Former President Donald Trump addressed the Dallas Mavericks' trade of Luka Dončić during a speech at the Republican National Committee's midterm convention in Dallas on Wednesday night. Speaking at the American Airlines Center, Trump stated his disapproval of the trade, suggesting it could be remembered as the worst in sports history.
"I must tell you, I don’t understand the trade," Trump told the crowd. "That trade is not good."
Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris were traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025 in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick. The deal, which sent Dončić to play alongside LeBron James, surprised many NBA observers, particularly since Dončić had led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals the previous season.
Trump remarked, "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." He did note, however, that Babe Ruth's trade from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees remains his benchmark for the worst trade ever.
The former president also joked about the possibility of reversing the deal, saying, "Maybe we can redo that trade? I redo deals all the time." The audience responded with cheers.
Dallas fans had expressed significant dissatisfaction with the trade, with some reportedly holding a mock funeral for Dončić. The Mavericks' general manager at the time, Nico Harrison, defended the decision by emphasizing a philosophy that "defense wins championships." However, the team's performance did not align with this rationale, and Harrison was eventually removed from his front office position.
Since the trade, Dončić has been averaging 31.9 points, 8.1 assists, and 7.8 rebounds for the Lakers. The 2026-27 NBA season will see LeBron James playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.