The 90s were indeed a rough patch for the Dallas Mavericks, given their consistent losing records and the poor state the franchise was in during those years. However, there was a glimmer of hope when the organization acquired the draft rights to Dirk Nowitzki, the ninth pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. Not to mention the arrival of Steve Nash via trade.
A major shift was taking place within the organization as well, with the change in ownership. In 2000, tech billionaire and Mavs season-ticket holder Mark Cuban purchased the majority stake from Rose Perot for a reported $285 million. A decision that received a largely positive reception from the Mavericks fanbase.
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Much of it had to do with the passion Cuban displayed as a Mavs fan during games. However, the extra enthusiasm did get him into trouble, as evidenced by the fines and suspensions he received for interfering with the officiating. That said, the passion was not only for the cameras.
Working behind the scenes, Cuban was doing everything in his power to ensure the organization functioned smoothly on all levels. Recently, while appearing on the Intersections Podcast, he shared some of the steps taken to improve the working conditions and operations within.
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“I’ll never forget meeting everybody for the first time. I’m like, ‘Any questions?’ And Gary Trent’s like, ‘Yeah, we like go to Oakland, California. Sometimes we get there at 2:00 in the morning, and we stay in hotels with no room service, so we’re looking for the closest 7-Eleven. Anything you can do about that?’ I’m like, ‘Done.’ So, we started staying only in nice hotels,”stated Mark, who ensured his players received the best treatment at all levels.
Commitment to player and staff welfare
Better accommodation for players and the organization was only the start. Cuban understood that for the Mavs to win, their members needed to feel happy first. Striving towards making the Mavs one of the top free agent destinations in the NBA, which was never the case before.
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As a result, Mark wouldn’t mind pampering his team occasionally.
“We’re in this propeller plane. All of us are terrified. Anything you can do about that? Yeah. So, we switched first, and we got our own plane. We were the first …. Up until I sold that, we wereprobably still the one of two teams, maybe with our own plane,” shared the 67-year-old.
After moving from its old home arena, Reunion, to the American Airlines Center, Mark ensured there were enough recreational options. It included giving them Game Boys and PlayStations. He also set up TV screens so players and everyone else could watch game film.
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Not done indulging, the former Shark Tank judge also got fluffy towels, given the feel-good factor. Cuban wanted everyone to know that they weren’t the old Mavs anymore. A process that took its time but showed results, especially after winning the 2011 championship.
Unfortunately, Cuban’s reign came to an end in 2023 when he sold off the majority of his ownership stake. One of the primary reasons was that Mark could have struggled to keep up with the new CBA. Apart from that, owners across most sports are now tilting towards real estate and casinos, something that was not financially feasible for Cuban.
The current chaos
After an impressive run as an Mavs owner, Cuban sold 72.3 percent of the controlling stake to the Adelson-Dumont family for a reported $3.5 billion. A decision that turned out to be a nightmare for fans, courtesy of the Luka Doncic trade in 2025.
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Making matters worse for the former GM, Nico Harrison’s management was that the win-now motive was nowhere close to being achieved due to injuries on the roster and the uncertainty around them. With the pressure and public sentiment mounting, the organization eventually fired Nico.
Eventually, the new ownership traded Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards as well. Getting trolled mercilessly, Dallas now had its only source of hope in Cooper Flagg, a generational talent. Regardless, the current ownership may want to involve Cuban in a larger role if they wish to make things easier for themselves going forward.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.