In a chat with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Mark Cuban finally shed some light on his feelings about the Mavericks (his former pro team) trading away franchise superstar, Luka Doncic. Cuban compared the act to Steve Ballmer trading Windows 11 for Windows 10.
“If after you left Microsoft, you found out that Steve Ballmer traded Windows 11, the new, hot operating system, for Windows 10, the Hall of Fame but the old operating system, what would you do,” asked Cuban.
Bill Gates made his fortune leading Microsoft as one of the most innovative and impactful tech companies on the planet. So when presented with the scenario of trading down in quality, he knew exactly how to respond.
“I might have to hide from the press,” said Gates.
Nico Harrison is taking the Gates approach with the media, as he was noticeably absent from Anthony Davis’ introductory press conference. Unfortunately for Nico, however, there’s nowhere he can hide to avoid the wrath of the angry fans. Even Mark Cuban is speaking out against the move.
Mark Cuban was the majority owner of the Mavericks for 23 years and he led the franchise with passion as one of the most heavily involved owners in the league. He helped the Mavericks win their first championship in 2011 and made sure to take care of franchise superstar Dirk Nowitzki.
Cuban sold his share of the Mavericks in 2023 and while he still has a small stake in the team, it’s the Adelson family who calls the shots now. Under new ownership, Nico Harrison got the green light to trade Luka and they made a trade that shook the entire basketball world. While the team cited concerns over culture and conditioning, fans and experts flamed the organization for giving away such a rare and special talent.
In the past, Cuban was always firm about his loyalty to Doncic and he once famously said that he’d rather keep Luka in Dallas than stay married to his wife. But once he made the sale, he lost control of basketball decisions and it created the perfect conditions for the Doncic trade.
No doubt, Cuban must feel betrayed knowing that not even five years after his departure, the Mavericks have gotten rid of their franchise player. Doncic was supposed to get a statue in Dallas but the Mavericks traded the 25-year-old for a veteran star who is six years his senior.
Not only is the timeline shortened, but after Anthony Davis’ recent injury, it appears that his availability in the short term could be compromised as well, and at 28-25, the team needs all the help it can get.
Only time will tell if the Mavericks made the right or wrong decision, but it’s clear that the team would have never made the trade if Mark Cuban was still in charge. He would have never traded Doncic because, to him, Doncic is the face of the next generation and he knows more than anyone how rare it is to find those kinds of players.
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