Former Dallas mayor puts Mavericks owner on blast amid fan frustration

Former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert has sharply criticized the leadership of the Dallas Mavericks in a public opinion piece, taking aim at team governor Patrick Dumont and the Adelson family in the wake of the controversial Luka Doncic trade. The column, published in The Dallas Morning News, reflects growing unrest among Mavericks fans following the team’s postseason collapse.

Leppert, who served as mayor from 2007 to 2011, opened his piece by acknowledging the end of the season for both the Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers but emphasized that frustration remains high in Dallas.

“Basketball season is over for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks,” Leppert wrote. “But like so many Mavs fans, I’m still deeply frustrated personally by the trade of Luka Doncic. And as a former mayor and a business leader in our city, I know it is going to keep hurting because it came at an enormous long-term cost to Dallas.”

Tom Leppert blasts Mavericks for Luka Doncic trade as team misses playoffs after Finals run

On February 2, just months after Luka Doncic led the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011, Dallas traded its franchise cornerstone to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. The deal stunned fans and drew immediate backlash, which only intensified as the season unraveled.

Dallas failed to qualify for the 2025 NBA Playoffs after falling to the Memphis Grizzlies in the second leg of the Play-In Tournament. The Mavericks became just the fifth team in NBA history to miss the postseason entirely the year after reaching the Finals.

Leppert argued that the front office’s motivations were driven by internal dynamics rather than competitive strategy.

“This was personal, not strategic,” Leppert stated. “Over the past year and a half, Harrison appeared to lead a campaign to undermine Luka’s influence in the organization. Trusted allies and staff were pushed out. Player development coaches and European scouts who built relationships with Luka and his camp disappeared quietly. J.J. Barea, a respected voice in the locker room and someone Luka viewed as a friend and mentor, was effectively iced out of basketball operations.”

Mavs ownership accused of prioritizing casino interests over team

The column also questioned Dumont’s level of engagement and commitment to basketball operations, suggesting the team’s priorities have shifted under new ownership.

“For me, having led this city, I think this comes down to the importance of engaged and committed local ownership in our sports franchises,” Leppert wrote. “What I’ve seen since Patrick Dumont and the Adelson family took over the Mavs suggests a lack of interest in the basketball operations and this community. From where I sit, the priority is clear: use this asset to further the family’s casino business.”

The Mavericks and Lakers are reportedly set to meet again in an early preseason matchup in Las Vegas this October — a game likely to draw added scrutiny following the high-profile trade.

Leppert ended the piece by framing the deal as a deep breach of fan trust.

“This wasn’t just a bad trade. It was a betrayal and a violation of that trust. It should be hard to earn back.”