Mark Cuban makes wild comparison while explaining Luka Doncic trade to $106.3B Bill Gates involving Steve Ballmer
Mark Cuban isn't over the Mavericks trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. He addressed the trade for the first time publicly during an appearance at the Eisemann Center for a sit down with $106.3 billion worth Bill Gates on Friday. Cuban's first words were about his 'rough week' right after the interview began.
Cuban then explained the Doncic for Davis trade to Gates with a wild comparison involving his former Microsoft successor, Steve Ballmer, as the tycoons got deeper in their conversation. Here's what Cuban said:
"If after you left Microsoft, you found out that Steve Ballmer traded Windows 11 — like, the new hot operating system — for Windows 10, the Hall-of-Fame but older operating system, what would you do?"
Bill Gates replied to that hypothetical question, saying he would have to "hide from the press." Mark Cuban hilariously indicated that it's what few people related to the Mavericks organization were doing.
“I know a couple of other people that are in that situation,” he said.
The Luka Doncic trade left Mavericks fans in disbelief and anger. Doncic, a generational talent who is still 25, was yet to enter his prime. However, the Mavericks believed going with Anthony Davis was better for their championship pursuit than Doncic.
GM Nico Harrison has always had a great dynamic with Davis, and he has tried to pursue the former Lakers star before. Harrison also reiterated that "defense wins championships," indicating that Davis is what the roster needed more than a player of Doncic's skillset.
Several reports also suggested that the Mavericks were unhappy with Doncic's conditioning and durability with his $345 million supermax extension looming this summer, which prompted their desire to trade him.
Even Mark Cuban had no idea about Mavericks trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis
One of the biggest reasons why Luka Doncic's trade to the LA Lakers shocked everyone, including the players involved, was the secrecy maintained by the team executives. Mark Cuban, who remains a minority owner of the franchise after selling his majority stake to the Adelson family in 2023, was also unaware of the dealing between GM Nico Harrison and his counterpart Rob Pelinka.
Cuban was fully invested in Doncic when he was the controlling owner. Doncic was drafted on his watch and blossomed into the superstar he is today, with Cuban in charge of the franchise.
The former majority owner once said he would choose divorce if he had to pick between his wife and trading Luka Doncic. Mark Cuban received the update on the trade right before it was announced on Feb. 1.