The Slovenian Shocker
On February 2, 2025, the Dallas Mavericks engaged in an unexpected three-way trade
that sent Luka Dončić to Los Angeles and Anthony Davis to Dallas. The move shocked fans and analysts alike. Dončić, who was drafted by the Mavs seven years ago, was the face of the franchise and played a key role in the Maverick’s playoff bid last season. The trade instantly created chaos amongst the Dallas Mavericks’ basketball community and even within the NBA organization.
“Not basketball people”
In 2023, Mark Cuban, longtime owner and fanatic of the Dallas NBA franchise, sold his
majority stake to Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont, two established Las Vegas casino
developers. Cuban still owns 27% of the club and remains the head of basketball operations. He specifically sold the club to the casino tycoons and claimed that the deal would generate greater revenue to fund the redevelopment of the Maverick’s facilities. Nonetheless, Cuban’s final statement about the deal is undeniable: “They’re not basketball people.”
Dallas Fans' Lamentation and Financial Loss
Indeed, the Cuban statement was a foreshadowing of the new owners’ early moves. The
decision to trade Dončić without warning generated almost instantaneous backlash from Mavs fans. Dončić’s trade instantly hit the Maverick’s social media pages. In two days, the Mavs lost approximately 700,000 followers on Instagram. Fans also created a temporary memorial to Dončić in front of the American Airlines Center. In one instance, a fictional funeral for the Mavericks’ franchise was portrayed by a group of fans. They even included a casket with the organization’s logo taped onto the lid. Video footage of the event spiraled into a viral post.
The protests have also hurt the club financially. Several season ticket holders came
forward and stated that the organization had offered to refund their tickets for the remainder of the season. Moreover, season ticket prices will increase 61% next season to recover from the lost Dončić revenue. The price spike has caused season ticket patrons to reconsider renewing their seats. The departure of the Slovenian Superman has also created a decrease in jersey revenue.
Instead, fans are purchasing Dončić jerseys from secondhand markets. Inversely, the Lakers have experienced an influx of revenue with gold Dončić jerseys selling out instantaneously.
Moving Forward
The Dončić trade has resulted in a once-steady sports organization facing a complete
organizational freefall. Justin Dzamesi, a longtime Dončić and Dallas fan, still cannot make
sense of the trade. “I didn’t really understand the trade,” said a shellshocked Dzamesi. “I believe there is more to it than was presented to us. I have lost a little bit of trust in the organization.”
Even Lakers fans, such as Henry Schneiderman, were shocked by the trade. “I looked it up
online and saw a bunch of headlines,” remembered the Laker fan. Despite the harmful impact of the trade, Mavericks and Lakers fans are excited to see Dončić faceoff against his old squad next Tuesday. “It will break my heart,” asserted a downtrodden Dzamesi, “but I will definitely watch that game.”
