In what may be the most revealing sign yet of regret within the Dallas Mavericks organization, team governor Patrick Dumont has privately admitted that he ‘feels horrible’ about trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, according to a new report from Christian Clark of The Athletic.
The confession came in an unlikely setting, during a brief conversation between Dumont and Nicholas Dickason, an 18-year-old Mavericks fan who sits just a few rows behind the team owner at the American Airlines Center. Dickason went viral earlier this season after flipping off Dumont during Dallas’ opening night loss to the San Antonio Spurs, an outburst fueled by anger and disbelief over the Luka Doncic trade that shocked the basketball world last February.
At the time, Doncic was coming off a Finals appearance and a First-Team All-NBA for five straight seasons, cementing himself as one of the top three players in the league. The Mavericks, under then-general manager Nico Harrison, traded him to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a single first-round pick, a deal that has since been universally condemned as one of the worst trades in NBA history.
In Clark’s report, Dickason described what happened when he decided to apologize to Dumont at Monday’s game against Milwaukee.
“Basically, Patrick was like, he feels horrible for the trade. And he wants to make it up to us. That’s basically what he said. He accepted my apology for it as well.”
It’s a rare public admission of remorse from a team owner, and it reflects the disastrous fallout of the decision. Since trading Doncic, the Mavericks have gone from Finals contenders to a 3–8 team, currently sitting 14th in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Doncic has flourished in Los Angeles, averaging 37.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists while leading the Lakers to an 8–3 record and re-emerging as an early MVP favorite.
Fans in Dallas have not been forgiving. ‘Fire Nico’ chants have erupted at nearly every home game, and Harrison’s detached demeanor during the team’s collapse has only worsened tensions. Dumont’s interaction with Dickason, though brief, seemed to mark a turning point in how ownership views the situation. Within hours of the exchange, the Mavericks reportedly fired Nico Harrison, a move widely seen as the first step in repairing the franchise’s fractured relationship with its fan base.
Dumont, who took majority control of the team in 2024 following the Adelson family’s purchase, had initially defended the trade as a ‘necessary cultural reset.’ But now, sources close to the organization say he has privately expressed deep regret, both for authorizing the deal and for trusting Harrison’s vision.
In the wake of Harrison’s firing, Dallas is expected to pursue a full-scale rebuild centered on rookie Cooper Flagg, the 18-year-old No. 1 overall pick and the lone bright spot in an otherwise grim season. However, with the team lacking most of its future draft picks between 2027 and 2030, the path back to contention looks long and uncertain.
For Mavericks fans, Dumont’s admission may offer little comfort, but it signals accountability, something they’ve demanded for months. His candid words to a young fan, and his swift decision to remove Harrison, suggest he finally understands the gravity of what was lost the moment Luka Doncic walked out of Dallas.
