Doncic-Backed Group To Buy Italian Team With Eye On NBA Europe
An investor group that features Lakers star Luka Doncic and is headed by former Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson has a preliminary agreement in place to buy the Italian basketball team Vanoli Basket Cremona, Joe Vardon, Sam Amick, and Mike Vorkunov confirm in a report for The Athletic.
While the club currently plays in Cremona, which is in northern Italy, the long-term plan is to move it to Rome and to have it become one of the license holders in the NBA’s new European league, according to The Athletic.
As Vardon, Amick, and Vorkunov explain, any team that joins NBA Europe must also play in a domestic league, and Vanoli Basket is a license holder in Italy’s top league, Liga Basket Seria A. There’s currently no top-division team based in Rome, but the NBA has its eye on the city as one of the permanent homes for NBA Europe.
Besides Rome, commissioner Adam Silver also views Milan (Italy), London and Manchester (UK), Paris and Lyon (France), Madrid and Barcelona (Spain), Berlin and Munich (Germany), Athens (Greece), and Istanbul (Turkey) as potential homes for the 12 licensed teams in NBA Europe. The goal is to launch the league in the fall of 2027.
It’s unclear what percentage of Vanoli Basket Doncic would hold once the sale is finalized. While the NBA’s most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement set limits for the stake that an NBA player can hold in a WNBA franchise, no such limits are currently in place for teams in NBA Europe, which remains a work in progress.
According to The Athletic, Doncic won’t be the only current NBA player who is an investor in a team likely to join the European league. Rockets star Kevin Durant holds a minority stake in the soccer club Paris Saint-German, which is expected to create a basketball team for NBA Europe. Former NBA guard Tony Parker, meanwhile, owns ASVEL Basket, which is based near Lyon and will likely become part of the NBA’s European venture.
While investing guidelines for NBA players may still need to be established, NBA Europe team owners won’t be permitted to hold a share of an NBA franchise greater than 5%, per Vardon, Amick, and Vorkunov. The reasoning is that NBA team owners will already be stakeholders in the European league, so if they were to control NBA Europe teams as well, there would be potential conflicts of interest and concerns related to “double-dipping.”
La Gazzetta Dello Sport, an Italian news outlet, reported that former Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki was also part of Nelson’s group alongside Doncic, but a spokesperson for Nowitzki told NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link) that’s inaccurate.
Mavs Rumors: AD, Russell, Marshall, Christie, Dirk, GM
Within a story about the one-year anniversary of the shocking Luka Doncic trade, Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) shares several rumors related to the Mavericks.
According to Stein’s sources, the Mavs “continue to welcome” trade inquiries on Anthony Davis in advance of the February 5 deadline. That said, Stein hears Dallas doesn’t feel pressure to deal Davis and is ready to keep him on the roster into the offseason, and Davis seems to prefer that outcome as well.
The 32-year-old big man is currently recovering from ligament damage in his left hand. He has been limited to just 29 games with Dallas since the team acquired him last February, Stein notes.
Here’s more from Stein on the Mavs:
- While the team remains open to trading Davis, Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson and D’Angelo Russell, Dallas’ front office “does not want” to move Naji Marshall or Max Christie, Stein reports.
- Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Saturday that the Bucks showed some interest in Russell. Stein has heard that as well, but the details are a little different. Scotto wrote that the Bucks were likely seeking second-round draft compensation to take on Russell’s contract — he makes $5.7MM this season, with a $6MM player option for 2026/27. Stein clarifies that the Bucks initiated those talks, which occurred before they began listening to offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Citing league sources, Stein writes that Milwaukee’s interest in Russell was contingent on the veteran guard declining that player option for next season in favor of re-signing with the Bucks on a minimum-salary deal in the summer. Russell wasn’t interested in that scenario, per Stein.
- Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki has had an “open dialogue” with governor Patrick Dumont since the spring and the team “badly wants” its all-time leading scorer to return to the franchise in “any role he chooses,” according to Stein. However, Nowitzki’s current focus is on his work as a studio analyst for Prime Video and his job as a FIBA board member and global ambassador, Stein writes.
- While Dumont wants to find someone with experience to become the Mavs’ new head of basketball operations, not much else is known about the types of candidates he’s looking for. Echoing previous reporting from The Athletic, Stein hears the search process likely won’t pick up steam until the spring, but the team intends to fill the position prior to June’s draft. Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi are currently operating as the team’s co-interim general managers.
