Even though two seasons have passed in the meantime, the Luka Doncic trade remains infamously memorable, especially considering how things unfolded for the Dallas Mavericks after the deal was completed.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has weighed in on it, calling the Luka Doncic trade arguably the worst in sports history.
During an address at the Republican Party’s first-ever Midterm Convention in Dallas, he called out the Mavericks franchise for executing the blunderous deal.
“This is a big Dallas Mavericks team, which is going to be hopefully good. I must tell you, I don’t understand the trade. That trade is not – what do I know about basketball? I would say it’s not going to go down as the greatest trade in the history of sports. It might go down as the worst trade in the history of sports,” Trump said.
Donald Trump — at a speech at the Mavericks’ American Airlines Center — spoke on them trading Luka Doncic
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) September 10, 2026
“I don’t understand the trade… It’s not going to go down as the greatest trade in the history of sports. It might go down as the worst trade in the history of sports.” pic.twitter.com/Z8PYVz2eNv
Trump would allow “do over”
In addition to calling out the Dallas Mavericks over the Luka Doncic trade, he compared it to the Boston Red Sox (MLB) sending Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees.
“You know the worst trade in the history of sports, right? The great Babe Ruth. Babe Ruth, 19-year-old pitcher, for a 36-year-old third baseman and $100,000. At that time that was like $10 million I guess, because Boston needed money. So Babe will always be the worst trade.”
Nonetheless, Trump hammered home the point that he still does not get why the Mavericks would even do that trade, and if he had the power to do so, he would allow Dallas to take it back.
“That’s not a good – that wasn’t good. Maybe we could redo that trade. I redo deals all the time. We gotta redo that deal. I don’t get that deal,” Trump added.
Trade that backfired heavily
During the historic, multi-player trade during the 2024/25 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris.
In return, Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick were sent to Dallas.
Then-Mavericks GM Nico Harrison will remain notorious for that move, especially after the trade – as expected – backfired.
Harrison was fired last November, while Davis’s time in Dallas was plagued by injuries, after which they traded him to the Washington Wizards.
