Mark Cuban is BUTTHURT about the Hornet's trade

[fevertrees]

CUBAN ANGERED BY HORNETS TRADE

DALLAS – Mavericks owner Mark Cuban isn’t too happy with the league-owned and funded New Orleans Hornets taking back salary and sending cash in today’s trade for Sacramento forward Carl Landry. That a franchise previously on such shaky financial ground that it needed an NBA bailout earlier this season actually increased its payroll greatly irritated Cuban.
“That’s just wrong. That’s just wrong. That’s just absolutely, positively wrong,” an incredulous Cuban said before tonight’s Dallas-Utah game. “I’ll probably go against the grain from everybody else, but that is so far wrong that it’s not even close.
“There’s so few teams in the league that can afford to do that and yet we’re allowing a team that’s owned by the league to do that?”
New Orleans sent the Kings second-year guard Marcus Thornton and cash considerations for Landry, who’s in the last year of his contract making $3 million. Thornton, also in the last year, is on the books for $762,195. (New Orleans, which is over the salary cap, was able to fit Landry into a trade exception.)
The Hornets’ payroll went up about $2.24 million, though that difference is prorated for the remainder of the season. That increase plus the cash paid to Sacramento clearly upset Cuban, a consistent luxury tax payer.
New Orleans is also a Southwest Division rival of Dallas and potential first-round playoff opponent.
Asked if there was any recourse with the league, Cuban said: “What am I gonna do? That’s wrong. Beyond wrong.”
The NBA — Cuban and the other 28 owners – purchased the Hornets from troubled former owner George Shinn in December for approximately $300 million. The league set the Hornets’ operating budget and funds the team, which is operated by David Stern-appointed chairman Jac Sperling.
The idea was broached that the Hornets-Kings deal amounts to a form of revenue sharing and the other owners helped subsidize the trade.
“I don’t need to be competing economically with the league and myself,” Cuban said.

[The Reckoning]

he's got a point. the team should be limited in what they do until they can find a suitable owner.

[UnWantedTheory]

He possibly has a point...:lol

[Greg Oden]

cool link

[buttsR4rebounding]

He is actually right on the money (so to speak). If Shinn had kept the team then he would have been dumping salary because he wouldn't want to be paying the luxury tax. If he brought on salary and paid more it would be out of his own pocket. The NBA needs to dump this team ASAP instead of waiting for someone who can keep them in New Orleans. NO just doesn't have the population and corporate base to support the team anymore.

[ChumpDumper]

Eh, if it's within the constraints given to them initially, can't bitch too much. It does seem like they are just doing the Kings a solid, though, and I do agree that NOLA can't support more than the Saints.

[Giuseppe]

Phil preemptively cited this already.

[venitian navigator]

Ther's an obvious "money" conflict of interests (1/28 of Cuban vs 27/28 of Cuban ?)...but, in the end, what happened was the logical, and probably right and necessary, consequence of the situation.
One time you're rightfully involved in the management of a nba club you can not avoid to be in the market if you think that your movements will make the better of the team.
N.O. is a play off contender...ergo their management have to do all they can to improve the team for the play off run. If they see a trade like beneficial for the team they have to go for it (then we can discuss if the trade was good or bad, but that's another point).
Frankly, it would have been a lot worst for the entire system if the temporary management of the team directed by the league would have been bounded to make any market operation...that would have really meant a substantial conflict of interest (alias the league can manage a team but with the clause that the team can not be improved....).

[buttsR4rebounding]

Ther's an obvious "money" conflict of interests (1/28 of Cuban vs 27/28 of Cuban ?)...but, in the end, what happened was the logical, and probably right and necessary, consequence of the situation.
One time you're rightfully involved in the management of a nba club you can not avoid to be in the market if you think that your movements will make the better of the team.
N.O. is a play off contender...ergo their management have to do all they can to improve the team for the play off run. If they see a trade like beneficial for the team they have to go for it (then we can discuss if the trade was good or bad, but that's another point).
Frankly, it would have been a lot worst for the entire system if the temporary management of the team directed by the league would have been bounded to make any market operation...that would have really meant a substantial conflict of interest (alias the league can manage a team but with the clause that the team can not be improved....).

While the Hornets are definitely playoff contenders they are not championship contenders. Many times teams make decisions based on whether they can win a championship vs. just making the playoffs. Do you think this move puts them in contention to win a championship? If anything it MAY put them in a position to make the 2nd round where they will be thoroughly thrashed by a superior Spurs team.

[ALVAREZ6]

cuban has the sorest ass in the league

[cheguevara]

too big to Fail

LOL

[DPG21920]

Just heard Mavs pushing hard for JR Smith or Prince

[Giuseppe]

Hi, Deepy! Am I still on your Ignore List, or, have you thawed your tight ass a little bit?

[lefty]

Cuban has a point

[coyotes_geek]

It's a rarity, but I'm with Cuban on this one.

