Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont explicitly denied speculation that the team will move to Las Vegas
DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks fans are making their displeasure known following the unexpected trade of superstar Luka Doncic, even as team leadership attempts to quell concerns about the franchise’s future.
In his first public comments since the trade that sent Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont explicitly denied speculation that the team might relocate to Las Vegas.
“The Dallas Mavericks are not moving to Las Vegas. There is no question in that,” Dumont told The Dallas Morning News in an interview published Sunday. “That is the answer, unequivocally. The Dallas Mavericks are the Dallas Mavericks, and they will be in Dallas.”
The statement comes amid fan protests and calls for the team’s sale. Demonstrators have gathered outside the American Airlines Center, with many expressing both anger over the trade and anxiety about the team’s direction.
Dumont defended the organization’s philosophy, emphasizing the importance of work ethic and team culture. “If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — [Jordan, Bird, Kobe, Shaq — they worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win,” he said. “And if you don’t have that, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks.”
Nick Angstadt, host of the ‘Locked on Mavericks’ podcast, interpreted these comments as a veiled criticism of Doncic. “He called Luka out on the way out,” Angstadt said, adding that fans are unlikely to be swayed by any explanations from management at this point.
When questioned about whether he had underestimated the backlash to the trade, Dumont claimed he “feels the same way” as the fans, citing their reaction as evidence of their passion for the team.
Angstadt strongly disputed this characterization. “There’s no way you feel the same way that these fans do,” he said. “Some fans will never get over this and will always hold this against them.”
Doncic is expected to make his Lakers debut on Monday night. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis, who made his Mavs debut Saturday, will be out for “multiple weeks” after a non-contact injury, sources say.
