Mavs Governor Patrick Dumont shared his thoughts on the Trade Deadline deals that transformed the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont was recently featured in the Bank of Texas Speaker Series where the Luka Doncic trade was discussed heavily. In Part I of this feature, we took a deep dive into Dumont’s post-trade commentary in respect of what the organization was looking to build. Here in Part II, we will analyze more of Dumont’s comments as they pertain to Luka Doncic as well as the potential for the team to relocate to Las Vegas.
You can view the entirety of the Speaker Series discussion in the video below while we dissect some of the key quotes (with video timestamps in parenthesis) for your ease of navigation.
“So a few things. I think the important thing is, Luka’s a phenomenal player. He’s a generational talent and this was hard. It was emotional. It was emotional for my family. It was emotional for the people in Dallas. I heard from the fans; I respect their voices, I listened. (7:08)
We ended Part I with a doozy and begin Part II in the same way. Many Mavericks fans are still raw with emotion nearly two months post-trade and this quote likely won’t help. Frankly, it doesn’t jibe with the message being put forth up until this point. Doncic was traded and in an almost unprecedented way, was shamed out the door in the first few weeks following the trade. To go from blatant pot shots to acknowledging Doncic as a “phenomenal player” and “generational talent” simply doesn’t add up. Was it a matter of genuine realization? Perhaps a simple PR spin once there was some time and distance from the trade? We’re left to guess. Whatever the motivation, this about-face will surely come across as lip service to most observers.
“If we lost any of our fans’ trust, it was hard and I apologize. But I hope over time we can regain that trust through hard work and that’s our plan. And hopefully people will believe in the long run that what we did was the right decision.” (7:27)
While we’re on the doozy-train, why not one more? Let’s give Dumont credit here. Whether you believe it or not, this is the first time he spoke in no uncertain terms about the reputational damage the Doncic trade caused. He acknowledges the leadership unit likely lost the trust of the fanbase, commits to working hard to rectify the situation and offers a promising look to the future where he hopes to ultimately be proven correct. Here it seems he truly believed in the trade and stands by it. Like the trade or not, at least he shows conviction and recognition. This may be the best take in the entire group of quotes we’ll look at.
“Time will tell.” (7:40)
This quote immediately follows the one above, but it warranted its own analysis. In the most objective sense, time will in fact tell if the trade was a good one. Maybe Luka plays twenty-plus years while winning MVP awards and championships galore. Maybe the Mavs squeeze a mini-dynasty into the next few years. Maybe both (or neither) happen. Time will tell. However, there is something still missing in this notion and it’s a sad realization. Even if the Mavs win one or more championships, some of the fanbase may never come to the same joy they did in 2011 because of how the trade was handled and the comments that were made in the immediate aftermath. In that sense, all the time in the world won’t change the outcome for at least some cross-section of Mavs Nation.
“The idea of moving to Vegas makes no sense to me. It’s actually completely the opposite of what we’re attempting to do… no, the team is never moving to Las Vegas. We bought the Dallas Mavericks; it’s going to stay the Dallas Mavericks” (9:34)
This is the most detailed rationale provided on this topic to date. Prior to this commentary, rumors that the Mavs were on the move flew every which way. The Texas government did not approve the legalization of gambling in the state, therefore Dumont wanted to platoon the franchise, alienate the fans and have a clear path to Vegas. If even half of what Dumont says here is true – specifically the idea his family has almost fully divested of Vegas holdings – then it’s safe to assume the Mavericks are here to stay. Having said that, we can’t overlook the fact that things change. Have you ever heard of a band that goes on a retirement tour only to hit the road again a year later? Things change, but this sounds like a thought-out business decision for the foreseeable future.
“I have to tell you something. It was not about the contract… If I could sign three max players I would do it.” (10:31)
On the surface, this is terrific news for fans of the Mavericks. A wealthy owner willing to spend big bucks is a dream come true. Actions often speak louder than words though. If this was truly the case, why did Nico Harrison make specific reference to avoiding difficult contract talks with Doncic this summer? Perhaps Dumont is willing to pay for the right player as he sees it, but not articulating that here leaves one to wonder why two players up for new contracts this Offseason (Doncic and Quentin Grimes) are no longer on the team.
“Dirk was very important to the community because of his character, because of his work ethic and because of his commitment to the city of Dallas …He’s an iconic person but he’s still here with us and he’s going to contribute to the Dallas Mavericks and he’s someone that sort of embodies the spirit of the team and it’s great to have him around and it’s someone that I look to for an example for what sort of the optimum outcome could be… He’s a champion.” (11:54)
This was a bit of a stream-of-consciousness from Dumont, but once digested it is apparent that he is speaking very highly of Dirk Nowitzki as not only a person, but as a symbol of what the Mavericks are and what they could be. Similar to a quote in Part I, this recognition runs in contrast with the actions that occurred. Doncic was the obvious heir apparent to Nowitzki, was involved in the community and left it all out on the court (see last year’s run to the Finals). Trading away Nowitzki 2.0 while at the same time promoting the incalculable value of the original version is just puzzling.
This was likely the most long-form commentary we’ve gotten from the source since the Doncic trade went down almost two months ago. It provides deep insight into what Dumont was thinking when he ok’d the trade and how he views the future. Whether Mavericks fans agree or understand is an entirely different question.
While credit is due for coming out publicly to speak openly on the topic, there are two important considerations that should not be overlooked.
First, how did the topic of the Luka Doncic trade take up nearly one-third of the entire discussion – being the opening topic no less – of a real estate conference? In some ways it makes perfect sense, as Dumont jockeys for a new arena for the very team Doncic played for until recently. Still, the fact the trade took up a meaningful portion of the discussion says a lot about just how attention-getting the transaction was and perhaps how much Dumont needed to demonstrate his position to his peers as a result.
Second, it is important to note what Hillwood CEO Todd Platt says beginning at the 6:04 mark of the video. For nearly a full minute, Platt seemingly comes to the defense of Dumont, speaking about how difficult the trade decision surely was before segueing into “what this trade was not about” and passing the floor back to Dumont for the quote noted earlier in this article (the quote at the 7:08 mark). It’s a struggle not to see this whole thing as a calculated effort to save face while fully in control of the narrative. Rather than discuss the trade in the confines of sports media or field questions (and retorts) at a press conference, Dumont instead used this venue to say his piece.
Whatever the case, we now have what will likely stand as Dumont’s definitive take on the matter. The Mavericks are currently in a state of utter disarray, so it will be some time before Dumont’s apparent vision will fully come to light. In regards to whether or not it ultimately proves to be a favorable decision for the franchise, “time will tell.”