Mavericks owner and governor Patrick Dumont has spoken publicly for the first time since the ground-shaking trade of superstar Luka Dončić to the rival Los Angeles Lakers in an interview with the Dallas Morning News.
In the interview that was published Sunday in which the publication described his words as “at times fiery, passionate and blunt,” Dumont cited “character” and “culture” as reasons for the trade. And he insisted that the Mavericks are not moving to Las Vegas, where the fortune of the controlling owner’s family was made.
Dumont addresses Las Vegas theories
The trade of Dončić was one of the most stunning in not just NBA, but sports history. Dončić is a perennial MVP candidate in the early stages of his prime at 25 years old. A five-time first-team All-NBA selection who led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals just last season, he’s a coveted cornerstone for a contender who was beloved by the Dallas community.
The trade was so baffling and the outrage over it so succinct that it prompted conspiracy theories that Dumont and his mother-in-law Miriam Adelson of the Las Vegas Sands fortune ushered Dončić out of town as the first step in a plan to move the franchise to Nevada. The Adelson and Dumont family purchased a majority share of the Mavericks from Mark Cuban in 2023.
Dumont spoke clearly about his intention to keep the Mavericks in Dallas.
“The Dallas Mavericks are not moving to Las Vegas,” Dumont told the Morning News. “There is no question in that. That is the answer, unequivocally. The Dallas Mavericks are the Dallas Mavericks and they will be in Dallas.”
Patrick Dumont’s explanations for the Luka Dončić trade aren’t likely to satiate frustrated Mavericks fans. (Tim Heitman/Getty Images)
Was the deal financially motivated?
So why did the Mavericks trade away Dončić if not for a nefarious plan to move the team to the desert? Was it strictly a financial move to avoid the ramifications of signing Dončić to a $345 million supermax contract? No, Dumont said.
“The trades we made this past week were about improving our basketball team, for the reasons we talked about,” Dumont said. “None…
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