Cuban has sold the Mavs to Adelson-Dumont Family

[Jason Terry]

The fact that there is a new arena looming makes sense of all of this.

Perot's was an old real estate venture one that Cuban didn't do, didn't know how to do, didn't want to do, didn't see the money he left on the table.

This is a NEW real estate venture. Perot could never be Cuban's partner in this new venture -- his pockets aren't deep enough. Not only that, but this new venture will likely siphon big value away from Perot's old venture, as the new Unnamed Arena will be the cornerstone, that will create huge value for surrounding real estate, and the Obsoleted AAC will no longer be the place to be (with real estate values following accordingly).

As for Cuban having to sell, it's more of an investment than a sell -- he is swapping part of a smaller valued item for a sizable share of what he expects to be a massively bigger one. It's the Disney World model, and for years has been adopted by other sports owners WHEN they build a new stadium/arena. Cuban has the team who is about to "need" a new playground, and he's partnering with someone who can help him leverage that opportunity. They will grab a huge valuable footprint of land, based on that (supposed) need, and also get support from city, county, and state to allay their costs.

New resort style arena area, big tax bills and TV/streaming rights issues

Cuban doesn’t have the cash on his own to make that happen 

Show the product(basketball, casino, arena acts/concerts, etc) to as many people as possible both on screens and in person. Make piles of cash off the people every step of the way. Keep it all for yourself because you own everything. 

I think he’s right about the TV rights bubble. There must be a new way forward looming

[surfpuckmd]

To be honest, it feels like the FO is finally making good decisions right now.  Not sure how excited I would be to pull the plug on that and get random new option.  

The FO was clearly ready to go into the tax if it made sense last offseason.  They made the offer to Thybulle that would have put them there (unless they had some plan to dump salary afterwords).  It seems like having a 40 billion pocket owning majority is a good thing regarding tax concerns.

Someone posted a graphic over the summer showing what each team had spent total on their roster over the past 5 seasons combined.  The Mavericks were 30th.  We have been the stingiest franchise in the NBA.  I think Cuban would like to win but he doesn't want to spend the money to be competitive.  Most decisions since 2011 can be easily explained by our owner's financial priorities.  Plan powder always kept us well away from the luxury tax.  Jalen Brunson leaving kept us away from the luxury tax.

We tried to sign Thybulle with part of the MLE but then gave up on further improvement when Portland matched.  Either Paul Reed or Dario Saric would have been really useful to our team this season.  We could have obtained either by using a chunk of the MLE.  Instead, we opted to sign outside veterans only for the minimum.  Our roster outside of Luka and Kyrie is pretty terrible.  Our winning record is the result of two great players carrying an otherwise pitiful roster.  

Mark Cuban was once a fun, energetic owner.  He wanted to win above all else.  That man disappeared more than a decade ago. The Mavericks would be better off if he would buy an island somewhere, stay there and shut up.

[SleepingHero]

Going to ignore the talk to relocating to Vegas and Dallas becoming a resort town and who the Adelsons are for a second to say this:

The Mavericks just went from having an ownership group worth about 6 billion dollars to one that's worth about 40 billion.  We always talked about Cuban being cheap but sometimes we ignored that Cuban may have just been poor in terms of sports ownership.  There are no more financial excuses moving forward.

I so badly want to think positively and believe this is just a cash infusion and the Adelsons are perfectly fine paying 8 figure tax bills... but there is no history there.

Its not like the Adelsons can't afford it, with their bankroll the Mavs now have the 3rd richest owner in the league. Just cause they have money doesn't mean they want to spend it though.

[KillerLeft]

I so badly want to think positively and believe this is just a cash infusion and the Adelsons are perfectly fine paying 8 figure tax bills... but there is no history there.

Its not like the Adelsons can't afford it, with their bankroll the Mavs now have the 3rd richest owner in the league. Just cause they have money doesn't mean they want to spend it though.