Southwest Notes: Adams, Durant, Dirk, Mavs, Morant
Rockets center Steven Adams suffered a left ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win over New Orleans and had to be helped off the court with assistance, notes Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
Head coach Ime Udoka told sideline reporter Vanessa Richardson after the game that Adams’ ankle already had a significant amount of swelling but X-rays were negative.
Adams looked to be in a great deal of pain when the injury occurred (YouTube link). He rolled his left ankle contesting a layup from Zion Williamson.
The 32-year-old big man has made 32 appearances this season, averaging 5.8 points and 8.6 rebounds — including a league-high 4.5 offensive rebounds — in 22.8 minutes per game.
We have more from around the Southwest:
- Rockets star Kevin Durant became the sixth-leading scorer in NBA history during Sunday’s game, passing Dirk Nowitzki (31,560), tweets Iko. It was an uncharacteristically off shooting night for the 37-year-old forward, who scored 18 points but was just 5-of-18 from the field, though he also contributed eight assists and six rebounds.
- Mavericks legend Nowitzki said in an interview with Sports Illustrated Germany that he’s not interested in becoming the team’s general manager, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays. The Mavericks currently have Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi operating as co-interim GMs after firing Nico Harrison. They’re expected to hire a permanent replacement for Harrison as head of basketball operations, though that’s reportedly “several months” away from happening.
- New Orleans Times-Picayune columnist Rod Walker weighs the pros and cons of the Pelicans pursuing a Ja Morant trade. While he admits he’s “not completely sold on the idea,” Walker says the Pelicans should consider a deal with division rival Memphis if they can acquire the two-time All-Star point guard at a heavy discount. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype recently reported that the Pels have a level of interest in Morant, Walker notes.
And-Ones: European League, Morant, FIBA Hall Of Fame, Lewis
The NBA and FIBA will begin talking to prospective teams and ownership groups in January in their next move toward forming a new European basketball league, according to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. The organizations issued a press release Monday morning announcing their intentions.
Along with permanent spots in the league, teams are being promised “a merit-based pathway” to qualify on an annual basis either through FIBA’s Basketball Champions League or an end-of-season qualifying tournament. The league plans to align its schedule with domestic league and national team schedules, allowing players to appear in international tournaments without conflict.
The release also promises that the NBA and FIBA will devote financial support to the development of “Europe’s basketball ecosystem.” That includes domestic leagues, club team academies and the existing programs operated by the NBA and FIBA to develop players, coaches and game officials.
“Our conversations with various stakeholders in Europe have reinforced our belief that an enormous opportunity exists around the creation of a new league on the continent,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “Together with FIBA, we look forward to engaging prospective clubs and ownership groups that share our vision for the game’s potential in Europe.”
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is investing in European basketball through his Catch 12 company, according to Michele Nespoli of Sportando. Morant has purchased a stake in EuroStep Ventures, a holding company that controls the Levallois Metropolitans. The French team received tremendous international exposure due to Victor Wembanyama before he entered the NBA draft.
- Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is part of FIBA’s 2026 Hall of Fame class, which includes seven players and one coach, Eurohoops relays. Hedo Turkoglu and Wang Zhizhi are other members of the class with NBA ties, while Sue Bird was a star in the WNBA. The induction ceremony will take place April 21 in Berlin, Germany.
- Referee Eric Lewis was reinstated this week as a G League official, possibly giving him a path back to the NBA, per Marc J. Spears of ESPN. Lewis retired suddenly in 2023 after violating the NBA’s social media policy by having a Twitter burner account. The account, which was deleted, frequently responded to negative posts about Lewis and other officials. “I got chill bumps right now thinking about it,” Lewis said. “I’m excited about earning people’s trust back, getting back to the work and getting back to the game. What was always the plan when this came about was trying to get back to the NBA.”
Mavs Notes: Dirk, Harrison, Luka, AD, Turnovers, Flagg
Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, now an analyst for Amazon Prime, recently weighed in on the team’s dismissal of head of basketball operations Nico Harrison (Twitter video link).
