Nearly six months after Dallas stunned the NBA world by trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, Mavericks CEO Rick Welts is still defending the move, even if his explanation has left many scratching their heads.
Welts insisted that the backlash from fans was not entirely negative. “You can’t have fears or regrets in this business, it’s all about how you move forward,” Welts said appearing on Bloomberg TV, . “… I learned about the depth of the connection between Mavericks fans and this team. And that to me was a glass half-full because I knew we could restore that over time. I didn’t think it would quite as quickly as it’s perhaps as it’s happened.”
Mavericks CEO Rick Welts on if the team regrets trading Luka Dončić:
“You can’t have fears or regrets in this business, it’s all about how you move forward. …I learned about the depth of the connection between Mavericks fans and this team.” #MFFL
(🎥: @BloombergTV) pic.twitter.com/FTbTo8jbzb
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) July 30, 2025
That “depth of connection” Welts praised was shown when fans protested outside American Airlines Center, demanded firings in the front office, and canceled season tickets.
Welts continued by pointing to Luka’s return to Dallas in a Lakers uniform as evidence the organization handled things the right way.
“I would also say I’m incredibly proud of how the organization presented itself for Luka’s first game back at American Airlines Center when he was a Los Angeles Laker,” he said. “If you watch that game, it was an opportunity for fans to say ‘thank you.’ I think you saw the emotion on Luka’s face, you saw the way that night unfolded in tributes to Luka. I think he’ll always be such a big part of the history here. We wish him nothing but good luck and we also hope we beat his team every time we play them.”
In reality, that night felt far less like a celebration. Fans chanted “Fire Nico” within seconds, vented frustration about losing their franchise star, and then watched Doncic torch Dallas for 45 points in a revenge performance.
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