Report: Mark Cuban fined $25,000 for publicly discussing Mavs deals

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined $25,000 for publicly discussing the team’s looming deals with DeAndre Jordan and Wes Matthews.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined $25,000 for publicly discussing the team’s looming deals with DeAndre Jordan and Wes Matthews, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein.

NBA free-agent contracts cannot become official until July 9, when the moratorium period on free agency ends.

The Mavericks agreed to terms with Jordan, the former Los Angeles Clippers center, on a four-year, $80 million maximum contract on Friday. Over the weekend, Cuban went on the radio show The Ticket and said the team sees Jordan as “Shaq-like,” referencing former NBA center Shaquille O’Neal.

“We see him as ‘Shaq-like’ but never having been given the opportunity,” Cuban said. “We told him if he came to the Mavs, he would be a focal point. He would grow into being a franchise player.”

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Cuban also said the Mavericks told Jordan they consider him capable of becoming a “20–20 guy” who hasn’t yet received that opportunity.

Also on Friday, the Mavericks came to terms with Matthews, the former Portland Trail Blazers guard, on a four-year deal.

This is the first known fine levied against Cuban in NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s tenure, according to ESPN.com’s Tim MacMahon.

- Mike Fiammetta