“Well, I think there’s just too many distractions, too much going on to keep going this way. This move should have probably happened this summer honestly,” Nowitzki said (hat tip to NBA insider Marc Stein). “I didn’t want this negative energy and this black cloud over the Cooper Flagg era, but here we are now.
“I just knew … I figured this fan base is a passionate and loyal fan base. I was lucky enough to experience it for 21 years. And I knew they weren’t (going to) just get over it, as people say, or forget about it. They’re extremely passionate.
“And this (Luka Doncic) trade just made no sense. It made no sense to (the fans). And, really, there was no explanation for it, either. You go to the (NBA) Finals the year before. You gave up all these assets to build, really, the team around Luka with some 6-9 wings that all can switch and guard. You had two lob threats with (Daniel) Gafford and (Dereck) Lively II and the team was built around him.
“You added Klay (Thompson) (when) the shooting was a little bit of an issue in the Finals against Boston. So you did all this. … Going into (the) Christmas Day game, they were 14-3 out of the last 17 games, so they’re just starting to hit their stride and then Luka gets hurt. And unfortunately that’s the last game he’s ever played in a Mavs uniform.
“It was very sad. It was very sad how that ended and it felt like … the fans feel like they got robbed of actually seeing the end, seeing this through, seeing Luka develop into hopefully a champion one day and it feels like they never got to see the end to this. So this was very heartbreaking.
“But now it’s time to move on. … Focus on this team, on this franchise. (The trade) definitely set the franchise back. But now it’s about building it back up. Obviously this team is struggling a bit, it needs the support all they can get. Hopefully we can have a good year here from now on and cheer the team up.”
Here’s more from Dallas:
- After the Lakers lost to the Thunder on Wednesday, Doncic was asked for his reaction to the firing of Harrison, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays. “The city of Dallas, the fans, the players, they’ll always have a special place in my heart,” Doncic said. “I thought I was going to stay there forever, but I didn’t. So that will always be a special place for me. I will always call it home. But right now, I’m focused on the Lakers and trying to move on. But obviously, always there will be a part of me there. But just trying to move on and focus on what I’m doing here.”
- Star big man Anthony Davis has been listed as questionable for each of the past four games, but he has yet to make his return from a left calf strain. League sources confirm to Stein that Davis won’t suit up again until the team’s medical staff informs governor Patrick Dumont that the 10-time All-Star has been fully cleared (Twitter link). Davis’ health status was reportedly a point of contention in the days leading up to Harrison’s dismissal.
- Although the Mavs were able to claw their way back into Friday’s double-overtime loss to the Clippers, excessive turnovers — they committed 25 in the game — proved too difficult to overcome, particularly in crunch time, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “It’s something we’ve talked about,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “We have to address it. We have to do better if we want to win — being able to get a shot, and then you want to get a quality shot. The turnovers hurt us. In overtime we had turnovers where we didn’t get a shot.”
- After Friday’s game, Flagg admitted he feels more comfortable at his natural position of forward rather than running the point, which the No. 1 overall pick was asked to do to open the season. “Being a point guard comes with a lot of responsibility,” Flagg said, per Afseth. “I don’t know if I was ready for that right away. It doesn’t mean I can’t go back to it or improve… but lately it’s been better having someone else help with pressure.”
Mavs Rumors: Davis, Cuban, Kidd, Front Office, Harrison, Dirk
Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont has asked for medical data indicating that Anthony Davis isn’t at risk of aggravating his left calf strain before he signs off on the big man returning to action, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who reports that Davis will miss a seventh straight game on Wednesday vs. Phoenix.
Davis’ status was a subject of disagreement during the final days of Nico Harrison‘s tenure as the Mavericks’ head of basketball operations.
According to MacMahon, Mavericks director of health and performance Johann Bilsborough and Davis’ personal medical team weren’t aligned on whether Davis was ready to suit up this past weekend. Dumont sided with Bilsborough, who wanted to take a cautious approach and hold Davis out a little longer, while Harrison was in favor of the star forward/center returning, sources tell ESPN.
Within a deep dive into the Mavericks’ front office change, Joe Vardon, Christian Clark, and Sam Amick of The Athletic cover similar ground, writing that Davis has pushed the team to let him play and that Harrison supported that push. However, per both The Athletic and ESPN, there’s concern among the medical staff about the risk of a torn Achilles if Davis returns too soon from his calf issue.
