From the keyboard of Mark Cuban
by Marie
on May 5, 2008 7:13 PM CDT
This may be old news for those of you who regularly frequent Cuban's blog, but for those who don't, here are some excerpts that I thought were interesting.
He sounds optimistic about the future of the team:
2008-9 We have a full training camp with a very motivated JKidd, the rest of our starters back, an improving Nasty Bassty (had to get that in there :), plus anyone we can add. We all thought (and still do), we would have a very strong nucleus to build around. We would also have a 1st round pick.
2009-10 Depending on how the previous season went, we would have several last year contracts available, the option of potentially having some cap room, and other options to improve the team. With the much lower potential salaries, not only could we use cap room if we went that direction to enable roster flexibility, we could also buy a pick. (there are almost always teams willing to sell a pick in the 20s for 3mm dollars)
2010-11 In this year we only have 2 fully guaranteed contracts and in 2011-12 We dint have any fully guaranteed contracts. So the options are endless in both years. Plus , its in one of these years that the new CBA comes up. With so little committed, depending on how hard a line the owners take, things could get very, very inter sting. Having so little contractually committed could be a great place to be when other teams look to dump salaries to avoid the risks of a lockout.
He wrote about the Jason Kidd trade (mostly about the mindset going into the ultimate decision) and also dropped this interesting bit:
We had the opportunity to make a trade with the Clippers, but contrary to reports, we turned that down immediately.
Would that have been a trade for Corey Maggette?
To read Mark Cuban's full entry, click here .
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what this Clipper trade was… i am sure in principle it was a maggette for Terry, but then what else I wonder.
by Toddy on May 5, 2008 7:29 PM CDT 0 recs
Cubes
Just made my day when he said this in that blog post when breaking down the Devin Harris trade…
And as far as the draft picks, there is no question there is risk there, but in the NBA, there is always the option to buy low first round draft picks, so we weren’t as concerned there.
If he ends up buying some of these over the next few years, Kidd ends up playing well for us and he mentors a new point guard to come in after him… we will be sitting pretty I think.
He also made this note which was interesting…
None of the other guys in the initial versions of trade were playing much at the time, other than Stack.
I forget how badly Diop had played initally this year. I think when we look back at Diop, we think of the 06 season when he played Duncan really well. But he was so up and down, he was BARELY in Avery’s rotation at the time… and it wasnt because Avery was being Avery, it was because he was sucking. He was the ONLY semi-significant player in that deal, and he was not going to get us past NO anyway. Plus it allowed Bass to really grow with Avery not having the option with Diop. Having read this, we really gave up Devin for Kidd, if we in fact buy back our two first round picks. Mark is so wise. Dang I love this team…
by Toddy on May 5, 2008 7:46 PM CDT 0 recs
Good points
The draft pick situation was the absolute biggest reason I thought the trade was idiotic. I thought it was a bad deal without the draft picks, sure, but I could also see the merit if Cuban, etc. really wanted to go into win now mode. But to add draft picks to the deal just seemed unbelievably stupid to me. Typically you add draft picks to “sweeten the pot,” so to speak — something we really should not have needed to do. I obviously don’t know the ins and outs of the Cuban/New Jersey discussions, but Rob (Rod?) Thorne would have to be an idiot if he didn’t take the trade without the draft picks. A blossoming young PG and some spare contracts seems like the perfect return for an aging and expensive Jason Kidd.
If we could recover some draft picks by simply throwing some money around… I’m no longer particularly upset with the trade’s logistics.
(Just to clarify: I still think Devin for Kidd was plenty stupid, just more defensible given the fact that the draft picks might not really matter.)
by MeanMr.Mustard on
May 5, 2008 8:32 PM CDT
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Agreed...
if we get at least one of those picks back, pending the outcome of the team having a full year together and hitting on all cylinders… I think we came out ahead. If we are able to buy a pick which is lower than the one that we most probably would have gotten, then it definitely was worth it IMO.
by Toddy on
May 6, 2008 12:49 AM CDT
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You really appreciate Mark as an owner
when you read blog entries like these. What other owner is that open with his team’s fan base?
It’s nice to see him talk about the future, and the fact that they can always buy 1st round picks if needed. I also like that Donnie has the authority to say “Yes” to deals w/o going back to Cuban, whereas most GMs have to go back to the owner.
