“I might have had many rings”: Mark Cuban ponders sticking with Dirk Nowitzki over 2x NBA MVP

In the early 2000s, Mark Cuban was the owner of the Dallas Mavericks who had two potential Hall of Famers on their team. However, in 2004, a decision had to be made between keeping Dirk Nowitzki or Steve Nash. Looking back, Cuban reflects on his choice to stick with the iconic forward.

During his appearance on “The Draymond Green Show,”Cuban discussed various topics. One of the topics that was brought up was the departure of Nash. Cuban believes that if the Mavs had kept the dynamic point guard, they may have won more championships. However, he stands by his choice to make Dirk “the guy”in Dallas.

“I let Nash go, I might have had as many rings as you if I make a different decision there. And so, you know, sticking with Dirk wasn’t hard, but trying to figure it all out, it’s always hard,”Cuban said. “But Dirk was just like a cornerstone who made it easy.”

After being traded from the Mavericks, Nash would go on to win back-to-back MVPs with the Phoenix Suns. In the years to come, Dirk would lead the Mavericks to a championship, fulfilling the hopes of owner Mark Cuban.

At 31 years old, Dirk successfully led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2011. Despite facing LeBron James and the Miami Heat, who were in their first year together, the 14-time All-Star shined on the biggest stage and emerged victorious.

Mark Cuban discusses the Mavericks’ newest acquisition

Despite Mark Cuban’s previous belief that the team could only have one star, this is no longer the case. In the previous season, the Dallas Mavericks made a controversial move by acquiring another star player.

Despite a tumultuous departure from the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving was traded to the Mavericks just before last season’s deadline. The team saw him as the perfect complement to Luka Doncic, bringing in the All-Star guard to join forces on the court.

During his conversation with Draymond Green, Mark Cuban discussed the decision to pursue Irving. He expressed that, based on his interactions with individuals within and connected to the NBA, the media’s portrayal of Irving was not an accurate reflection of him.

“When you talk to people around him before we did the deal, nobody disliked him,”Cuban said. “Everybody loved him. When you talk to teammates, current and former, loved him,”Cuban said.

Ever since joining the Mavs, Irving has maintained his All-Star level of play. This season, he has been averaging 25.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. Alongside Doncic, Irving has been instrumental in leading Dallas to a top-five seed in the Western Conference.

Cuban and the Mavericks were impressed with Irving’s performance after just half a season, leading them to offer him a substantial contract during free agency. In the recent offseason, he re-signed with Dallas for a three-year deal worth $120 million.