We have much more on the Mavs:
- Minority shareholder Mark Cuban made a case to Dumont over the past several months that Harrison was leading the Mavs in the wrong direction, according to Vardon, Clark, and Amick, who report that head coach Jason Kidd and team officials loyal to Kidd were making a similar case.
- While it’s unclear whether Kidd ever explicitly suggested parting ways with Harrison, he hasn’t seen eye to eye with the former GM over the roster, having opened the season by starting Cooper Flagg at point guard over free agent addition D’Angelo Russell, write Vardon, Clark, and Amick. After receiving contract extensions in each of the past two offseasons, Kidd had more leverage than the front office in any disagreement between the two parties, The Athletic’s report notes.
- The Mavericks’ pick for Harrison’s permanent replacement could provide a hint at whose voice Dumont is weighing most heavily. League sources confirm to The Athletic that Cuban has advocated for bringing back former Mavs advisor and current Pistons executive Dennis Lindsey, while Vardon, Clark, and Amick say a Matt Riccardi promotion would represent a “clear sign of Kidd’s sway” within the organization. Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) believes Kidd will have a significant voice in the process, but hears from one source close to the situation that Dumont intends to conduct a “prudent and thorough” search.
- According to The Athletic, Michael Finley was originally reluctant to accept his promotion to co-interim GM alongside Riccardi. Stein adds that league sources describe Finley as the Mavericks executive who was most strongly opposed to last season’s Luka Doncic trade before it was completed.
- Citing turbulence and upheaval in the team’s health and performance department over the past year, Vardon, Clark, and Amick suggest that Harrison exhibited poor hiring practices and a lack of accountability during his time as the Mavs’ GM. The Athletic’s trio also points to the case of Victoria Martinez, who was hired as the team’s head of public relations in 2024 despite not having previous experience in the field and was subsequently fired this September after having spent the last few months doing “clean-up duty” following the Doncic trade.
- In addition to making questionable hires for key roles, Harrison also didn’t respond well to anyone who disagreed with his way of doing things, multiple team employees told The Athletic. “If you offend Nico’s sensibilities any stretch of the way, that’s it,” a former employee said. “He’s a sensitive guy.”
- Another factor that contributed to the decision to move on from Harrison was ownership’s desire to have a lead executive who is comfortable speaking to reporters – and fans – about the team’s plans, Stein writes. Even prior to the Doncic trade, Harrison wasn’t a natural in that role. After the deal, he was less inclined to hold media sessions and had a habit of putting his foot in his mouth when he did.
- According to Stein, there’s optimism within the organization that Harrison’s exit could pave the way for former Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki to become more involved with the team again, either formally or informally. The Doncic trade and Harrison’s decision to fire longtime director of health and performance Casey Smith in 2023 were among the factors that chilled the relationship between Nowitzki and the organization.
Mavs Notes: Harrison, AD, Gafford, Dirk, Cuban, Cisse, More
At 2-7, the Mavericks are in last place in the Western Conference, having lost at home to the 1-8 Wizards and the 2-6 Pelicans, who were on the second end of a back-to-back (and without Zion Williamson). They nearly suffered another home defeat to the 1-7 Pacers.
Dallas currently has the worst offensive rating in the NBA by a significant margin.
The disastrous start has people around the league questioning whether head of basketball operations Nico Harrison could be fired sooner rather than later, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the Howdy Partners podcast with Michael C. Wright (YouTube link).
“A legitimate question right now is: Is Nico Harrison’s job in serious jeopardy? That is an absolutely legitimate question,” MacMahon said (hat tip to RealGM). “It’s the question obviously Mavericks fans have been hoping would be answered with an affirmative since early February.
“I don’t have a firm answer for you right now — that’s as much as I can tell you. But it is absolutely a legitimate question. When you talk to people about the Mavericks around the league, it is the first question that people are asking.
“(Harrison) stuck his neck out by making the most unpopular trade in NBA history.”
As MacMahon pointed out, Harrison has come under heavy scrutiny since he shockingly decided to trade franchise player Luka Doncic to the Lakers for a package headlined by Anthony Davis.
With an ill-fitting, injury-plagued roster and Doncic thriving in Los Angeles, Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News argues it’s time for governor Patrick Dumont to listen to the fans who have been chanting for Harrison’s dismissal ever since the deal was completed.
