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Mavericks CEO Facing Backlash Over Unusual Luka Doncic Comment

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Apr 15, 2025 7:43 PM ET

As the Dallas Mavericks front office continues to defend the Luka Doncic trade, fans just keep getting angrier as well.

That was the case on Tuesday after Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison and CEO Rick Welts spoke to local media members to address the Doncic trade. However, no cameras were allowed during the presser.

Now, according to Tim Cato of DLLS Sports—who was among the select media allowed in the press conference—Welts compared Doncic's trade to the Golden State Warriors dealing Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut in 2012.

"Rick Welts made a comparison with the Luka trade to a team that he used to work for; the Golden State Warriors," Cato said in the DLLS Mavs podcast. "He said 'The Golden State Warriors once traded Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut. Monta Ellis was beloved …'"

"Rick said 'But it got better, because they had a guard named Steph Curry, and Curry came in and made the entire fanbase love him.'"

Cato went on to point out the problem in Welts' analogy, highlighting that "Luka is not Monta Ellis, Luka is Steph Curry."

.@tim_cato said on @DLLS_Mavs that Mavs CEO Rick Welts compared the Luka Dončić trade to the his former team Warriors trading Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut in 2012.

Unbelievably out of touch.
— Mavs Film Room (@MavsFilmRoom) April 15, 2025

After learning of Rick Welts' statement, though, fans were quick to express their outrage. Luka Doncic is already an accomplished star in the NBA and is coming off a year in which he led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals, so many found it bizarre that he was compared to Monta Ellis.

"This has turned into a sick joke, I am telling you they are doing this on purpose just to piss us all off and move to Vegas!!!!" a commenter on X wrote. Another one said, "Clowns everywhere you look in Dallas front office."

"Its say this or resign in disgrace," an angry fan added.

A Warriors supporter chimed in, saying, "What a stupid ass CEO! We traded Ellis because we had Curry you [expletive] tools."

"Idk how any of you could even slightly root for a franchise with leadership this unbelievably [expletive]. This is levels of gaslighting we’ve never seen before," a social media user added.

"How are these people allowed to run a basketball team," a sixth poster added.

It certainly looks like the Mavericks are trying to do damage control and appease a disappointed fanbase. Unfortunately, considering the backlash they have received so far, it appears they are just making the situation worse.

Sure enough, only winning can help lessen the anger that Mavericks fans are feeling after the team sent Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

It's worth noting, however, that Doncic is thriving in L.A. and helped the Lakers finish with a 50-32 record and the No. 3 seed in the West. Meanwhile, the Mavericks are going to the play-in tournament after ending up with a 39-43 record and the 10th seed.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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