Overview
- President Donald Trump spoke at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Wednesday and called the Mavericks' February 2025 trade sending Luka Dončić to the Lakers possibly the "worst trade in the history of sports," saying he would like to "redo" the deal.
- The trade in question was a multi-team February 2025 blockbuster that sent Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and an unprotected 2029 first-round pick.
- The move provoked sustained backlash in Dallas, contributed to the November 2025 firing of GM Nico Harrison, and was further criticized after Anthony Davis was later moved out of Dallas in early 2026.
- Dončić has produced strong numbers for the Lakers since the trade, with reports noting season-level averages around 31.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists in his Lakers games cited in coverage.
- League rules and the collective bargaining agreement make a literal reversal of the February 2025 trade effectively impossible, so Trump's remarks are mainly a political and media moment even as they renew local frustration.