Former Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban gave his first public comment on the Luka Doncic trade, after the 25-year-old superstar was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis and a first-round pick prior to the NBA trade deadline.

The jaw-dropping Luka Doncic trade cemented the reality, if it wasn’t already clear, that Mark Cuban has no influence on the Mavericks’ basketball operations.

In a conversation with Bill Gates at the Eisemann Center in Richardson on Friday night, Cuban was blunt in his first public response about the trade that sent the international superstar he drafted to Los Angeles. "I've had a rough week," Cuban told Gates to begin the event per Sarah Hepola of The Dallas Morning News.

Former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates both know the feeling of watching a major organization they used to be in charge of do business. For Cuban, that meant watching the Mavericks part ways with franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic on Feb.

When Cuban sold his majority stake in the Mavericks back in November 2023, it was reported that he would retain control of basketball operations. While he remains a minority owner in the franchise, the Dončić trade makes it clear his role has diminished within the walls of the facility.

Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban apparently made a last-ditch effort to stop the blindsiding blockbuster trade deal that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis,

Although he remains a minority owner of the team, Cuban has stepped back from day-to-day basketball operations since the Adelson family acquired majority control in late 2023.

The Dallas Mavericks reportedly didn't consult with Mark Cuban before trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

When asked about the trade, Legler, on the All-NBA Podcast, had the following to say, refusing to hold back on the situation: "Not only would Mark Cuban not have done the deal, Mark Cuban would have fired a person who suggested it on the spot... Because he'd be certain that person has to be doing something in terms of narcotics."

In a live interview with Bill Gates on his new book "Source Code", Mark Cuban opens the live conversation with a few witty remarks on the Luca Doncic trade.

Mark Cuban sold off his majority share in the Mavericks and is now a minority owner. He no longer has full control of day-to-day operations as he once had.