Former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban finally answered what he would have done if he had the chance to trade Luka Doncic away. Cuban, who sold his majority stake in 2024, retained 27.7% of the team.

Mark Cuban Talks Luka-Lakers Trade: 'I Was Just As Dumbfounded as Everybody Else'

While he was initially expected to keep control of the team’s operations, new owner Patrick Dumont slowly pushed him away to give general manager Nico Harrison the keys to the car.

During a Wednesday conversation with Tom Segura on the “Your Mom’s House” show, Cuban rejected the idea of him trading Doncic away, saying that the decision came from both Harrison and Dumont.

Mark Cuban, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving

From left: Former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Sam Hodde/Getty Images

“If I had any influence, the trade wouldn’t happen,” Cuban said after admitting he wasn’t in control of the basketball operations anymore. “I was just as dumbfounded as everybody else.”

This is the first time Cuban has admitted he wouldn’t have traded Doncic. On March 7, he refused to answer what he would have done in Harrison’s position during a conversation with WFAA’s Jonah Javad.

“I’m not going there. It doesn’t matter,” he said.

Cuban said in 2020 that he would rather get a divorce than trade Luka Doncic away. The Mavericks’ new management didn’t share that feeling and opted to send the Slovenian guard to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis.

The big man only played three quarters during his Mavericks debut before leaving with a strained left abductor and has missed all 17 games since then.

Doncic has played 16 games with the Lakers, posting 26.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 8.0 assists, helping them reach the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference before LeBron James went down with a groin injury.

The Lakers (43-26) are now fourth in the West, while the Mavs (33-37) are tied with the Phoenix Suns for 10th, barely hanging on in the playoff race.