Cuban Reveals Mavs Thoughts On 'Game-Changer Star' Trade

Despite an up-and-down season, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban doesn't anticipate his franchise will make a trade at the deadline unless it 'moves the needle'.

Matt Galatzan | Mar 10, 2021

Cuban Reveals Mavs Thoughts On 'Game-Changer Star' Trade /

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban joined the Mavs Step Back Podcast on Tuesday to discuss, among other things, what the Mavs have planned for the impending trade deadline on March 25th -- although it might not be what most Mavs fans want to hear.

The Mavs, of course, have been connected to a number of names over the last few weeks, including Larry Nance Jr., Kevin Love, and J.J. Redick, among others.

Rumors even circulated that Dallas had been in gauging interest on a potential move involving star big man Kristaps Porzingis, who has had an inconsistent 2021 season, to say the least.

Now it appears that those ships have all but sailed, barring an opportunity to acquire what he termed "a game-changer star,'' as Cuban insists that Dallas does not currently have plans to attempt a deal at the deadline.

“Unless it’s a game-changer star, I don’t see us doing anything at all," Cuban told the Mavs Step Back Podcast on Tuesday morning. "So, if somebody decides they're blowing it up, then okay, we'll talk to anybody about any great player. If it's just, 'OK, we'll trade you this guy for that guy,' and it's really not going to move the needle, then I'd rather go with continuity.

This comes as a surprise to some, as we can argue that Dallas is riddled with multiple areas of major weakness with the Luka Doncic-led roster as it is currently constructed.

For example, Dallas ranks 25th in the NBA in three-point percentage despite shooting the ninth most threes in the league, ranks 24th in rebounds per game, and 21st in rebound differential. Dallas also ranks in the bottom half of the league in opponents' points per game, giving up 112.3 points per game.

But couldn't Cuban be playing things close to the vest?

To put it simply, yes.

However, given the recent history of the team, and their tendency to stay on the conservative side of things, Dallas looks much more likely to follow the will of its owner than give in to the wishes of its fanbase. ... unless the Mavs are a) bluffing, b) change their minds or c) stumble onto that "game-changer star.''

Published Mar 10, 2021

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com, AllAggies.com, and the Managing Editor of BuckeyesNow.com and TheGroveReport.com. He is also the Editor-In-Chief of RamDigest.com and TexansDaily.com. Galatzan graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry under Mike Fisher at DallasBasketball.com in 2014, which at the time was part of the 247Sports network. He also spent two years covering the SMU Mustangs for PonyStampede.com on the 247Sports network. When DallasBasketball.com and CowboysCountry.com moved over to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, Galatzan followed suit, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com and AllAggies.com a year later. Through the years, Galatzan has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, former Longhorns players Dan Neil and Phil Dawson, and many other recruits, and current/former players for each of the teams he has covered. Galatzan is also a full-time employee in the digital media department for Audacy and KRLD FM's 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, which is the official radio home of the Dallas Cowboys. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan. For any inquiries, please email matt.galatzan@gmail.com