Mavericks’ Mark Cuban no longer has control of basketball operations, and why this is good for Dallas’ future

The sting of not winning the NBA Finals will linger for the Dallas Mavericks, but just as swiftly as the Boston Celtics took care of them in five games to claim their 18th championship, Dallas must now turn its attention towards the future. Specifically free agency, and how to improve the roster around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving with hopes of trying to get back to the NBA Finals. As the Mavericks prepare for that, they’ll be doing so with some organizational clarity, as ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reports that Mark Cuban no longer has control of basketball operations.

This news comes after Cuban sold his majority stake in the Mavericks back in November 2023 to the Adelson family, making Patrick Dumont the new governor of the Mavericks. When the deal was announced, it was reported that Cuban would retain control of basketball operations, while Dumont and the Adelsons handled the business side of things, like building a new arena for the Mavericks, something Cuban has been interested in for years. But seven months after that deal was finalized, it appears as though Cuban’s role is becoming more diminished, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for the Mavericks.

Nico Harrison, the team’s president of basketball operations and general manager, now reports directly to Dumont, after reporting to Cuban previously. And while Cuban’s voice will still carry some weight in roster decisions, he may no longer have the final say on trades, draft selections or free agency signings. But while this may raise some eyebrows for those who associate Cuban with the lead decision maker for the Mavericks, Harrison has more than proved he has what it takes to build a championship-contending team. Harrison was the architect behind the trade deadline deals that catapulted the Mavericks on the path of the NBA Finals, acquiring PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford while moving quickly to move Grant Williams, a free agency signing from last summer that proved unsuccessful. 

While Harrison led the charge in signing Williams, too, his quick recognition that the deal didn’t work…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/mavericks-mark-cuban-no-longer-has-control-of-basketball-operations-and-why-this-is-good-for-dallas-future/

Author : Jasmyn Wimbish

Publish date : 2024-06-18 18:53:25

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