In the wake of Mark Cuban’s blockbuster sale of the Dallas Mavericks’ majority stake to Miriam Adelson and the Adelson family, new revelations are casting doubt on the billionaire’s continued influence over the franchise.
While Cuban publicly assured fans that he retained a minority stake and would remain involved in team decisions, recent comments from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon suggest the reality may be far more limited.
On a recent episode of The Hoop Collective, MacMahon pulled back the curtain on Cuban’s post-sale role, stating:
“Mark Cuban was telling everybody who would listen that was the case, but it was not in the actual contract. And then Cuban’s claim was that there was language that the NBA made them remove from the contract.”
According to MacMahon, the removed language would have allowed Cuban to sit in on basketball operations meetings, but not to lead them. Fellow ESPN reporter Tim Bontemps backed the claim, adding that Cuban’s supposed control over team decisions was never part of the official arrangement.
The Mavericks’ sale, valued at approximately $3.5 billion, transferred control to the Adelson and Dumont families, known for their ties to the Las Vegas Sands casino empire. Cuban retained a 27% minority stake and was named alternate governor, but reports now indicate that his operational authority may be largely symbolic.
One incident that underscores this shift was the Mavericks’ shocking trade of Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. Cuban was reportedly unaware of the deal until it was finalized, a stunning development for someone who claimed to still be involved in basketball decisions.
Cuban’s tenure as Mavericks owner began in 2000 and was marked by bold moves, outspoken leadership, and a 2011 NBA championship. His sale was framed as a strategic partnership to grow the franchise’s real estate and revenue potential. But if the latest reports are accurate, Cuban’s role has transitioned from hands-on owner to sidelined stakeholder.
