Mark Cuban Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Durant, Rockets, Cuban, Udoka, Williamson

November 25th, 2024 at 7:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets’ interest in Kevin Durant has been overstated, Marc Stein reports in a Substack post. Stein wrote last month that there was a strong belief around the league that the Rockets were interested in a Durant deal.

Stein hears now that Houston is determined to prioritize internal development this season rather than looking to make a big move before the February trade deadline. Houston’s front office intends to prioritize timeline considerations, as much as talent and fit, when they do make their next major trade. The Rockets’ roster is loaded with younger players, featuring seven first-round picks who are 23 or younger.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic previously reported that the Rockets aren’t interested in breaking up their young core to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. Of course, it’s worth noting that neither Durant nor Antetokounmpo is available at this time.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Mark Cuban has essentially ceased going to Mavericks games on the road and there’s a big reason why, he told Stein. “The NBA got really, really, really petty and said that I can’t sit behind the bench anymore,” Cuban said. Stein points out that Cuban’s presence in the second row behind the bench was a violation of league rules but the league ignored it for many years when he was the franchise’s controlling owner. Cuban sold his majority stake in the Mavericks last year. Cuban talks to Mavs general manager Nico Harrison frequently but Patrick Dumont is the Mavericks’ official governor and operates as day-to-day owner, according to Cuban.
The Rockets’ strong start has been fueled by an improved defense and that’s no accident. Head coach Ime Udoka firmly believes that defense wins championships. “We’re only as good as our one-on-one defense,” Udoka told The Ringer’s Michael Pina. “We’re only as good as all our five on the court, and any weak link is exploited. Everything flows out from that philosophy, which makes a ton of sense on paper but is quite grueling in practice. It’s not a lot of schematics to it. There’s a lot of will and want to it, for sure. But it’s also very eye-opening when you show them the numbers from the previous few years in those areas. If you’re honestly tired of losing and want to change the perception of the team, I mean, that’s where we all start.”
The Pelicans have a lot of hard decisions to make in the coming months and offseason, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith opines. One thing they should seriously consider, in Smith’s view, is moving on from oft-injured Zion Williamson via the trade route or by getting out of his contract. He’s a dominant offensive force when healthy but his rebounding and defense is subpar, Smith notes. Due to a games played clause, the Pelicans can get out of Williamson’s contract after this season with no more than $7.8MM owed to him if he doesn’t appear in at least 41 total games this season. Williamson is currently out with another hamstring injury.

Former GM Donnie Nelson Withdraws Lawsuit Against Mavericks

November 4th, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The lawsuit filed by former Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson against the franchise has been “dismissed with prejudice,” according to documents filed in Dallas County court last week, ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Tim MacMahon report. The case had been scheduled to go to trial Dec. 10.

In legal terms, “dismissed with prejudice” means a case is permanently over and cannot be brought back to court.

Nelson gave notice to the court Thursday that he is taking a nonsuit on his claims against all defendants. Rogge Dunn, Nelson’s attorney, told ESPN that “the parties have reached a resolution of their dispute on confidential terms.”

Nelson’s lawsuit was filed back in March 2022. Nelson alleged he was fired by then majority owner Mark Cuban in June of 2021 as retaliation for reporting sexual misconduct.

Nelson claimed that Cuban’s chief of staff allegedly sexually harassed Nelson’s nephew in a hotel room during the 2020 All-Star Weekend in Chicago. Nelson claimed that he didn’t find out about the incident until five months after it occurred, by which point the nephew had reached a settlement agreement with the team.

According to Nelson’s lawsuit, he was in discussions with the Mavericks about a contract extension at the time, but those talks came to an abrupt end after he reported the incident to Cuban. Nelson was fired the following year.

In their response to the lawsuit, the Mavericks denied that Nelson was wrongfully terminated and claimed that he threatened to reveal the sexual orientation of Cuban’s chief of staff if his contractual demands were not met. In the filing, the Mavericks accused Nelson of a “lengthy scheme to extort as much as $100 million,” and cited several reasons for Nelson’s dismissal, including “poor job performance.”

And-Ones: Seattle, Cuban, Boozer Twins, Hall Of Fame

October 12th, 2024 at 4:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

SuperSonics legends filled the crowd Friday night as the NBA returned to Seattle for the third annual Rain City Showcase, writes Tim Booth of The Seattle Times. Former players Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Dale Ellis, Detlef Schrempf and Rashard Lewis were among those in attendance, along with ex-coaches Lenny Wilkens and George Karl. The game featured the Trail Blazers and the Clippers, but most of the focus was on the Sonics and their potential return whenever the league decides to expand.

