TITLE: Cuban’s Influence Fades as Adelson and Dumont Families Tighten Hold on Mavericks
SLUG: mavericks-ownership-arena-middleton
CONTENT:
Mark Cuban’s voice inside the Dallas Mavericks’ front office is losing volume less than three months after he was brought back into day-to-day decisions, according to multiple league sources.
Insiders told veteran reporter Marc Stein that co-interim general managers Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley, not Cuban, made last week’s call to send Anthony Davis to Washington. Riccardi later met with players Saturday to outline the trade-deadline strategy and goals for the rest of the season.
Ownership dynamics
The 2023 sale agreement that transferred majority control to the Adelson and Dumont families allows them to cut Cuban’s minority stake from 27% to as little as 7% any time before December 2027. Their recent public dismissal of resale rumors is viewed around the league as a signal for Cuban to temper public comments about buying back the club.
Cuban told Stein he has not spoken recently with team governor Patrick Dumont but has fielded calls from investors eager to help if a chance to repurchase the franchise emerges.
Separately, The Dallas Morning News reported the Adelsons are unlikely to part with the team under any circumstances. The family purchased the Mavericks with an eye toward integrating the franchise into its casino portfolio should sports gambling become legal in Texas.
New arena marketing
The Mavericks have hired CAA Sports to lead commercial planning for a proposed new arena. The agency will pursue naming-rights partners and additional sponsorships. “We have an ambitious vision for the future of the Dallas Mavericks,” chief executive officer Rick Welts said in a statement. “CAA Sports brings global expertise, deep industry relationships and a strong track record of delivering transformational partnerships for top-echelon sports properties.”
Middleton’s first minutes
Khris Middleton, obtained in the Davis trade, scored 13 points with five rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench Tuesday in his Dallas debut. Despite outside speculation that the veteran forward could negotiate a buyout, head coach Jason Kidd—who worked with Middleton in Milwaukee—expressed enthusiasm about the addition. “Some would say he was a throw-in,” Kidd said. “He’s a lot bigger than you think. He can post. He can shoot it.”
The Mavericks continue their push for playoff positioning as the front-office structure, arena plans and roster settle into updated forms.
Source: Hoops Rumors
