Before they reached the 2024 NBA Finals, the Dallas Mavericks were sold for $3.5 billion. The NBA’s Board of Governors approved the sale in late December 2023. The buyers were billionaire businesswoman Miriam Adelson and her son-in-law, the current Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont. Both of them acquired a controlling stake of between 69% and 73% in the Mavericks franchise. However, heading into the All-Star break, there has been speculation surrounding whether the Mavericks may be for sale. Mark Stein was the first to report that an unidentified Dallas-based investor group was showing interest in purchasing the Mavericks from the Adelson-Dumont family and that they had an interest in bringing Cuban on board to make the purchase.
So will the Mavericks be sold for the second time in three years?
Mark Cuban Is Eyeing A Dallas Mavericks Buy-Back
Cuban’s Reason
When Cuban decided to sell the Mavericks to the Adelson and Dumont families, he stated that it was in the franchise’s best interests.
“Financially, the Mavs are in a far better position to be able to compete,” Cuban said to the media in the aftermath of the sale.
When the sale took place, Cuban was the 11th richest team owner in the NBA, based on net worth. At the time, Cuban was worth $5.1 billion. However, the wealth of the Adelson and Dumont families combined is $33 billion.
Despite this, the amount of money that owners have does not give teams a competitive edge in today’s NBA. Particularly with the new CBA, several teams have seen their rosters decimated. Recent examples include the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns.
Aside from the Adelson and Dumont families having more money than Cuban, they also had another agenda when moving to Texas. Sheldon Adelson, Miriam Adelson’s late husband, was the founder of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. The casino and resort company’s founder has a vision to have a destination similar to Vegas in Texas. Reportedly, Miriam Adelson’s purchase of the Mavericks was to enact this plan.
However, Texas legislation in general does not favor gambling, and it is still illegal in the state. Adelson’s funding of right-wing politicians in the Lone Star State to change laws has also not been well received by the general public. Several other decisions, such as the Luka Doncic trade, have also fueled the fanbase’s animosity towards the new owners.
A New Purchase?
Jan 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) smiles after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
According to a source, there could be two possible reasons why this news was leaked. One is that the Dallas-based group of investors is trying to put pressure on the Adelsons to sell the team. Or the Adelsons are potentially opening the possibility of a sale, and the bidding war that follows.
The Adelsons have made it clear multiple times that the team is not for sale. In Stein’s original report of the news, a source close to Dumont had this to say.
“The family remains excited about the future of the franchise and the Cooper Flagg era.”
A later report by Stein on the 12th of February revealed that the families had other plans in mind as well.
“The team is not for sale, and the (Adelson and Dumont) families look forward to expanding their ownership stake over time.”
This could potentially spell bad news for Cuban. The terms of the Mavericks’ sale to the Adelson-Dumont families included a clause that allowed them to purchase most of Cuban’s remaining 27% stake in the Mavericks. This would leave him with just seven percent, resulting in Cuban having a lot less influence in a potential buy-back.
Featured Image: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images