“Everybody talks about it. This is obviously a desired city and market that people love, some great sports, got all the other sports,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. “It makes the most sense. It’s already been very successful, the market has. It makes a lot of sense. Just got to wait on it.”

A report last month indicated that the 2027/28 season is the most realistic target for the NBA’s new expansion franchises to take the court. Seattle and Las Vegas are considered the favorites to land teams, and the fans at Friday’s game tried to send a loud message to the league office, according to Kari Anderson of Yahoo Sports. They carried signs calling for the return of their team and launched into a loud chant of “SuperSonics” with about five minutes left to play.

“There’s no way we can think about the timetable. There are so many different aspects that have to be decided on,” Karl said before the game. “All I know is Seattle, the karma, the energy, the spirit, the fan base, the history, the tradition, and it’s got the best building in the world. How does the NBA say no to that? Maybe they can, maybe they will. I have no idea. But if you do a list of good and bad, Seattle’s list is pretty damn good.”

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

During a recent appearance on Shaquille O’Neal’s podcast, Mark Cuban stated that he might be interested in becoming the primary owner of another team someday if O’Neal is part of the venture (hat tip to Afrotech). Cuban made the surprising decision to sell his controlling interest in the Mavericks last season, although he still holds a minority share. “If my kids were like ‘All right, we’re set. That’s not what we want’ or whatever, and it was Shaq, yeah I would look at making a comeback,” Cuban said, “but out of respect to my partners I’d have to check with them first.”
Twins Cameron Boozer and Cayden Boozer, both projected first-round picks in the 2026 draft, have committed to Duke, Rivals announced (via Twitter). Cameron Boozer, a power forward, is considered one of the top high school players in the country and is expected to be in contention for the No. 1 pick. They are the sons of former Blue Devils and NBA star Carlos Boozer.
With the Class of 2024 being inducted this weekend, Kevin Pelton of ESPN compiled a list of the players who will become eligible to join the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame over the next three years.

Eastern Notes: McConnell, Nets, Cuban, Brunson, Cavs

September 1st, 2024 at 6:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

T.J. McConnell‘s agreed-upon four-year, $45MM extension, which doesn’t kick in until the 2025/26, could impact the Pacers’ upcoming decisions regarding Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin, according to Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star.

The McConnell and Andrew Nembhard (three-year, $58.6MM) extensions will put the Pacers closer to the luxury tax threshold and the prohibitive tax aprons going forward. Turner would become an unrestricted free agent without an extension before July 2025, while Mathurin will be eligible for a rookie scale extension at that time.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

The Nets could dictate next summer’s free agency and trade markets, Brian Lewis of the New York Post notes. They could open up as much as $70MM in cap space, plus they could control as many as four first-round picks in a loaded draft. The Nets also have the league’s second-biggest trade exception at $23.3MM.
Mavericks former majority owner Mark Cuban apologized to Jalen Brunson for a perceived jab at the Knicks guard over Brunson’s 2022 free agency, Peter Botte of the New York Post relays. The exchange between Cuban and Brunson occurred during The Roommates podcast (video link). Cuban said in April 2023 that negotiations to retain Brunson “went south, when (father Rick Brunson) took over, or the parents took over.” Brunson signed with the Knicks shortly after they hired his father as an assistant coach. “The only thing that I … didn’t like about the whole situation was when Mark said, ‘When the parents got involved, that’s when things got messy,’” Brunson said. “So that was the one thing that I was like, I kind of was like, ‘Damn that was a little jab.’” Cuban offered the following reply: “I apologize, if it put you in a certain way, that wasn’t the intention. But it was hard to deal with. It was a unique negotiation in a lot of different ways.”
The Cavaliers will hold their first week of training camp at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., according to a team press release. Cleveland will become the first NBA team to hold training camp at IMG Academy. It will also be the Cavaliers’ first remote training camp since preparing for the 2004/05 season at Capital University in Columbus, OH.

Southwest Notes: Cuban, Thompson, Grizzlies, Sheppard, Sochan

August 31st, 2024 at 8:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Appearing on The Roommates Show podcast (video link), Mark Cuban suggested that Klay Thompson might get better scoring opportunities with the Mavericks than he did during his years with the Warriors. Cuban explained that playing alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving should free up Thompson for plenty of open shots.

