"No way Luka Doncic would be out of Dallas" - Stephen A. Smith bluntly jabs at $31 billion Adelson family with bold Mark Cuban comparison

The Dallas Mavericks permanently altered the landscape of the NBA ahead of the trade deadline. Last week, the front office moved superstar guard and franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic in a trade deal with the LA Lakers.

The trade caused outrage among a lot of fans who protested outside American Airlines Arena and pleaded with owners to "sell the team." A little over a year ago, the Adelson and Dumont families purchased the majority stake of the team's ownership from Mark Cuban, as Patrick Dumont replaced Cuban as the team's governor.

Speaking with Sports Illustrated, sports analyst Stephen A. Smith took a jab at the team's new ownership, placing blame for the Doncic trade on them.

"If this were Mark Cuban still owning a majority stake of the Dallas Mavericks, there is no way Luka Doncic would be out of Dallas. But because he's no longer the majority owner, and that belongs in the hands of the Adelson family, they weren't having it."

Cuban was a huge Luka Doncic supporter. Back in 2020, the billionaire was quoted as saying, "If I had to choose between my wife and keeping Luka Doncic, catch me at the lawyer's office prepping for a divorce." The former Mavericks majority owner also denied having any part in the trade.

Mavericks acquire Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic

In the Doncic trade, the Lakers sent Max Christie and Anthony Davis to Dallas, along with a 2029 first-round pick. Davis certainly gives the Mavericks a safe floor as playoff contenders but hinders their long-term future over the next six to eight years.

In addition, the Lakers also sent Jalen Hood-Schifino to the Utah Jazz.

On Saturday, Davis made his debut in Dallas, helping lead the team to a win despite exiting with an injury. Davis and the Mavs defeated the Houston Rockets 116-105 behind a heroic effort from the 10-time All-Star.

Davis finished with a team-high 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting with 16 rebounds and seven assists in an electric showing in his first game as a Maverick. Christie also shined in his Dallas debut, scoring 23 points off the bench.