It’s been months since the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. While both teams have been trying to move on from the trade, some things aren’t so easily forgotten, and former Dallas city Mayor Tom Leppert says that the damage caused by Dallas Mavericks ownership will linger for years to come.
“Dumont approved a trade that it’s hard to believe any local owner would have accepted; it gutted the team’s identity and shattered a deep bond with its fans,” wrote former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, via The Dallas Morning News. “It was apathy or a lack of understanding about Luka and the Dallas fan base that gave Harrison the authority to carry out his trade plan, regardless of the damage done.”
Mavericks GM Nico Harrison negotiated for weeks before finalizing the trade, which he claims was done to aid their championship pursuit. In the eyes of Leppert, however, giving up Luka was the ultimate betrayal and an insult to the entire fan base.
“Dallas fans deserve better than a billionaire owner more focused on lobbying for casino legislation than protecting the franchise. Above all, they deserve accountability. Fans invest their time, their money, and their belief in these teams. That investment deserves reciprocation. When you are the steward of a sports franchise, you are a steward of public trust. This wasn’t just a bad trade. It was a betrayal and a violation of that trust. It should be hard to earn back.”
In a wild claim, Leppert even accused Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont of ulterior motives, suggesting that he only cares about growing his family’s casino business.
“I think this comes down to the importance of engaged and committed local ownership in our sports franchises. What I’ve seen since Patrick Dumont and the Adelson family took over the Mavs suggests a lack of interest in the basketball operations and this community. From where I sit, the priority is clear: use this asset to further the family’s casino business.”
As a young superstar in his prime, nobody imagined a world where the Mavericks gave up on Luka Doncic. Yet, not only did they give up on him, they completely turned on him while exposing his poor work ethic. Doncic says he never saw it coming and that he had every intention to re-sign a max contract this summer.
Despite fan outrage, the Mavericks remain unapologetic about the Luka trade, but pressure is building for them to achieve some success and validate the acquisition of Anthony Davis. After losing in the first round this year, it’s already too late to make a run, but Nico Harrison has plans to tweak the roster this summer and prepare his team for a massive campaign next season.
With career averages of 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game, there’s no doubt that Luka Doncic is a generational talent and the Mavericks will forever regret trading him unless they go out and win the title. As someone who knows the city inside and out, Tom Leppert witnessed the city’s pain for himself after they lost Doncic, and he knows things will never be the same again.
