Mark Cuban Regrets Mavericks Trading Seth Curry to Sixers

On the night of the 2020 NBA Draft, Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers' front office made a series of celebrated moves. Their first order of business before the big event was to get off of Al Horford's contract.

In order to make it happen, the Sixers sent Horford, a protected 2025 first-round pick, a 2020 second-round pick, and the rights to Vasilije Micic to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Danny Green, Terrance Ferguson, and Vincent Poirier.

When the draft finally started, the Sixers patiently waited to go on the clock with the 21st pick. That's when the Sixers selected Tyrese Maxey out of the University of Kentucky. Shortly after snagging Maxey with a pick, the Sixers moved their next pick in the second round to the Dallas Mavericks along with Josh Richardson in exchange for the sharpshooting veteran guard, Seth Curry.

At the time, the trade was met with praise in Philadelphia. Not only did the 76ers move on from Richardson, who underwhelmed during his first and only season in Philadelphia, but Philly grabbed an established sharpshooter in Curry.

During his first season with the Sixers, Curry averaged 12 points in 57 games. He drained 45-percent of his threes. Curry was even better in the playoffs as he put up 18 points per game in 12 postseason matchups and shot 50-percent from deep.

Following a matchup against the Mavericks last season, Curry was confident in saying Dallas made a terrible decision to trade him away. "Never nothing personal. I got a lot of respect for a lot of those guys over there," Curry said last year. "I just think they made a bad business decision, but it happens all the time. It is what it is. Just another night to get a win and play well as a team."

Mark Cuban Agrees

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was recently asked about his franchise's decision to trade Curry away to the 76ers last offseason. To no surprise, the Mavs owner made it apparent that there is definitely some regret in that decision.

"I hate you, next question," Cuban joked when asked to reflect on the trade. "If that answers your question. Yeah, we might re-think it if we had to do it all over again." 

Cuban was all smiles during his response, but it shouldn't surprise anybody that he feels his team made the wrong decision looking back on it.

Not only was Curry a stellar addition for the Sixers last year and continues to play well for them again this season, but the Mavericks didn't necessarily get much out of that deal. Richardson, who was the core piece of that trade coming from Philly, disappointed in Dallas last year.

After spending one season with the Mavericks, Richardson was moved to the Boston Celtics during the 2021 offseason. As for the second-round pick that the Mavericks used to select Tyler Bey -- that didn't pan out well. He played just 18 games for the Mavericks last year. After one season as a member of Dallas' organization, Bey is no longer with the team. Instead, he plays in the G League for the Houston Rockets' affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.