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Star big man Davis has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s matchup against Washington after missing the past four contests with a left calf strain, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays. “He seems in good spirits, and I think he’s doing fine health-wise,” head coach Jason Kidd said Friday. “So we’ll see. But I don’t know about (Saturday).” MacMahon hears Davis has been targeting tonight’s contest for his return to action (Twitter link). Center Daniel Gafford is also questionable after aggravating his right ankle sprain in Friday’s loss in Memphis.
- Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, now an analyst for Amazon Prime, didn’t mince words about the team’s poor start on Friday, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “I feel bad for my Mavs fans,” Nowitzki said. “This has been a disastrous start. Obviously, there’s a hole at the point guard and play-making position…at shot creating, at shot making. They can’t shoot, they can’t make plays…nobody can make shots. It’s been tough to watch.”
- Longtime majority stakeholder and current minority owner Mark Cuban also weighed in on the team’s struggles during a radio appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, according to Townsend. “You know, I’m not thrilled with the composition of the team,” Cuban said. “I think we’re imbalanced. We don’t have enough depth at point guard. We don’t have somebody who’s a creator that gets other people shots or enough of that. And so I didn’t think we were going to crush it and start off 8-0, but I didn’t expect 2-6 (as of Friday).”
- Rookie center Moussa Cisse, who is on a two-way contract, provided a spark off the bench on Friday amid what was an otherwise dispiriting loss at Memphis, Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. The 23-year-old big man finished with career highs of 10 points (on 4-of-5 shooting) and eight rebounds in 14 minutes — the team was plus-18 during his time on the court in the 14-point loss. “He plays hard — that’s how he plays,” Kidd said. “He’s out there to prove that he belongs. He’s hungry, and that’s what stands out when you watch him play. He plays one way — he plays hard and he plays fast.”
- Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal and Townsend of The Dallas Morning News pass along several more quotes from Friday’s loss to the Grizzlies, who entered the night on a four-game losing streak (Memphis is now 4-6).
Southwest Notes: D. Smith, J. Jackson, Spurs, Nowitzki, Flagg
While Dennis Smith Jr. rejoining the Mavericks makes for a nice storyline, it’s unlikely the veteran guard will make the 15-man roster out of training camp, Marc Stein of The Stein Line tweets. Smith is signing a one-year deal with Dallas, the team that made him the No. 9 pick of the 2017 draft. However, it’s likely to be only a training camp contract and the Mavericks already have 14 players on fully guaranteed deals, with Brandon Williams on a partial guarantee.
Among Dallas’ motivations for signing Smith, according to Stein, was ensuring he receives an Exhibit 10 bonus if he reports to the G League. That means Smith, who didn’t play in the league last season, will likely wind up with the Texas Legends.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. says he’s progressing well from turf toe surgery, though it’s uncertain whether he’ll be ready to play by the season opener. “I’m aiming for whatever my body is telling me, but I’m progressing the right way,” Jackson told Michael Wallace of GrindCityMedia.com. “I’m feeling good. I’m doing what I need to do. Every day has been a building block, so I’m just trying to make it to whatever (timeframe). I think everybody is going to be happy.”
- San Antonio’s City Council will hold a key vote next week on a proposed new arena for the Spurs, according to Paul Fogerty of Spurs Talk. The cost of the arena is projected to be $1.3-$1.5 billion with the city contributing up to $489MM.
- Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki believes Cooper Flagg will live up to his billing as a franchise-altering talent, he told Christian Clark of The Athletic. “The hype is real, for sure,” Nowitzki said. “I’m not the biggest college sports watcher in general, whether that’s basketball or any sport, but of course I checked out Cooper. Sky is the limit, honestly. What I saw, just the way he reads the game already at that age. (He’s) barely 18, athletic, (has) skills. I heard his work ethic is through the roof. Everything I saw and heard is he’s the real deal.”
EuroBasket Notes: Schröder, Nowitzki, Wagner, Spanoulis, Awards
Dennis Schröder credited Dirk Nowitzki with inspiring the current crop of players who have turned Germany into an international basketball power, writes Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews. After capturing MVP honors while leading his team to the gold medal at EuroBasket, Schröder paid tribute to the Mavericks legend, who was a German basketball icon in addition to his 21-year NBA career.
