The Dallas Mavericks are yet to move on from the void Luka Doncic left behind. Everyone has kept receipts for the events that unfolded on Feb 1, 2025. But, Mark Cuban? He is taking names. And the first one on his list is the Mavs head coach, Jason Kidd.

In a recent Intersections podcast interview, the former owner of the team said, “I think there was animosity between our former general manager and some people on Luka’s team—his agent and some of the people that worked around them. I don’t think they got along.” After Luka’s trade, insiders shared stories about how Nico Harrison and the Slovenian star’s crew weren’t particularly close.

Reports claimed that the former GM fired several staffers associated with Doncic during his efforts to change the team culture. Now, Cuban continued, “I think there were issues that J-Kidd had coached with Anthony Davis and was close to him, and Nico was close to AD since he was like 13 years old.” He added, “And so, you talk about confirmation bias, there was some of that as well. But that doesn’t justify our coach and our general manager standing up and trading our best player.”

Well, Harrison and AD have known each other for over a decade. Their bond predates their NBA careers. Nico first met a young Anthony Davis when Harrison was a top Nike executive and signed him, staying connected through his high school and college years.

Now, recalling the day, Mark Cuban shared his feelings and how he found out. He explained that while he was in Florida for a conference, he received a text from the team’s general manager instructing him to call. He initially thought the call concerned a potential Luka trade. But the general manager told him that they had already completed the trade. “I was like, ‘What do we trade him for?’ And he told me. No disrespect to Anthony Davis, but I’m like, ‘He’s hurt a lot,'” Cuban shared.

Apparently, the 67-year-old called Patrick Dumont, who gave him false reasons for approving it. Cuban recognized it as a mistake but admitted there was nothing he could do to change the outcome. “Here’s how you spin it positively as best you can. ‘We’re gonna have this great defensive team,’ yada yada yada. So wanted him out? You have to ask those guys. I don’t care if he’s overweight. He’s going to give you 30, 10, and 5—30, 10, and 10, right? To win the game and win the game. That’s what made Luka special.”

Mark Cuban then explained why, according to him, the now-Los Angeles Lakers star is special. “I think what people don’t realize, other than who he was as a person and what his background—just like we talked about our backgrounds—is what makes Luka unique. He wants to take the last shot. He can get an open last shot, and he can make that open last shot.”

Now, the question is, did the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis turn into a moment of epiphany for the minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks? Maybe yes. In another revelation, Cuban admitted he regrets selling the franchise to Patrick Dumont and Miriam Adelson.

Mark Cuban regrets his 2023 decision

Mark Cuban reflected on the sale of the Dallas Mavericks with a changed perspective compared to two years ago. He said he still believed selling his majority stake in the franchise was the right decision, but he regretted giving control of the team to Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont, feeling that the outcome under their leadership did not align with his expectations.

“I don’t regret selling,” Cuban said. “I regret who I sold to; I made a lot of mistakes in the process, and I’ll leave it at that.”

Mark Cuban sold his controlling share of the Dallas Mavericks in December 2023 for roughly $3.5 billion. Miriam Adelson, majority shareholder of Las Vegas Sands, and her son-in-law Patrick Dumont took control, while Cuban retained a 27% stake. He promised to stay involved in basketball operations, hinting that little would change.

Yet, the organization quickly shifted in a dramatically different direction. Cuban bought the Mavericks in 2000 for $285 million and transformed them into one of the NBA’s most recognizable franchises. Over two decades, Dallas made 18 playoff appearances, captured the 2011 championship behind Dirk Nowitzki, and later built around Luka Doncic.

Cuban’s courtside antics, bold personality, and league challenges became legendary. The biggest shock hit in February 2025, when GM Nico Harrison traded Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, sending shockwaves across the NBA.

Looks like Mark Cuban is still grappling with the fallout of losing Luka Doncic. The trade exposed fractures in the Mavericks’ leadership and revealed missteps in the sale. Despite his legendary tenure, Cuban sees the direction under new control as a mistake. Loyalty, trust, and timing collided, leaving him to watch a legacy he built shift in ways he never imagined.