Mark Cuban Didn't Have Anything to Do With the Maverick's Decision to Trade Luka

As if there wasn't enough going on in the world, one of the most insane trades in the history of the NBA happened on Feb. 1 when the Dallas Mavericks traded their star guard Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a first-round pick.

Following the news that Luka was now a Laker, many wanted to know whether Mark Cuban, who used to own and manage the Mavericks, had any response to the trade. Here's what we know.

Mark Cuban used to be the owner of the Dallas Mavericks and is still involved with the team in spite of selling some of his ownership stake. Mark has stepped away from day-to-day basketball operations since 2023 when he sold part of his stake, and the Adelson family became the majority owners. In an interview with WFAA, the billionaire made it clear that he did not have a hand in the trade that sent Luka to the Lakers.

The trade was reportedly driven primarily by Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who had concerns about Luka's conditioning, and about offering him a supermax contract worth $350 million in the off-season. The trade was considered shocking by many fans who see Luka as one of the league's premiere players. And, at just 25, he still offers whatever team he's on plenty of time to build success.

Although he apparently didn't have a hand in the trade either way, he once made his feelings about getting rid of Luka abundantly clear.

“If I had to choose between my wife and keeping Luka on the Mavs, catch me at my lawyer’s office prepping for a divorce," he once said.

Mark is no longer in a position inside of the team to exercise that influence, but it's pretty clear that he saw Luka the way much of the league saw him.

While many people still associate the operations inside of the Mavericks with Mark, it seems that this decision was made by other people inside the organization. At this point, his role is much more symbolic.

“I believe that defense wins championships,” Nico told ESPN regarding his motivation to for the trade. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”

When Dallas Morning News reporter Brad Townsend asked Mark Cuban for his reaction to the trade, Mark reportedly responded "MFFL."

Plenty of other people are now posting MFFL, and those who aren't in the know are now wondering what that means. It's no huge secret: it means "Mavs Fan for Life."

Mavericks management just got this team to the Finals. What remains to be seen is whether this trade is smarter than it seems, or as dumb as it looks.