If anyone knows the pressure of running a sports team, it’s Mark Cuban. The former Dallas Mavericks owner was one of the most vocal executives in sports and has openly discussed his career — both the hits and misses — more so than most professional sports owners.
That willingness to talk is how fans know Cuban wasn’t on board with the Luka Dončić trade. Cuban said publicly he would not have traded Dončić. He also criticized Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison for failing to get a better deal.
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Given Cuban’s proximity to both the Mavericks and Dončić, it was no surprise to see the former Mavericks majority owner show up to Wednesday’s game, which saw Dončić return to Dallas for the first time since the trade, as the Lakers rolled 112-97.
Being at the game meant Cuban was present when Mavericks fans once again expressed their displeasure with the deal and called for Harrison to be fired. Cuban had an interesting reaction to those chants.
Cuban, 66, buried his face in his hands and shook his head upon hearing Mavericks fans shout, “Fire Nico!” When he eventually lifted his head, Cuban had a dour expression on his face.
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Plenty of armchair psychologists and body-language experts can dissect that reaction, though it’s impossible to know what Cuban was thinking. He seemingly played both sides with his actions Wednesday. Cuban met with Dončić and shared a hug and conversation with the former Mavericks star on the court, but also wore an Anthony Davis shirt to the game. That seems to indicate the former owner clearly still has affection for Dončić, but continues to support the Mavericks after the trade.
That shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Cuban may no longer be the majority owner of the Mavericks, but he still holds a minority share in the team. He can still support Dončić while hoping the trade helps the Mavericks in the end.
As for Cuban’s feelings about Harrison, well, those might be a little harder to parse.