The more I think about it, the more I think (wishfully, perhaps) that this is an attempt on Cuban's part to make much, much more money, both FROM the team and FOR the team. I got the impression from hearing him talk that competing with the crazy, big-spending west coast teams is something he has been worried about for some time.

[mvossman]

Someone posted a graphic over the summer showing what each team had spent total on their roster over the past 5 seasons combined.  The Mavericks were 30th.  We have been the stingiest franchise in the NBA.  I think Cuban would like to win but he doesn't want to spend the money to be competitive.  Most decisions since 2011 can be easily explained by our owner's financial priorities.  Plan powder always kept us well away from the luxury tax.  Jalen Brunson leaving kept us away from the luxury tax.

We tried to sign Thybulle with part of the MLE but then gave up on further improvement when Portland matched.  Either Paul Reed or Dario Saric would have been really useful to our team this season.  We could have obtained either by using a chunk of the MLE.  Instead, we opted to sign outside veterans only for the minimum.  Our roster outside of Luka and Kyrie is pretty terrible.  Our winning record is the result of two great players carrying an otherwise pitiful roster.  

Mark Cuban was once a fun, energetic owner.  He wanted to win above all else.  That man disappeared more than a decade ago. The Mavericks would be better off if he would buy an island somewhere, stay there and shut up.

To be honest, Paul Reed or Saric would not have changed the perception of this roster outside of Luka and Kyrie.  They determined what they felt was worth going into tax and went after it.  There was legit value to not going into tax.  There was only about a 5 mil window between not going into tax and the max they could spend after the Williams trade, with significant value in resetting the repeater tax.  There is so much to dislike since the Luka trade, but I have a really hard time finding fault with this last offseason.  Maybe it was totally random that they made a bunch of good decisions this last offseason after making a ton of bad ones in prior years, and it will be a total shit show next year.  If this had come down a year ago, I would be begging for anyone to take over.  I'm not as sure now.

[SleepingHero]

The more I think about it, the more I think (wishfully, perhaps) that this is an attempt on Cuban's part to make much, much more money, both FROM the team and FOR the team. I got the impression from hearing him talk that competing with the crazy, big-spending west coast teams is something he has been worried about for some time.

I need to watch that All the Smoke thing you mentioned that will hopefully give me better context on what Cubes is trying to do.

I'm also trying to see the bigger picture here. I can see the desire for Cuban to try and use the Adelsons as sort of a bank to fund the Mavs, but to cede the majority of the team to make that happen seems pretty crazy to me...?

Perhaps there are different kind of "shares" in the Mavs and Cuban retained the majority of the voting shares but lost the majority of the company? Like what Zuckerberg did with Faceboo...err Meta.

[SleepingHero]

Going to ignore the talk to relocating to Vegas and Dallas becoming a resort town and who the Adelsons are for a second to say this:

The Mavericks just went from having an ownership group worth about 6 billion dollars to one that's worth about 40 billion.  We always talked about Cuban being cheap but sometimes we ignored that Cuban may have just been poor in terms of sports ownership.  There are no more financial excuses moving forward.

To double back to this, look at this interesting tweet Brad Townsend posted today:

“One of the persons familiar with the terms, structure and primary reason for the sale said the Sands Corp. will give the Mavericks more revenue sources and “deep pockets” to be competitive with the NBA’s more endowed franchises, namely the Lakers, Clippers, Warriors and Knicks.”

https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1730051560732836131

[ThisIStheYear]

Seems like a business deal for the Adelsons and a basketball deal for Cuban.

