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.”
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 of this was about finances.”
Dumont, instead, brought up “character” and “culture.”
“In my mind the way teams win is by focus, by having the right character, by having the right culture, and having the right dedication to work as hard as possible to create a championship-winning outcome,” Dumont said. “And if you’re not doing that, you’re going to lose.
“If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — [Michael] Jordan, [Larry] Bird, Kobe [Bryant], Shaq [O’Neal] — they worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win,” he said. “And if you don’t have that, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks.
“That’s who we want. I’m unwavering on this. The entire organization knows this. This is how I operate outside of basketball. This is the only way to be competitive and win. If you want to take a vacation, don’t do it with us.”
So in Dumont’s eyes, does Dončić not have the proper “character” and “dedication to work” to lead a championship team? The Morning News asked him for clarification.
“Look, I think there’s a lot of things that come into play when you decide the roster of the team,” Dumont said. “And culture is very important. That’s what we’re focused on.”
Dumont voices support for Nico Harrison
Dumont backed up embattled general manager Nico Harrison, who until Sunday had been the Mavericks’ singular public face of the trade. Dumont told the Morning News that he signed off on the trade while declaring: “In Nico we trust.”
He also had a message for furious fans who have staged protests and vowed to disown the team after years of dedicated fandom.
“Look, it’s been an emotional week for everyone,” Dumont said. “It really has. I clearly understand that, and I really appreciate that.
“I’m a big Luka fan. My family are big Luka fans. I have a really deep appreciation for what he brought to this team, what he brought to Dallas, and the excitement he brings. He’s an electrifying player.
“I want you to know I really sympathize with all of our fans who feel hurt. Look, as far as I’m concerned, Luka is a Mav for life and I really wish him nothing but happiness and success in his career as he continues in LA.”
While Dumont might consider Dončić “a Mav for life,” the reality is that he’s gone after 6 1/2 seasons and will almost certainly play the majority of his NBA career in a non-Mavericks uniform. And his answers to the Morning News aren’t likely to satisfy Mavericks fans.
