Trump didn’t hold back.
President Donald Trump took an unexpected shot at the Dallas Mavericks during a major speech in Texas, criticizing the NBA team over its blockbuster decision to trade superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Trump was speaking Wednesday night at American Airlines Center in Dallas, the Mavericks’ home arena, when he temporarily shifted away from politics and national issues to address a subject that remains controversial among Dallas basketball fans.
And the president did not hold back.
Trump told the audience that he could not make sense of the trade and believed it was a poor deal.
Trump Rips Mavericks Over Luka Dončić Trade
Trump was discussing the blockbuster February 2025 trade in which the Dallas Mavericks dealt Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The president suggested the move could ultimately be remembered as one of the worst trades in professional sports.
Trump said the deal was unlikely to be remembered as one of the best in sports history and suggested it could instead be viewed as one of the worst.
Trump then acknowledged another infamous transaction that has haunted sports fans for generations: the Boston Red Sox sending Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees.
That deal may still hold the title, in Trump’s view.
But his message about Dallas was unmistakable.
He did not understand why the Mavericks made the move.
Mavericks Gave Up Their Franchise Superstar
The Dončić trade stunned the basketball world when it was announced.
Dončić had become the face of the Mavericks and was only months removed from leading Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Rather than continuing to build around their franchise star, the Mavericks sent him to Los Angeles as part of a blockbuster deal.
In return, Dallas acquired Anthony Davis and Max Christie, along with a first-round selection in the 2029 NBA Draft.
The secrecy surrounding the negotiations made the deal even more remarkable.
Then-Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison and Lakers executive Rob Pelinka reportedly kept negotiations extremely quiet, meaning other NBA teams did not get the opportunity to enter a bidding war for Dončić.
For Dallas fans who believed the Mavericks could have received a massive return for their superstar, that became another source of frustration.
Trump Suggests Dallas Should Redo the Deal
Trump then offered the Mavericks some tongue-in-cheek negotiating advice.
Trump suggested that perhaps the trade could be revisited and worked out differently.
The president followed that remark by pointing to his own history as a businessman and dealmaker.
Trump said he frequently renegotiates agreements and considers himself experienced in dealmaking, but admitted the Mavericks’ decision was one he simply could not understand.
The comments drew additional attention because of where Trump made them.
He was standing inside American Airlines Center — the same building where Dončić spent years thrilling Mavericks fans and establishing himself as one of professional basketball’s biggest stars.
Trump essentially walked into the Mavericks’ home arena and questioned one of the franchise’s most consequential decisions.
Dallas Took a Dramatically Different Direction
The Mavericks’ situation continued changing after the Dončić trade.
Dallas subsequently landed the No. 1 overall selection in the NBA Draft Lottery, giving the organization an opportunity to add another potential franchise player.
The Mavericks used the top selection on Cooper Flagg, one of the most highly regarded young prospects entering professional basketball.
That gave Dallas a major new building block for the future.
However, Anthony Davis — the centerpiece of what Dallas initially received for Dončić — did not remain with the Mavericks long term.
Dallas eventually traded Davis to Washington in February 2026.
That development only added another chapter to the debate over the original Dončić deal.
Trump Was in Dallas for Republican Convention
Trump’s basketball commentary came during a much broader appearance at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention in Dallas.
The two-day gathering brought Republican officials, candidates and supporters to American Airlines Center ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections.
Trump’s lengthy address covered major national issues including immigration, energy, the economy and Iran.
But his detour into NBA basketball became one of the speech’s more unexpected moments.
For a few minutes, Trump sounded less like a president delivering a political address and more like a sports fan trying to understand how Dallas could have parted ways with one of the NBA’s premier players.
Luka Dončić Trade Still Generates Debate
More than a year after the blockbuster deal, the Luka Dončić trade continues to attract attention far beyond Dallas.
Trading an established franchise superstar in his prime was always going to invite intense scrutiny, particularly after Dončić had already demonstrated his ability to lead the Mavericks deep into the postseason.
The arrival of Cooper Flagg gives Dallas a potentially important piece for its future, but it does not erase the debate surrounding the decision to move Dončić.
Trump has now added his own voice to that debate.
Standing inside the Mavericks’ own arena, the president made his assessment clear: He believes Dallas made a deal that was difficult to understand.
And considering Trump’s reputation for talking about the art of negotiating, his suggestion for the Mavericks was fittingly simple.
Maybe they should find a way to redo the deal.