Part 9/11:
Patrick Dumont publicly accepted responsibility, describing the decision to trade Luka Dončić as a mistake. Yet, even now, there's debate over what direction the organization should take. The options are stark: either retain Luka and rebuild the team around him or attempt to recoup maximum value via a franchise-altering trade.
Internal conversations reveal that Dumont’s likely position favors avoiding trades altogether unless the organization receives an exceptional offer that includes multiple assets and draft picks. Leaders within the franchise might prefer to keep Luka, believing that a long-term rebuild is safer than systemic upheaval. However, the NBA’s landscape—where massive contracts can become liabilities—makes such decisions complex.