Mark Cuban Says Knicks Should Have Faced Stiffer Penalty for Brunson Tampering
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Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban believes the NBA’s punishment of the New York Knicks for tampering with guard Jalen Brunson was too lenient. Speaking on the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast released on October 14, 2025, Cuban said the lone sanction—a forfeited 2025 second-round draft pick—did not match the severity of the Knicks’ actions.
“Was I happy that they only got dinged for a second-round pick? No, it should have been far worse, but it is what it is,” Cuban told host Pablo Torre. When asked whether New York had skirted the salary cap to lure Brunson away from Dallas, Cuban replied, “I just think there was a lot at play there,” but did not offer specifics.
Cap-Circumvention Rumor Addressed
The conversation later turned to speculation raised by sports commentator Bill Simmons, who suggested Cuban might have used a large payment for a Dirk Nowitzki documentary to compensate the franchise icon outside the cap in 2014. Torre said his own research showed Cuban’s company paid $100,000 for 10-year U.S. distribution rights—far below the “Iron Man money” figure Simmons mentioned.
Cuban dismissed the allegation with a one-word answer: “No.” He also reiterated his public support for Steve Ballmer and the Los Angeles Clippers regarding their own tampering investigation, calling himself “Team Ballmer” during the exchange.
The Knicks signed Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract in July 2022 after he spent four seasons with the Mavericks. The NBA later determined New York had made impermissible contact with the guard before free agency officially opened, resulting in the loss of the 2025 second-round pick.
Source: Basketball Insiders
