Mark Cuban's Mavericks contradictions brought to light

Since the ill-fated Luka Doncic trade that sent Dallas' homegrown Slovenian superstar to Los Angeles for an injury-prone Anthony Davis, many people have wondered what role former majority owner Mark Cuban has with the franchise.

The embattled public figure said multiple times he would not have signed off on the trade himself, but considering his now-obvious lack of power with the Mavericks, it seems his wishes do not mean all that much to an organization that made what many consider to be one of the worst trades in professional sports history.

Mark Cuban and Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis react against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Mark Cuban's Misstep in the Sale of the Mavericks

So what is his role? Tim MacMahon and Tim Bontemps of ESPN clarified on their show "The Hoop Collective", saying that Cuban misunderstood his role within Dallas' premier basketball operation. The two analysts said the following on their show about the situation.

“Mark Cuban was telling everybody who would listen that was the case, but it was not in the actual contract," MacMahon said. "Cuban's claim was that there was language that the NBA made them remove from the contract...I'm told the language that ended up being removed from the contract was just that Cuban was allowed to sit in on all basketball operations meetings, not that he was in charge..."

"I heard from the beginning the idea that Mark Cuban was going to be running the team going forward was never accurate," Bontemps added.

This colossal misreading of the legal language of the contract is not only disastrous for the franchise in terms of the rogue decision by GM Nico Harrison to deal Doncic to LA, but also personally embarrassing to Cuban himself.

Though the Mavericks lucked out by winning the draft lottery and selecting Duke standout freshman Cooper Flagg, many fans are still grappling with the loss of Doncic, who was an insane talent. He was a first-team All-NBA performer five times in his first seven seasons in the NBA, but more than that, he was the heart and soul of a franchise that had struggled for relevancy since the retirement of Dirk Nowitzki.

The trade turned many fans away, making them feel as if the Mavericks brass had no interest in winning. The rash of "Fire Nico" signs at games, on t-shirts, and in public made it obvious that much of the fanbase had turned on the once-beloved organization.

Despite this, the franchise has to move forward, and will do so with the moniker "defense wins championships" as the operative phrase in their schematics. The season starts for Dallas on October 22 against the San Antonio Spurs.

Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the offseason

Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey on Twitter

More Dallas Mavericks News

Mavericks sign key piece to $54 million extension amid trade rumors

Kyrie Irving makes massive decision on his future with Mavericks

BREAKING: Mavericks officially select Cooper Flagg first overall in 2025 NBA Draft

Sequence between Cooper Flagg, Bronny James goes viral during Mavericks-Lakers