Donald Trump Slams Historic Luka Dončić Trade to Lakers
US President Donald Trump criticized the 2025 trade of Luka Dončić from Dallas to the LA Lakers, calling it potentially the worst deal in sports history.
Almost two years have passed since the sensational trade that sent Luka Dončić from Dallas to the Los Angeles Lakers, but the massive move continues to reverberate—and now US President Donald Trump has joined the endless list of critics.
Speaking overnight at the Republican Party's first midterm convention in Dallas, Trump addressed the Mavericks' trade with characteristic candor and unsparing criticism.
"I have to tell you, I don't understand this trade," Trump surprised the audience. "What do I know about basketball? Was that Luka? Maybe we can redo the trade? I redo deals all the time. This might go down as the worst trade in sports history."
Back in February 2025, Dallas stunned the basketball world by sending Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers in a three-team trade involving Utah. In return, the Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick.
The move sparked immense outrage among Dallas fans, especially after Dončić had led the team to the NBA Finals in 2024. However, subsequent events only intensified criticism of the deal: in November 2025, General Manager Nico Harrison was fired, while Davis's stint in Dallas was plagued by injuries, limiting him to just 20 games last season before being traded to Washington.
Although the Mavericks won the number one pick in the 2025 draft and selected Cooper Flagg, around whom they are now trying to rebuild, the trade that altered the franchise's trajectory—and the NBA landscape—continues to haunt Dallas.
