The Dallas Mavericks made the decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Lakers two seasons ago. It was a move that was universally panned. Dallas fans hated the move so much that they booed both Patrick Dumont and Nico Harrison every time they came to the arena.
It was a trade that ultimately got Harrison fired. Fans could not forgive him for trading the franchise icon. Dumont wasn’t prepared for the criticism he received for that trade. He has now responded to the criticism that he got for his part in approving the trade.
Mavericks’ Patrick Dumont Responds to Luka Doncic Trade Criticism
While talking to Christian Clark of The Athletic, Dumont dismissed the criticism as something of the past, preferring to look forward.
“It’s a part of life. The important thing is the future and to keep trying to do the right thing and keep trying to move forward. That’s what we are doing now.”
Dumont believes that the Mavericks have a real shot to compete in the future with Cooper Flagg as the new face of the franchise.
“I feel really good about the future. We are going to keep pushing. Our goal is to build a winner. Our goal is to win a championship and have the best franchise in the NBA. That’s what we are investing towards.”
Trading Doncic was a frustrating reality for many fans of the Mavs. He had led the team to the NBA Finals the year before, so trading him seemed inconceivable. Doncic also wanted to play his entire career in Dallas, so that made the trade all the more frustrating for fans.
Dumont is trying to make up for that mistake. With Flagg on the roster, the team has a new face of the franchise. Flagg was Rookie of the Year last season, averaging 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. Now that he has a real point guard, he should be even better.
Patrick Dumont Thinks Cooper Flagg Can Lead Dallas to a Title
Dumont is extremely high on the prospect of Flagg. He believes that he can help lead the team to a championship in the future.
I’m excited to see how the season goes. I am naturally a patient person. I believe in building things over time. That’s how you make them resilient, and that’s how you make them durable. I’m very excited for the future of this team. You have Cooper. You have Kyrie. We have a bunch of young players who are aggressive and motivated. They want to win.”
It’s highly unlikely that Dallas will be good enough to compete for a championship this season. They still have too many flaws, and the West is dominated by Oklahoma City and San Antonio. Still, they have a high ceiling. The future for the Mavericks looks brighter than it did when they first traded Doncic.
Mavericks Owner on Criticism for Luka Doncic Trade: ‘It’s a Part of Life’