MarketPR
Speaking at the Republican National Committee's midterm convention in Dallas on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump stood inside American Airlines Center, the arena where Luka Dončić played before the February 2025 deal sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers, and told the crowd the trade might go down as the worst in sports history.
Trump said he didn't understand it. The deal sent Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick.
The timing sharpened the reaction: Dončić had just carried the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals the season before, and he never asked to leave.
Dallas GM Nico Harrison negotiated exclusively with the Lakers rather than shopping the trade across the rest of the league, then defended the decision by arguing that defense wins championships.
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