Luka Doncic trade could cost Dallas Mavericks 'nine figures' in revenue over next several years

The Dallas Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic earlier this season could cost the organization “dozens of millions” in revenue over the next few years. “It’s a decision that probably will cost the franchise nine figures over the next several years,” per an ESPN report, via Front Office Sports.

This report comes as no surprise, given Doncic’s starpower and popularity amongst NBA fans. He’s currently averaging 27.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game on the season. Even after his trade, his numbers in LA are largely identical to his time Dallas this season.

The NBA revealed its mid-season jersey sales numbers in January, and Doncic had the eighth-best selling jersey in the NBA and sixth most in the Western Conference based on jersey sales during the first half of the season.

The association also revealed the Mavericks as the No. 7 leader in overall merchandise sales during the first half of the season. Dallas trailed only the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.

These numbers were calculated on Jan. 24. Doncic was traded on Feb. 2. It will be interesting to see how these data points shift after the NBA releases the data on the same statistics for the second-half of the season.

More than just jersey sales, Doncic’s status as one of the NBA’s biggets stars impacts ticket sales, as well as the sales of collectibles such as trading cards, bobbleheads, etc. Meanwhile, Dallas has reportedly offered refunds to season ticket-holders for the rest of the team’s home games during the 2024-25 season after the trade. All the while, ticket and jersey demand in LA continued to rise.

This was put on display when the Mavericks came to Crypto Arena on Feb. 25, which became the NBA’s best-selling games of the season. Doncic’s draw power was further cemented after it was revealed that tickets for his return the Dallas as a Laker were among some of the most expensive in Mavericks history.

One way that Dallas plans to assist in generating greater revenue without its star — choosing to raise the prices of season tickets for the 2024-25 season. With the Mavericks citing “ongoing investments in the team,” one fan revealed that he’s been alerted that his tickets will increase by 61 percent for the upcoming season.

Whether this strategy pans is yet to be seen, but it appears this trade may hurt the Mavericks on the court short-term, as well as financially in the short term. However, Dallas is still fighting for its spot in the playoffs, and currently occupy the last spot in the play-in.