TAKE DAT WIT YOU 10/22

[mavsluvr]

This is a known pattern for entrepreneurial startups. A person or small team has a business idea that involves some new innovation to access markets with a new product or service. It takes hard work and a few iterations to get the rough edges smoothed out, but eventually you have a demand-creating enterprise that then goes into a growth phase and provides financial rewards for the startup team. This is an exciting time and the startup guys look like geniuses (not saying they aren't).


Eventually, the business gets big enough that you have to invest in specific skills to just keep it running day-to-day, never mind continued growth. That's when you either bring in professional management and let them run the business or you sell it to another organization with those skills/systems/processes in place. 

IMO, Cuban likes the first part, the rush that comes with starting something new and see it take root and grow. I think that's why he likes doing "Shark Tank". Nothing wrong with that, but an NBA team is not a growth business and requires specific skills and knowledge just to be functional. If he has truly empowered Nico & Co. to run the team, then it is a good sign. But if you see more off the cuff decisions and head scratching moves, then it will be apparent that nothing has changed.

Very well put. 

Just a gloss on the observation that it is a good sign if Cubes has empowered Nico. I agree that it is a good sign, in the sense of a general indication that Cuban is ready to take a more professional approach. 

Taking it a little further, we really don't know whether empowering Nico in particular is good or not, because he has never done the job before. By all accounts, he has great skills in the organizing and management areas, which the Mavs are definitely in need of. However, by his own admission, he knew nothing at all about the roster construction side of the job. 

I consider it a bit discouraging that, as far as we know, the organization still has no one with a proven track record of success at drafting and roster construction. Such a person would still report to Nico, or maybe Cuban if he wants to maintain that degree of control. Heck, maybe Cuban considers himself to be that person.   Until they are willing to hire and rely on people who have professional skills and experience at their jobs, I fear they are doomed to repeat history.