“Dirk, what he’s been doing for the German national team and what he’s done in the NBA and in the national team made us come to the national team and represent our country,” Schröder said.
Nowitzki is one of the greatest players in European history and earned a long list of honors in international competitions. Schröder is also building an impressive resume, adding the EuroBasket gold to the championship he won at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and a bronze medal in the 2022 EuroBasket, but he doesn’t want to be compared to Nowitzki.
“At the end of the day, my name is Dennis Schröder, and I’m just Dennis Schröder, and that’s my legacy,” he said. “Whatever I can bring to the table to make sure my teammates are good and we compete at the highest level and win gold medals. That’s what I’m going to do. Everything else doesn’t matter.”
There’s more from EuroBasket:
- German teammate Franz Wagner dedicated the championship to his brother, Moritz Wagner, who was unable to play due to an ACL tear in his left knee that he suffered with Orlando last season, per Pijus Sapetka of BasketNews. Franz said his brother is “super happy” about the gold medal, and he wore Moritz’s jersey during the victory celebration as a way to include him. “Obviously, he had a tough injury, and he’s trying to get back as fast as possible,” Franz said. “Couldn’t be here, but I think everybody on the team knows that he’s part of the group. It’s part of what we’re building.”
- Greek coach Vassilis Spanoulis was happy to leave with the bronze, which represents the nation’s first international medal in 16 years, according to Michalis Gioulenoglou of Eurohoops. “This medal belongs to all Greeks,” Spanoulis said. “We wanted to bring basketball to the top again. This generation deserved it. Thank you very much, and I hope this medal returns basketball to the golden era.”
- We covered Schröder’s MVP and the naming of the First Five on Sunday, but several other awards were also handed out. FIBA’s EuroBasket website lists Poland’s Jordan Loyd, Turkey’s Cedi Osman, Israel’s Deni Avdija, Finland’s Lauri Markkanen and Serbia’s Nikola Jokic as second-team honorees. In addition, Germany’s Isaac Bonga was named Best Defensive Player, Finland’s Miikka Muurinen received the Rising Star award and Turkey’s Ergin Ataman was recognized as Best Coach. Full standings for all 24 tournament teams have also been released.
Mavericks Notes: Nowitzki, Cuban, Depth, Outlook
Franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki has been serving as a special advisor to the Mavericks since 2021, when then-owner Mark Cuban brought him back to the only NBA team he had ever played for. Since the Mavs’ sale in 2023, though, Nowitzki has seen his influence diminish as new powers rose in the organization.
Recently, he said that the lack of clarity on his role has caused him to take stock of his place with the team and the league as a whole, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.
“It felt a little weird… not knowing my role,” Nowitzki said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. “So since then, I’ve kind of pulled back again.”
Nowitzki did have a word of advice for the Mavs’ leadership as they look to repair fan trust following the Luka Doncic trade and subsequent drafting of Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick.
“The owner has to show that he’s willing to spend and then make this a great team for the next decade to come,” Nowitzki said. “That’s all there really is to it.”
We have more from the Mavs:
- Nowitzki isn’t the only person who feels his influence slipping with the Mavericks. Cuban recently suggested that his voice no longer felt particularly welcome, as Christian Clark of The Athletic relays. “There were some things that happened internally where the person who traded Luka didn’t want me there,” Cuban said during a panel last weekend, presumably referring to president of basketball operations Nico Harrison. “So, they won. I lost.” Cuban has been on record saying that he believed he would still have some level of decision-making on the basketball side of things even following the team’s sale, but that as the team ascended, he didn’t want to overstep. He now believes that stepping back was a mistake.
- Nowitzki, despite the confusion about his own role, is optimistic about the team moving forward, Afseth writes in a separate article. “I think they did some smart re-signings this summer with [Daniel] Gafford and P.J. [Washington],” he said. “I think they’re deep, they’re doubled on every position… If they’re fully healthy, hopefully by the new year, somewhere in January… they’re a super deep team that can definitely be in the top four in the West.”
- Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News agrees with Nowitzki’s assessment, calling the Southwest “as competitive as any other division in the NBA” while predicting the Mavericks will end up second in the division behind the Rockets, thanks in part to Houston’s acquisition of Kevin Durant.