Trump tells Dallas crowd the Luka Dončić trade 'might go down as the worst in sports history'
Dallas – At the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention on Wednesday night, former President Donald Trump took the stage at the American Airlines Center and turned his remarks toward a recent NBA transaction that has stirred strong feelings among Dallas sports fans.
Trump said he “doesn’t understand the trade” and declared it “not good.” He went further, suggesting the deal could be remembered as one of the worst in sports history, contrasting it with the historic Babe Ruth move from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees, which he still considers the benchmark for a bad trade. In a lighter moment, Trump joked that the Mavericks might “redo” the deal, noting that he himself “redo[s] deals all the time.” The comment drew a loud cheer from the crowd gathered in the arena.
The trade in question sent Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first‑round draft pick. It was completed in February 2025 and immediately shocked the basketball world, coming just a season after Dončić had led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.
Trump’s criticism echoed the disappointment of many Mavericks supporters, some of whom staged a mock funeral outside the American Airlines Center to lament the loss of their franchise cornerstone. Dončić never asked to be moved, and Dallas officials reportedly negotiated exclusively with the Lakers, without seeking alternative offers. Nico Harrison, the Mavericks’ general manager at the time, defended the swap by saying “defense wins championships,” a rationale that did not translate to on‑court success; Harrison was later removed from his front‑office role.
Since joining Los Angeles, Dončić has posted averages of 31.9 points, 8.1 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, LeBron James, who was part of the Lakers’ roster at the time of the trade, is slated to play for the Philadelphia 76ers beginning the 2026‑27 season.
The episode highlighted how a single personnel move can become a flashpoint for both political commentary and fan passion, especially when it unfolds in a city that still remembers the excitement of a recent Finals run.