Mark Cuban reveals how Mavericks can win back fans after Luka Doncic-Lakers trade

Things are looking bleak for the Mavericks, and their fanbase has had enough. What will it take to get Mavs fans back in the building?

Oct 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Mark Cuban looks on during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mark Cuban has made long public comments for the first time since the stunning Luka Doncic trade that sent him from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers. It's a move that has continued to stay in the headlines because it didn't make sense at the time, and it has only gotten worse. The Lakers have shot up the Western Conference standings with Doncic, while the Mavericks are in danger of missing the Play-In Tournament due to an unbelievable rash of injuries.

The fans have been upset about the trade and only get angrier with every hit piece that is leaked out of Nico Harrison's camp. Dallas fans viewed Doncic as their second coming of Dirk Nowitzki, and you can't just trade that away in the middle of the night and beat around the bush.

READ MORE: Former Maverick rips organization's 'narrative' of Luka Doncic after Lakers trade

Cuban's biggest gripe with the trade was the return, but he also hasn't been a big fan of how the Mavericks have handled the trade. WFAA asked him in a sit-down exclusive interview what the team needs to do to win back its fans.

"I went through this before with when Steve Nash left and then won two MVPs," Cuban started. "The good news is that we went to the Finals and won a championship. So I've been through something — but there wasn't social media back then, so it wasn't quite the same. You're going to make mistakes. I think the biggest challenge the Mavs have right now is there's nobody who's really outgoing to communicate. It's not so much what you do. It's how you communicate why you do what you do."

If Nico Harrison and Mavs governor Patrick Dumont showed more sympathy toward the fanbase, gave a real explanation of why they decided to make this move, did their due diligence when thinking about trading him, and didn't constantly try to put Doncic down, the fanbase may have reacted differently. Instead, they've just called Doncic fat and have barely even thanked him. Harrison spent more time thanking Lakers GM Rob Pelinka for keeping the trade a secret than he did thanking Doncic for carrying the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024, and that doesn't sit well with fans. It also doesn't help that he keeps mentioning Kobe Bryant at every possible opportunity when an icon like Dirk Nowitzki, who has a statue outside the arena, is still present and around the team.

READ MORE: Mark Cuban breaks silence on Mavericks' return in Luka Doncic-Lakers trade

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