On January 4, 2000, Mark Cuban scooped up the Dallas Mavericks for a cool $285 million, transforming a perennial NBA punchline into a playoff contender and, eventually, a 2011 champion. Fast-forward to November 2023: Cuban cashed out his majority stake to casino billionaire Miriam Adelson and her family for a staggering $3.5 billion—a 12-fold windfall that underscored his genius for turning grit into gold. Yet in a deal laced with asterisks, Cuban clung to a 27% minority share and, crucially, operational control over basketball decisions. He strutted into the post-sale era like the eternal shot-caller, courtside charisma intact.

That illusion shattered in February 2025, when the Mavericks pulled off the unthinkable: trading Luka Doncic, the 25-year-old Slovenian savant who’d dragged Dallas to the NBA Finals just eight months prior, to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in a three-team blockbuster. The deal, greenlit by GM Nico Harrison with minimal input from Cuban, netted Dallas the 32-year-old Davis—a defensive titan plagued by injury history. It was the first midseason swap of two reigning All-NBA stars in league history, a seismic shift that left the Western Conference reeling.

But months later, the 67-year-old business tycoon set the record straight. He made sure everyone knew that it wasn’t his idea in the first place. And the guy who made the trade happen was no fan of his. “Yeah, I f— up,” Cuban said on The All-In One Podcast. “When I did the deal, the presumption was that I would still be running basketball operations, and we tried to put it in the contract, but the NBA said the governor is the governor, and they make all final decisions.”

He added, “I was still involved, and then we went on that run to the Finals. Rather than trying to interject myself all the time, I thought, ‘I don’t want to get in the way. We’re rolling.’ But that was a mistake. Some things happened internally where the person who traded Luka didn’t want me there, and so they won. I lost. That’s in the past. I’m still hardcore Mavs.”

However, the Dallas community isn’t buying Mark Cuban’s claims. Of course, the general sentiment lies in the fact that it took him months to open up about it. And thus, the fans have stormed into the comment sections and taken over all social media platforms to call out the former owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

Mark Cuban loses Mavericks Nations support after the latest allegations against Nico Harrison

“Definitely feels like a power play to undermine Nico. And if/when the time comes, Dumont wants to move on, Mark will be there trying to influence him,” one of the fans commented on X. Seems like a strategy? Maybe. Painting GM Nico Harrison as power-hungry while subtly keeping himself relevant. If Patrick Dumont ever parts ways with Nico, Cuban positions himself to step back in and influence decisions again.

Meanwhile, someone said, “It’s honestly just funny that Mark Cuban has an issue with other ppl being power hungry.” It’s seemingly ironic that Cuban called Harrison power hungry. Considering his own track record—running the Mavericks with an iron grip since 2000, firing coaches, clashing with refs, and staying vocal even after selling his $3.5B stake. History shows Cuban rarely surrenders control.

Another fan commented: “He’s trying to get bought all the way out.” Mark Cuban’s public jabs at Nico Harrison echo a calculated move—angling for Dumont to buy out his remaining minority stake. Having turned a million-dollar purchase into billions in 23 years, the 67-year-old might be leveraging fan backlash and history to pressure a full exit.

“Mark Cuban trying to save face,” one of the Mavs fans commented. According to fans, he’s distancing himself from blame for Luka Doncic’s shocking trade. By claiming the deal wasn’t his idea and that Harrison pushed him out, Cuban shifts the narrative, protecting his legacy as Luka’s biggest supporter.

Lastly, “Nico had more power than you? Yeah you did eff up.” This fan pointed out Cuban’s mistake in underestimating Nico Harrison’s authority after selling majority control. By assuming he could still dictate basketball moves, Cuban miscalculated—leading to Doncic’s shocking trade, a decision Nico finalized without Cuban’s influence or resistance.

Cuban still retains a significant minority stake but reportedly lacks strong operational control and appears resigned rather than aggressively pushing for a full exit at this moment.

He built Dallas like his own empire, yet he now watches from the sidelines as the kingdom shifts. Fans smell strategy, others see irony, and some call it pure damage control. From calling out power plays to hinting at a buyout, every word feels like a chess move. The Luka trade exposed more than roster drama; it revealed who truly holds the crown. And while Cuban swears loyalty to the Mavericks, the court of public opinion seems to have moved on.