Other NBA teams’ fans wish they had an owner like Cuban:
i am a diehard lakers fan. i say that so that this will have its proper framing, you make it hard for me to hate the mavericks. i am in lakerland and i have this deep respect for the mavericks as an organization, especially for the loyalty there that is seldom seen in pro sports. good luck (but not too much luck)...by Tyler
As a Warriors fan, I have two observations....
2. It is frustrating to root for a team – like the Warriors – where the number one priority is financial management. It makes it feel like when push comes to shove, money will ALWAYS come before winning for our club. Thus, I respect the Mavs’ willingness to try to make moves to win – despite the financial cost. However, it also does remain a lesson to us all that money alone does not buy championships (well, perhaps in the MLB it does…) – you also need good management, some luck in the draft, etc…...by Doug
“money will ALWAYS come before winning for our club” – you also see that with the Suns owner, Robert Sarver.
Yeah, Cuban’s frustrating sometimes but in the big scheme of things I’m glad he owns the Mavs.
by dirk41 on May 5, 2008 7:57 PM CDT 0 recs
Bill Simmons
I cant stand the guy, bc his stuff is pretty much useless. But in his latest entry that sums up his passionate love affair of the Suns and their season… he noted the following in it regarding their owner…
But for the life of me, I can’t imagine why someone would want to own an NBA team if he cared more about breaking even than winning a championship. What’s the point? Why not sell to someone who cares more about a title? Like so many other NBA fans, I have a pipe dream of stumbling into enough wealth to own an NBA team some day. It will never happen, but really, it’s my ultimate pipe dream other than my daughter turning into a world-class tennis player and me turning into one of those deranged Tennis Dads who shows up for every match flashing hand signals and intimidating the judges. Anyway, if I were fortunate enough to own an NBA team, I would never, ever, EVER favor my pockets over a chance at a title. I just wouldn’t. It’s like going to Vegas for a guy’s weekend and refusing to lose more than $100. Why even go then? Just stay home.
Again, after reading his article, and then reading what Mark has too say about what direction we are going in, and his continual intent on doing whatever he can to bring a championship here. I guess its just nice to know that, while at times its frustrating that the players dont seem to care as much as we do, at least I know the owner does… and he can/will do whatever it takes to either get them on board, or get them outta town if its for the better of the team. He aint perfect, but then who are we to throw stones?
by Toddy on May 6, 2008 12:46 AM CDT 0 recs
Mark
is just one of those smart little annoying kids who wants to get his way, but I hope he does get his way, because he truly wants the Mavs to win. Mark has been great to the Mavericks. I now live in Seattle, and the die hard Sonics fans (yes, there are a few) all tell me they would LOVE to have Mark Cuban as the owner of the Sonics. He does care about money, but he cares more about winning, and I don’t think most owners care more about winning than the bottom line.
by caseyrebelde on May 8, 2008 10:12 AM CDT 0 recs
Agreed.
As Cowboys fans, we also have the same luxury of a win-at-any-cost approach. It’s a double-edged sword, but one I’d take 100 times out of 100.
Also, I love how in the article Mark seemingly lays the wood to Rod Thorn.
GMs get on the phone and talk and talk and talk. But rarely is the GM actually empowered to make a trade. So they play the game of “having to go back to their owners”. I would tell Donnie all the time, “You have the authority to say yes, when they get to the point of commitment”. When we thought things would get close, we would get the “Now I have to get my owners permission”. Its almost comical how unable some GMs are to pull the trigger in the NBA. Its a game they all agree to play. They pretend they have authority, until its go time. I have never seen so much time wasted in my life. i feel sorry for Donnie having to deal with all that nonsense.
It’s like buying a car at the dealership…...
by DitchThePlaybook on
May 8, 2008 1:58 PM CDT
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players that wanted to be traded being told by their agents not to approve the trade, players who wanted to be traded excited to be part of the deal, then being worried that they we rent in the deal. it was crazy. There were many times I thought it was dead. But it finally got done.
Has anyone implied which players were looking to get traded? Was he talking about Stackhouse being worried he wasn’t part of the deal? After the Mavs lost I’ve been kind of out of the loop as far as what’s been going on. I knew Devean George wanted to go, but didn’t realize there were others players feeling the same.
by drpeepers on May 20, 2008 2:21 PM CDT 0 recs
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