Nov 3, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts to receiving a technical foul during the second half against the Orlando Magic at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Ex-Celtics NBA Champion blames Mark Cuban for Luka Doncic's conditioning

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Jun 21, 2025 7:47 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks trading away Luka Doncic in February remains unexplainable. Had the team not magically landed the first overall pick to get Cooper Flagg, they were looking at a potential financial loss of over a billion dollars over the next few years.

No matter how Nico Harrison has tried to explain the trade, none of it has made sense. Between saying he didn't know if Doncic would sign a contract, that he thought it would help the team win now and in the future, and that defense wins championships. But the real reason seems to be based around Harrison's frustration with Doncic's care of his body and his conditioning.

Former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins, who won the title in 2008 with the Boston Celtics, believes Mark Cuban is to blame for Doncic's conditioning, saying he didn't treat Doncic tough enough.

"Can we put a little blame on the Dallas Mavericks?" Perkins asked on the "Road Trip" podcast. "Mark Cuban is one of the, like, when it comes down to players, I don’t know any owners that has special relationships or cater to players more than Mark Cuban. ”

"...Luka has been pacified since he got to the Dallas Mavericks. He came there, he put up big numbers, like Mark Cuban has a history of pacifying players, like catering to them in different ways. It’s facts, like he could have got spoiled and all of a sudden they sell the team, new ownership group Nico Harrison, they like, ‘F___ this,’ I’m just throwing it out there."

Cuban was, and still is, a massive fan of Doncic, even saying before he sold the team that he'd rather get a divorce than trade Doncic. So, there may have been a little coddling, but it is a superstar-driven league, and you want to satisfy your stars. Doncic still led them to the NBA Finals last year, so that's not a good enough excuse.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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