[SleepingHero]

[F Gump]

As this is unfolding, some concepts are emerging:
1 The "side venture" is going to be where both Cuban and Adelsons are angling for the BIG money to be made, not from the Mavs. The sale of some of the Mavs franchise is not the main deal here.
2 This will be an attempt to intertwine a major sports team's leverage into a HUGE real estate grab. Think Disney and the outlying areas around it - that's the goal. Or in NBA terms, think GS Warriors.
3 Their target? I'd bet a lot that their play is about the ultra valuable Town Lake waterfront, W of I-35. You can't buy it, but hmmm, if you can get the city of Dallas to seize whatever land you want using eminent domain, so you can do a new arena for the Mavs that's on prime lakefront, and also grab all that ultra-valuable land around it, that is mega money. And if you look at a map, in relation to the AAC, you can see the where of just hopping to the other side of I-35, and quickly see the why.
4 If successful, Cuban will net extra money, as a result, both by the dollars from the sale of most of the franchise, plus what he will land with the real estate, and he will also get a deep-pockets partner as cash is needed with the Mavs. The vision is that this will play out over many years and be an empire, in a way.

HOWEVER - that Town Lake has been anticipated for 50 years, and there are some BIG MONEY players in Dallas who have their own plans. I think it would be a really tough sell to convince the people of Dallas to let the city just grab it and hand it over to Cuban and Friends. If they say no, then what?

[youzigizag]

As this is unfolding, some concepts are emerging:
1 The "side venture" is going to be where both Cuban and Adelsons are angling for the BIG money to be made, not from the Mavs. The sale of some of the Mavs franchise is not the main deal here.
2 This will be an attempt to intertwine a major sports team's leverage into a HUGE real estate grab. Think Disney and the outlying areas around it - that's the goal. Or in NBA terms, think GS Warriors.
3 Their target? I'd bet a lot that their play is about the ultra valuable Town Lake waterfront, W of I-35. You can't buy it, but hmmm, if you can get the city of Dallas to seize whatever land you want using eminent domain, so you can do a new arena for the Mavs that's on prime lakefront, and also grab all that ultra-valuable land around it, that is mega money. And if you look at a map, in relation to the AAC, you can see the where of just hopping to the other side of I-35, and quickly see the why.
4 If successful, Cuban will net extra money, as a result, both by the dollars from the sale of most of the franchise, plus what he will land with the real estate, and he will also get a deep-pockets partner as cash is needed with the Mavs. The vision is that this will play out over many years and be an empire, in a way.

HOWEVER - that Town Lake has been anticipated for 50 years, and there are some BIG MONEY players in Dallas who have their own plans. I think it would be a really tough sell to convince the people of Dallas to let the city just grab it and hand it over to Cuban and Friends. If they say no, then what?

You talking about the Northeast corner of land where Sylvan and Singleton intersect?  Or is that chunk of property too small for a Arena?  I assume if you are talking about real estate...you overtake a larger portion of land than just that Northeast chunk...if thats even the area you are referring to.   Use imminent domain on that whole neighborhood?

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

You talking about the Northeast corner of land where Sylvan and Singleton intersect?  Or is that chunk of property too small for a Arena?  I assume if you are talking about real estate...you overtake a larger portion of land than just that Northeast chunk...if thats even the area you are referring to.   Use imminent domain on that whole neighborhood?

I think it would be on the other side of the river but still west of 35, more in the design district.  The trinity groves neighborhood is already pretty well developed and not sure how they would build something over there.

[F Gump]

You talking about the Northeast corner of land where Sylvan and Singleton intersect?  Or is that chunk of property too small for a Arena?  I assume if you are talking about real estate...you overtake a larger portion of land than just that Northeast chunk...if thats even the area you are referring to.   Use imminent domain on that whole neighborhood?

The area you are talking about is on the W side of the what will be the lake (the long-planned lake is currently just a river and river bottoms flood plain). That's farther away from downtown, less valuable. The W side doesn't contain the highway infrastructure to take a big number of people to your doorstep, whereas it is to a large degree already in place on the E side. 

Instead, I see their plan being to get first dibs on the land between I-35 and the lake, ie on the E side of the lake, that sits directly west of the AAC. It's generally where the practice facility has been sited. Currently that whole area is a warehouse district, with property owners holding tight to old warehouse buildings in anticipation of the day when the lake comes in and they get a massive payday as their land values explode. Every owner in that broad area has some speculative thoughts about the future payday and is looking ahead.

