As the trade deadline drew near, the Dallas Mavericks shocked basketball fans by including Luka Doncic in a trade involving the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.

This decision to part ways with the 25-year-old guard left many fans puzzled.

Following the trade announcement, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd addressed the media regarding their choices.

“He fits perfectly with our immediate and long-term goals,” Harrison stated, referring to the addition of 31-year-old forward Anthony Davis. “Looking ahead, I see the next 3-4 years as our future. A decade from now… we might be retired or in the ground by then.”

Harrison also acknowledged the efforts of Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka for maintaining confidentiality during the trade discussions that spanned several weeks.

“Deals, even at a small scale, usually leak out, but Rob and I were able to have focused conversations for about three to four weeks,” Harrison explained.

During the press conference, Harrison confirmed that Kidd was informed of the trade only after it was officially completed.

Reports suggest that major players involved, including LeBron James, Doncic, and Davis, were all unaware of the trade talks.

According to YSL News, Doncic did not initiate a trade request or express a desire to leave Dallas.

Here’s what you should know about the recent trade.

Was finances a factor in the Mavericks trading Luka Doncic?

Doncic was eligible for a substantial five-year, $345 million supermax contract extension this summer, and there’s speculation that the Mavericks were reluctant to commit such a significant amount to him.

A supermax deal allows a player to earn up to 35% of the salary cap. However, now that Doncic has been traded, he can’t secure that supermax deal with the Lakers.

ESPN NBA insider Bobby Marks outlined Doncic’s contract options with the Lakers. He can opt for free agency in the summer of 2026, and his best financial avenue is to sign a three-year extension worth $165.3 million this summer, followed by a five-year deal in 2028-29 worth nearly $420 million.

Were the Mavericks worried about Luka Doncic’s fitness and defense?

Concerns surround Doncic’s physical fitness and his absence from the All-Defense team.

However, he is a five-time All-NBA player and finished third in the MVP voting for the 2023-24 season, making it uncommon for a team to let go of such talent.

Doncic played a key role in leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011, which was when Dallas captured its first NBA championship.

During the 2024 playoffs, Doncic led the team in various statistics, including points (635), rebounds (208), assists (178), and steals (41), despite losing to the Boston Celtics in a five-game Finals series.

He consistently poses a triple-double threat and averaged 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists, shooting 46.4% from the field and 35.4% from behind the arc before a calf injury sidelined him on Christmas.

This season, the Mavericks were approximately 10 points per 100 possessions better when Doncic was on the court than when he was off it.

Did Mark Cuban influence the Mavericks’ trade of Luka Doncic?

Mark Cuban, who acquired the Mavericks in 2000, sold his majority stake to Miriam Adelson and Sivan and Patrick Dumont’s families in December 2023. Cuban retains a minority stake but no longer has the ultimate authority over basketball operations.

Cuban informed Dallas’s WFAA that he was not part of the decision to trade the star player.

Who holds ownership of the Mavericks now?

Miriam Adelson is the widow of Sheldon Adelson, a casino mogul who passed away in 2021.

Adelson and her family are the primary shareholders of Sands, which operates casinos and hotels worldwide. Previously, Sands owned the Venetian Resort, which included The Venetian, Palazzo, and Venetian Expo.

She was a significant individual donor to President Donald Trump’s campaign, contributing $100 million to the political action committee Preserve America, according to OpenSecrets.org.

She studied in Israel, became a physician, and later specialized in addiction treatment. More than thirty years ago, she and her husband established the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Clinic for Drug Abuse Treatment & Research.

Her son-in-law, Patrick Dumont, is designated as the governor. He serves as the president and chief operating officer of Sands and is also part of the board of directors.