Mark Cuban was unexpectedly stripped of power in basketball-related decisions after hiring Nico Harrison and selling his majority ownership stake of the Dallas Mavericks in 2023. Now, he's back at the table.
There are a lot of changes taking shape within the walls of the Dallas Mavericks organization, but it appears one previous constant is returning to an old post.
Minority owner Mark Cuban, who sold his majority stake of the franchise to billionaire casino tycoons Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont and subsequently lost more saying power than he expected, has been reinstated with authority to be involved in basketball-related decisions.
The news comes in the wake of Dumont caving into overwhelming fan-issued pressure (and a dreadful 3-9 start to this season) by firing general manager Nico Harrison.
Assistant GMs Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi have been promoted on an interim basis, but Cuban, as he had throughout his majority ownership for two decades, will now have authority on decisions regarding the future outlook of the roster.
Additionally, Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix reports that "radical roster changes have already been discussed by Dallas’s new brain trust."
"Big changes could be coming to Big D," Mannix adds.
Among the litany of difficulties that plagued Harrison's final months in Dallas, none looms as large as his infamous decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a future first-round draft pick half a season removed from Doncic leading the Mavs to an NBA Finals berth - a swap that's already viewed among the league's most one-sided in history.
So, what does Harrison's termination mean for Anthony Davis?
Will the Mavs try to rebuild around star rookie Cooper Flagg by cleaning ship of all the pieces that assembled Harrison's supposed vision (which may include Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving, too)?
"It's uncertain what the trade market for Davis would be due to his durability issues, although he is still a dominant force on both ends of the floor when healthy," ESPN's Tim MacMahon reports. "Several league sources were adamant that gauging the market over the upcoming months is due diligence that Dallas must undertake, as it's become clear that Harrison's hopes of a three- to four-year window of contention won't come to fruition."
Until then, Cuban's influence at the negotiation table is expected to be a major factor in Dallas' search for the team's next general manager. Current Detroit Pistons executive Dennis Lindsey - who worked with the Mavs during that run to the Finals - is who Cuban has reportedly vouched for as a top candidate.
The shark may now be fully unleashed for that pursuit.