“Obviously the big addition was Klay,” Cuban said in addressing the team’s offseason moves. “Just somebody who you have to face guard, who’s going to make 40% (from three-point range), and we’re hoping, you know at Golden State he had to always be on the move. They had that motion offense where he was always coming off screens and running. We don’t do that, or not nearly as much, and sure we’ll run some of that action for him, but just standing in the corner, and standing in the wings, and just catch and shoot from Luka and Ky. Hopefully his life is going to be a lot easier.”

Following a trip to the NBA Finals, Dallas has worked to upgrade its roster this summer. Along with adding Thompson, the Mavs improved their perimeter depth by picking up Quentin Grimes, Naji Marshall and Spencer Dinwiddie.

“We wanted to keep that defensive mindset, but we also wanted somebody that was going to be able to make a three,” Cuban added, “because Luka is always going to get you an open look, Kyrie is going to get you an open look or score on their own.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

DaMichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal examines the Grizzlies‘ options for their open roster spot after waiving Mamadi Diakite this week. Cole states that the team could either promote one of its two-way players, sign a free agent to improve the bench or keep the slot open for a move later in the season. Cole believes Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jay Huff are the two-way players with the best chance of receiving a standard contract, while center and point guard are the positions with the greatest need for more depth.
There’s been skepticism on whether Reed Sheppard will play enough on a deep Rockets team to be a serious Rookie of the Year candidate, but Tim McMahon stated on the Hoop Collective podcast that playing time shouldn’t be an issue (Twitter link from Chris Gorman). “He’ll be on the floor,” McMahon said. “I think he’ll play a significant role as a play-maker off the bench.”
Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan wasn’t hurt in a one-vehicle crash last weekend, according to Raul Trey Lopez of The San Antonio Express-News. Sochan told police that he “lost control” of his $240K Porsche 911 GT3 RS before hitting a guardrail.

Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Jones, Roster, Cuban

June 18th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the Mavericks‘ disastrous finish to the 2022/23 season, there was plenty of speculation a year ago about Luka Doncic‘s future in Dallas, with some media members suggesting the team would have to make real strides within the next year or two in order to secure the star guard’s long-term commitment.

Following an NBA Finals run this spring, that no longer seems like a concern, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who says all indications are that Doncic will be willing to sign a super-max extension in July 2025 once he has the necessary seven years of NBA service. The 25-year-old said after Monday’s season-ending loss that he feels “great” about the Mavs’ future.

“We did some great (personnel) moves,” Doncic said. “I would say we’ve been together for five months. I’m proud of every guy that stepped on the floor, all the coaches, all the people behind (the scenes). Obviously, we didn’t win Finals, but we did have a hell of a season.”

Doncic’s enthusiasm about the franchise’s direction is shared by his backcourt partner Kyrie Irving, who is under contract in Dallas for at least the next two seasons.

“I just feel like the sky’s the limit,” Irving said, per MacMahon. “I have an opportunity to be on a special team that can be one of the teams that dominates in this era. That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out the past few years, of how to be on a great team, be in an organization where I’m trusted, and also we’re able to succeed and fail together, and doing it in a way where we still have each other’s backs, and no one is giving up on the dream or the goal. Our goal is still to win a championship.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Based on their current salary projections, Dallas won’t be able to offer more than the taxpayer mid-level exception (about $5.2MM) to free agent forward Derrick Jones, though the team could potentially open up some or all of the non-taxpayer MLE ($12.9MM) with some tweaks to the roster, MacMahon writes. Mavs general manager Nico Harrison wants to find a way to bring back Jones. “He’s a part of our core going forward, so hopefully we can figure that out,” Harrison told ESPN.
Regarding the rest of the roster, Harrison said he likes where it stands but acknowledged that there’s always room for improvements. “I think we have a really good core and really good complementary pieces,” Harrison told MacMahon. “Having said that, I mean, I’ve been here for two years and so I think my reputation is starting to (form). If there’s an opportunity to make it better, I’m going to do that for sure.”
Former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban no longer has control of the team’s basketball operations, MacMahon confirms. Still, as Howard Beck of The Ringer writes, Cuban – now a minority stakeholder – can take credit for three risky moves that set up the club for this year’s success: hiring Harrison as GM; hiring Jason Kidd as head coach; and trading for Irving. Harrison had worked at Nike rather than for an NBA team, Kidd had been fired from two previous head coaching jobs, and Irving’s value had fallen due to injury issues and off-court controversies. “For sure, they were risks,” Cuban told Beck. “I mean, there were a lot of people who just like rolled their eyes at me. But each of them brought a unique set of skills to the table that I didn’t have, that the organization hadn’t had, and I thought were valuable and important.”
Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) previews the offseason in Dallas, writing that the Mavericks have some trade assets available – including its 2025 and 2031 first-round picks and Tim Hardaway‘s expiring contract – and suggesting they could use another play-making guard, perimeter depth, and a floor-spacing big man.

Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Exum, Kidd, Cuban

June 12th, 2024 at 8:01am CST by Luke Adams

For a third straight NBA Finals game, Luka Doncic is the only player to show up on the injury report for the Mavericks. However, after being listed as questionable heading into Game 2 due to three separate ailments, Doncic is considered probable to play on Wednesday, and his right knee sprain and left ankle soreness are no longer mentioned on the injury report, notes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).

Doncic’s thoracic contusion is now the only injury listed. As Tim MacMahon and Malika Andrews of ESPN reported on Tuesday, the All-NBA guard received a pain-killing injection to treat that issue prior to Game 2 and will likely get another injection ahead of Game 3.

Here are a few more Mavs notes as the team looks to begin erasing its 2-0 deficit:

Reserve guard Dante Exum has played just 16 minutes in the first two games of the Finals, but he knocked down his only shot of the series (a three-pointer) and has been a +11 in his limited minutes. Head coach Jason Kidd sounds open to using Exum a little more in Game 3, as Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com relays. “I thought that Exum did a great job in Game 2,” Kidd said. “We’ll see if we can get that combination out there a little more as a third ball-handler. He’s one of the few that has made a three in this series. We’re going to need that a little bit more from him.”
After referring to Jaylen Brown as the Celtics‘ best player on Saturday, Kidd insisted to Sam Amick of The Athletic that his comments weren’t meant to generate controversy and that he wasn’t trying his hand at gamesmanship. “It wasn’t mind games,” Kidd said. “But for whatever reason, everybody took it that way. … My whole thing was that, watching the Eastern Conference (playoffs), like, he has been (the Celtics’ best player). No one ever said I was wrong. … Like, I was just giving it from a point of view of watching. There wasn’t no mind games. I was just making an observation.” Kidd also pointed out that he and Brown share an alma mater (Cal), hinting that that connection might have factored into his stance, Amick adds.
Longtime Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban, who sold a controlling stake in the franchise earlier this season, spoke to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com about the state of the NBA and the growing global popularity of the sport, among other topics. Cuban contended that the introduction of NIL deals in college basketball has actually made life easier for NBA teams. “It keeps kids in school longer, and, more importantly, they know how to manage their money,” he said.

Southwest Notes: Cuban, Doncic, Sengun, Pelicans, Spurs

April 12th, 2024 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Confirming prior reporting from Forbes, Marc Stein (Substack link) cites sources who say that Mark Cuban‘s sale agreement with Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont stipulates that the Mavericks‘ new majority owners have the option to buy an additional 20% of the franchise in four years.

For the time being, Cuban has retained control of 27% of the team and reportedly still maintains a voice in the personnel decisions, though he’s no longer the final decision-maker. However, if Adelson and Dumont exercise that option a few years from now, the extra shares would come out of Cuban’s stake in the team, reducing his holdings to below 10%.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Luka Doncic likely won’t finish higher than second in MVP voting this season, but the fact that he’s legitimately in the conversation is more important to the Mavericks than him actually winning the award, opines Tim Cato of The Athletic. As Cato explains, this version of Doncic raises Dallas’ ceiling and makes the team a bona fide contender.
Alperen Sengun (ankle/knee) won’t return for either of the Rockets‘ final two games of the season, Kelly Iko of The Athletic confirms (via Twitter). Sengun is a candidate for this year’s Most Improved Player award, but because he only appeared in 63 games, an independent doctor would need to rule that his injury is likely to sideline him through at least May 31 in order for him to be eligible for award consideration.
Although New Orleans has yet to clinch its playoff spot, the team looks better than it has in years and is on track to win the most games it has in a season since being rebranded as the Pelicans in 2013. James Herbert of CBS Sports checks in on the Pelicans to get a sense of why this year’s team is more dangerous than the one we’ve seen in recent seasons, as well as what the next steps are for the franchise.
Victor Wembanyama has been everything the Spurs hoped he’d be in his first year in the NBA and figures to only get better going forward, but will San Antonio be able to build a contender around the young star? Isaac Levy-Rubinett of The Ringer explores that question, considering the players the Spurs already have on their roster, their draft assets, and a potential trade target.

Mavs Notes: Nelson Lawsuit, Gafford, Washington, Exum, Luka

February 21st, 2024 at 8:22am CST by Luke Adams

The wrongful termination lawsuit that former Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson filed against the franchise in 2022 is scheduled to go to trial this December, according to Xuan Thai of ESPN.

