m a big Luka fan. My family are big Luka fans. I have a really deep appreciation for what he brought to this team, what he brought to Dallas, and the excitement he brings. He’s an electrifying player.
“I want you to know I really sympathize with all of our fans who feel hurt. Look, as far as I’m concerned, Luka is a Mav for life and I really wish him nothing but happiness and success in his career as he continues in LA.”
Luka Trade Wasn’t Cost-Cutting Move
So why did they trade him if they were a fan of Doncic?
Dumont was adamant it was not a cost-cutting move as Doncic was supposed to be in line for a five-year, $345 million supermax had he remained with the Mavericks.
ESPN reported Dumont saw the trade as “a business decision that would preserve the Mavericks’ financial flexibility for the long term.”
“The resources are there to do what’s necessary to create a winning basketball organization for the long term and win championships,” Dumont told Townsend.
“This is not a resource consideration. For people who understand the NBA, and I know you do, the salary cap is basically the cap. So this is just a risk-allocation decision, right? No problem signing someone to the supermax. It’s just a portion of your cap. So it wasn’t an issue. Happy to do it if it’s there, no problem.”
The Real Reason Why Luka Was Traded
Dumont touted the same reasoning Harrison gave behind the move that did not sit well with Doncic and his father.
“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,” he told Townsend. “And if you’re not doing that, you’re going to lose.”
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported in the aftermath of the trade that one factor that contributed to the Mavericks’ decision to trade the 25-year-old superstar was his poor conditioning, which led to several injuries in his tenure in Dallas.
Dumont did not categorically deny those unflattering Doncic reports in the story that ran by The Dallas Morning News. But Dumont gave a telling statement, referencing the work ethic of NBA legends who went on to win multiple championships as their blueprint.
“If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — [Michael] Jordan, [Larry] Bird, Kobe [Bryant], Shaq [O’Neal] — they worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win,” he continued. “And if you don’t have that, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks.
“That’s who we want. I’m unwavering on this. The entire organization knows this. This is how I operate outside of basketball. This is the only way to be competitive and win. If you want to take a vacation, don’t do it with us.”
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