I expect Cuban/Adelson to try to use the city/state/county eminent domain power that tends to accompany the building of an arena site, and then use it to get way MORE than an arena footprint - to get a massive area for lots and lots of development that they would demand as being necessary "to complement the arena" but that really have nothing to do with the arena. It would be labeled as an "entertainment" area and a destination, as a "much-needed" addition to Dalllas, and perhaps a Dallas Riverwalk area that "we are bringing to the city," lots of dream concepts, and etc etc etc. The Adelsons NEED the Mavs, because the Mavs can create the angle for the eminent domain grab, ie "our beloved Mavs need a new arena." And Cuban needs the Adelsons, because a land play of this magnitude is way over his head (but he wants in).

[sefant]

I so badly want to think positively and believe this is just a cash infusion and the Adelsons are perfectly fine paying 8 figure tax bills... but there is no history there.
Its not like the Adelsons can't afford it, with their bankroll the Mavs now have the 3rd richest owner in the league. Just cause they have money doesn't mean they want to spend it though.

One of her sons bought a Jerusalem basketball team for 20 mill. He kinda sounds like a "mini Cuban" in the making, apart from the fact that he is born rich. Studied at Stanford. Did an internship with the Mavs. Probably the first contact between the family and Cuban/Mavs?

Wouldn't be surprised if that was the underlying motive from the family (sons) life/career/legacy. More like a 10-25 year window that he takes over fully from Cuban as the main basketball figure. As a long term outlook when Cuban gets to the point of retirement.

She is 78.


Dude seems to be interested in basketball. Ok he is a Lakers fan ...



Dude has kinda future NBA owner written all over his vita.

[DallasMaverick]

One of her sons bought a Jerusalem basketball team for 20 mill. He kinda sounds like a "mini Cuban" in the making, apart from the fact that he is born rich. Studied at Stanford. Did an internship with the Mavs. Probably the first contact between the family and Cuban/Mavs?

Wouldn't be surprised if that was the underlying motive from the family (sons) life/career/legacy. More like a 10-25 year window that he takes over fully from Cuban as the main basketball figure. As a long term outlook when Cuban gets to the point of retirement.

She is 78.


Dude seems to be interested in basketball. Ok he is a Lakers fan ...



Dude has kinda future NBA owner written all over his vita.

So, he’s waiting in the wings to take over, after Cuban wins a couple more championships.

[surfpuckmd]

One of her sons bought a Jerusalem basketball team for 20 mill. He kinda sounds like a "mini Cuban" in the making, apart from the fact that he is born rich. Studied at Stanford. Did an internship with the Mavs. Probably the first contact between the family and Cuban/Mavs?

Wouldn't be surprised if that was the underlying motive from the family (sons) life/career/legacy. More like a 10-25 year window that he takes over fully from Cuban as the main basketball figure. As a long term outlook when Cuban gets to the point of retirement.

She is 78.

That is another really interesting plot twist.  Hopefully, the succession from Cuban to this guy occurs fairly quickly and he is more of a hands-off owner than Cuban.  This has a Game of Thrones vibe to it.   Will they kill Mark Cuban off?  Poison in the drink?   Mauled by his own dogs?  Dirk turns into a White Walker?  Kidd already seems like he might be one.

[Chicagojk]

One of her sons bought a Jerusalem basketball team for 20 mill. He kinda sounds like a "mini Cuban" in the making, apart from the fact that he is born rich. Studied at Stanford. Did an internship with the Mavs. Probably the first contact between the family and Cuban/Mavs?

Wouldn't be surprised if that was the underlying motive from the family (sons) life/career/legacy. More like a 10-25 year window that he takes over fully from Cuban as the main basketball figure. As a long term outlook when Cuban gets to the point of retirement.

She is 78.


Dude seems to be interested in basketball. Ok he is a Lakers fan ...



Dude has kinda future NBA owner written all over his vita.