Nelson’s lawsuit alleged that he was fired in retaliation for reporting that his nephew was sexually harassed and assaulted by Mark Cuban‘s chief of staff, Jason Lutin, during a job interview on February 16, 2020. Nelson claims that he didn’t find out about the incident until five months after it occurred, by which point the nephew had reached a settlement agreement with the team.

According to Nelson’s lawsuit, he was in discussions with the Mavericks about a contract extension at the time, but those talks came to an abrupt end after he reported the incident to Cuban. He was fired the following year.

The Mavericks vehemently denied the allegations in a series of statements back in 2022 when Nelson initially filed the suit. According to Thai, in their formal response, the Mavs denied that the veteran executive was wrongfully terminated, stating that his dismissal was the result of multiple other factors, including “poor job performance.”

Here’s more from out of Dallas:

The Mavericks are 3-0 and have the NBA’s best defensive rating since trade deadline acquisitions Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington made their debuts. But while Gafford has been playing some of his best basketball since arriving in Dallas, the team is still looking to get Washington going, head coach Jason Kidd said on Tuesday, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). “I’ve always talked about getting their feet settled. And I think Gafford, you can see, his feet are settled,” Kidd said. “Now it’s (about) getting P.J.’s feet settled. I think P.J. having family and friends here will help with that. And then being aggressive. We need P.J. to be aggressive and not just wait for (Kyrie Irving) or Luka (Doncic). We need him to play his game too.” Washington has averaged 8.7 points on 40.7% shooting in his first three games as a Mav.
Mavericks guard Dante Exum, who has played just twice since January 1 due to injuries and has been sidelined since January 27 as a result of right knee bursitis, appears to be getting close to returning to action. “No setback,” Kidd said of Exum, per Townsend (Twitter link). “He’s been working out. He’ll do practice (on Wednesday), non-contact. I think the plan is for somewhere on this road trip to get him back.” Dallas’ upcoming four-game road trip begins on Sunday in Indiana and runs through next Friday (March 1).
Does two-time MVP Nikola Jokic believe there’s a scenario in which he and Doncic join forces on an NBA team? Asked that question at All-Star weekend, Jokic said he has no desire to leave Denver but suggested with a laugh that if Luka gets fed up in Dallas, he’s welcome to join him on the Nuggets (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports).

Southwest Notes: Doncic, Cuban, Barlow, Pelicans

February 18th, 2024 at 6:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic leads the league with 34.2 points per game, yet there’s little buzz regarding his Most Valuable Player award candidacy. Perhaps a big showing in tonight’s All-Star Game could change that narrative, according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.

However, Doncic himself is skeptical. “I don’t think so,” he said. “I don’t know.”

He does know there’s a lot of work to be done to make this a special season for himself and the franchise. “I have a long, long way to go,” he said. “So I just enjoy every moment. . . I just appreciate every day. Every game. Every practice. For me it’s fun. So for me to do this as my job, it’s a dream.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Commissioner Adam Silver has plenty of praise for Mark Cuban, who has given up majority ownership in the Mavericks but will reportedly remain involved in basketball operations. Silver called Cuban a “game-changing owner” who continues to voice his opinions regularly to the NBA office, Townsend writes in a separate story. “He’s had an incredible impact on this league,” Silver said. “I have been with the league through the entire tenure of his ownership. From his earliest days in the league, he pushed us hard. He came in as a technologist.”
The Spurs’ Dominick Barlow, who is on a two-way contract, participated in the NBA G League’s Up Next tournament on Sunday. Barlow, who has appeared in 23 NBA games this season, said he’s grateful to have any type of pro contract. “If you don’t have a purpose and a passion for something and aren’t giving your all, you are just wasting your time,” he told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express News. “So many people, especially young people, are searching for what they want to do in life and it takes a long time for a lot of different people to find that. I was fortunate to find what I wanted to do at a young age and I try to take full advantage, understanding I have a gift and a blessing. I don’t want to waste it.”
Former Warriors GM and current ESPN TV analyst Bob Myers compares the Pelicans to the Knicks, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune relays. “I think the Knicks are the Pelicans of the East,” Myers said on ESPN. “Very deep. A lot of good players. Lacking greatness.” Myers adds that those types of teams are less effective in the postseason. “When you get to the playoffs, it’s not about the ninth or 10th guy,” he said. “When the Warriors were winning championships, you know what our bench scoring was? Twenty-seventh in the league; 28th in the league; 29th. You know who scored? The guy making $40 million. The guy making $30 million.”