While Mark Cuban remains the Dallas Mavericks’ most visibly controlling presence, he no longer is the majority owner of the team, which comes with its own set of stipulations.In late 2023, Cuban sold his majority stake of the Mavericks to the families of Dr. Miriam Adelson and Sivian and Patrick Dumont for a reported $3.5 billion. While he no longer is the majority of the franchise he bought in 2000, he still considerable sway in the organization, maintaining control of basketball operations.And while he is in control of basketball operations, there are a handful of restrictions placed on him by the NBA now that he is a minority owner. Speaking with Marc Stein, Cuban shared that he was banned by the NBA from sitting behind the bench, despite doing so for years.Zion Williamson makes ominous career move with $197M contract situation ‘in doubt’LeBron James takes break from social media with Lakers star tired of ‘hate and negativity'”The NBA got really, really, really petty and said that I can’t sit behind the bench anymore, Cuban told Stein, per ClutchPoints. Additionally, Cuban noted while he feels at peace with his decision to sell his majority stake in the team, there are moments where he regrets doing so.The only time I feel any regret is when the NBA pisses me off, Cuban said. Maybe it would be different if we were losing and things weren’t going well, but things are going well. It’s nothing specific to the Mavs. I can’t go into NBA meetings anymore and give them —- for being petty.Furthermore, Cuban admitted that being a minority owner was different from what he envisioned in his mind. Still, he is maintaining his positivity with the Mavericks continuing to be a presence in the Western Conference especially after making the NBA Finals last season.Mark Cuban is a fixture at Dallas Mavericks games, often spotted cheering on the team from the sidelines ( Image: Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)I’m not there making day-to-day decisions.,” the 65-year-old continued to Stein. “That’s all Nico [Harrison, the Mavericks’ general manager]. That’s just the way it’s evolved. Honestly is it exactly the way I expected it to be? No. But we’re winning and things are going well. I’m fine with it.Currently, the Mavericks have fallen slightly as a result of a retooled Western Conference. Coming into Sunday’s contest against the Miami Heat, the Mavericks are tied with the Phoenix Suns for the ninth seed, as one of 12 teams with a .500 record or better.And while fans might proclaim that Dallas is underperforming, it is more indicative of how competitive the Western Conference is this season compared to last season. For reference, only four teams in the Eastern Conference have a .500 record or better.Although Cuban no longer is the majority owner of the Mavericks, he made sure his employees knew how much he appreciated the work they did under his watch. In January 2024, Cuban sent an email to Mavericks employees informing them he plans to pay approximately $35 million in bonuses.”As a thank you for all your hard work making the Mavs an amazing organization, each of you will be receiving a bonus from myself, and the Adelson and Dumont families,” Cuban’s email read. “In total, we will be paying out approximately $35 plus Million Dollars in bonuses to you all.”To calculate your bonus, we used a framework that took into consideration how long you have worked for the Mavs. You will receive your bonus in the very near future. I’m excited to continue our work making the Mavs the best franchise in all of sports! Let’s Go Mavs!”
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