This is the piece that doesn't make sense to me.   Super rich typically don't like not making the decisions or being patient until Cuban decides he doesn't want to run basketball operations any longer.   The people with the most money typically get their way.  What happens with Nico?  If Cuban is running just the basketball operations does he meddle more?  What do the new owners do when they find out that Cuban never offered 13 million to Brunson the year before he is a FA.  What do they do when Cuban works on his Howard Eisley trade spreadsheet (old Mavs reference).  Do they grow frustrated that even though they are the majority owner that Cuban still gets most of the attention/visibility?  How long before Cuban makes a stupid comment trying to be the smartest guy in the room that the new ownership thinks is a swipe at them?

Feels like Cuban made a wise decision of getting a few billion more liquid and a chance to turn 3 billion into 13 billion.   On the other side, much greater chance in a year or two we hear that Cuban has been pushed out of his current role.  Who knows though....I have no idea of the language, but it just feels like this is going to be likely in the future.

[ItsGoTime]

This is the piece that doesn't make sense to me.   Super rich typically don't like not making the decisions or being patient until Cuban decides he doesn't want to run basketball operations any longer.   The people with the most money typically get their way.  What happens with Nico?  If Cuban is running just the basketball operations does he meddle more?  What do the new owners do when they find out that Cuban never offered 13 million to Brunson the year before he is a FA.  What do they do when Cuban works on his Howard Eisley trade spreadsheet (old Mavs reference).  Do they grow frustrated that even though they are the majority owner that Cuban still gets most of the attention/visibility?  How long before Cuban makes a stupid comment trying to be the smartest guy in the room that the new ownership thinks is a swipe at them?

Feels like Cuban made a wise decision of getting a few billion more liquid and a chance to turn 3 billion into 13 billion.   On the other side, much greater chance in a year or two we hear that Cuban has been pushed out of his current role.  Who knows though....I have no idea of the language, but it just feels like this is going to be likely in the future.

This was pretty much my exact thoughts when I heard Cuban gave up majority ownership.

[youzigizag]

I think it would be on the other side of the river but still west of 35, more in the design district.  The trinity groves neighborhood is already pretty well developed and not sure how they would build something over there.

Yeah...I was like..."Are they still not over that land dispute"  about the Trinity Groves area and that neighborhood La Raza or something like that.   I was asking myself if that dispute could still be going on with the city...that was years ago it seemed like that was in the news.

But you all are talking about the east side of the river. Riverfront Blvd and Irving Blvd.

Always that it was weird that Mavericks had a facility directly across from their stadium.  Sure...Cuban wants to be able to rent AAC out...but still thought it was weird that the practice facility was where it was.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

This is the piece that doesn't make sense to me.   Super rich typically don't like not making the decisions or being patient until Cuban decides he doesn't want to run basketball operations any longer.   The people with the most money typically get their way.  What happens with Nico?  If Cuban is running just the basketball operations does he meddle more?  What do the new owners do when they find out that Cuban never offered 13 million to Brunson the year before he is a FA.  What do they do when Cuban works on his Howard Eisley trade spreadsheet (old Mavs reference).  Do they grow frustrated that even though they are the majority owner that Cuban still gets most of the attention/visibility?  How long before Cuban makes a stupid comment trying to be the smartest guy in the room that the new ownership thinks is a swipe at them?

Feels like Cuban made a wise decision of getting a few billion more liquid and a chance to turn 3 billion into 13 billion.   On the other side, much greater chance in a year or two we hear that Cuban has been pushed out of his current role.  Who knows though....I have no idea of the language, but it just feels like this is going to be likely in the future.

All this confusion though is caused by assuming that they did this because they wanted to get into the NBA business.  This is all about getting into the Dallas real estate/future gaming business.  This is about two different industries partnering up, not about one group trying to take over.

I could certainly see the son eventually taking over but there's still plenty of time for that to simply happen naturally seeing as Cuban is already 65.  I mean by the time they get this hypothetical thing built he'll be well into his 70s so probably pretty easy for the Adelson kid to just be patient on that front if that's his end game.