[SenorSpur]

While he may have a point, I would think that Cuban would have bigger fish to fry than to get bent outta shape about what another team is doing - especially one that is in no position to compete with his own.

That Hornets team will be decimated when Chris Paul leaves in the summer of 2012. Cuban will have enough of an opportunity to gloat then.

[kidd_91]

Cubes is right on this one, it's like when the guy in front of you at the store has stacks of T-Bones and ribeyes and then pays with food stamps.

[Cry Havoc]

Why is Cuban worried about New Orleans? Doesn't he have bigger fish to fry right now... like focusing on a championship?

This is exactly the kind of thing the Mavericks don't need. An owner taking the attention away from the team's play as they're in the middle of a potential deep run in the playoffs.

It's unreal how Cuban doesn't seem to understand that his tirades help nothing and only serve to make a bunch of bluster.

[MannyIsGod]

He's not right. You might as well eliminate the team if they're not able to fully compete until the team is sold. Cuban has a huge conflict interest here.

[JamStone]

Cuban is right in theory but I think he's getting a little worked up over this in particular. If the NBA is trying to save a franchise, they should be able to make deals the way other teams do within reason. Taking on some $2 million or so does not seem egregious. Now if New Orleans traded a bunch of expiring and/or short term contracts for Gilbert Arenas' contract, that's one thing. This move doesn't seem egregious at all. And while I understand major moves shouldn't be made, the NBA should make moves they think that can help the Hornets because if the Hornets can make the playoffs, that in itself should make the franchise more appealing to prospective owners plus it will bring in revenue to the team and the city.

I think Cuban should have realized that this is not an example that he should jump on to make what is actually a decent point. I think he's overreacting.

[Cry Havoc]

Cuban is right in theory but I think he's getting a little worked up over this in particular. If the NBA is trying to save a franchise, they should be able to make deals the way other teams do within reason. Taking on some $2 million or so does not seem egregious. Now if New Orleans traded a bunch of expiring and/or short term contracts for Gilbert Arenas' contract, that's one thing. This move doesn't seem egregious at all. And while I understand major moves shouldn't be made, the NBA should make moves they think that can help the Hornets because if the Hornets can make the playoffs, that in itself should make the franchise more appealing to prospective owners plus it will bring in revenue to the team and the city.

I think Cuban should have realized that this is not an example that he should jump on to make what is actually a decent point. I think he's overreacting.

Not to mention the fact that if it makes the Hornets more competitive, it could lead to longer playoff games, more attendance, and an extra round for the Hornets, which would bring more money to the city.

[Obstructed_View]

Cuban's right. A team in that kind of financial trouble shouldn't be taking on salary when they're over the cap, especially when the other owners are footing the bill for it. That said, people who say he's butthurt are correct as well. The league already put their eggs in that basket when they took over the team, and whining doesn't change what the league is trying to do by keeping the team in New Orleans.

I wonder how long the NBA thinks they can prop up the franchise? New Orleans probably wasn't capable of supporting the Hornets before Katrina.

[rjv]

this may be the last time i ever say this but i think cuban is right on this one.

[Axe Murderer]

Cuban has a point but i dont really care too much because I'm a Ranger fan and I made fun of the Yankees for bitching about essentially the same thing :lol

[ElNono]

It's going to get real ugly with Cubes if the Hornets eliminate the Mavs in the playoffs...

[Axe Murderer]

It's going to get real ugly with Cubes if the Hornets eliminate the Mavs in the playoffs...

This.

Outside any of the teams with the top 4 seeds (OKC, SA, LA) I think New Orleans is the one team that has a shot to beat the Mavs in the 1st round

[ohmwrecker]

I think it was a pretty fair trade all things considered. Certainly not a blockbuster by any stretch of the imagination. Both teams filled a need and there is some equality there.
You have to question Cuban's motivation. The childish nature of his comments makes me think that he is really just frustrated that the deadline is passing without the Mavs being able to deal Butler's contract. He's not doing himself any favors here.

[Jt.ONE]

It's going to get real ugly with Cubes if the Hornets eliminate the Mavs in the playoffs...

this.

we might see a cuban revolution bitching throughout the playoffs

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I think he's got a point. It's one that a lot of critics made when the NBA took over the Hornets to keep them in New Orleans and it's only going to get worse with Paul's situation looming. You can't serve two masters. No move they make, no matter how honestly it might be in the interest of the Hornets, will be seen as legit in the eyes of fans as long as the league's got the reins there.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Effin' double post.

[SenorSpur]

Why is Cuban worried about New Orleans? Doesn't he have bigger fish to fry right now... like focusing on a championship?

This is exactly the kind of thing the Mavericks don't need. An owner taking the attention away from the team's play as they're in the middle of a potential deep run in the playoffs.

It's unreal how Cuban doesn't seem to understand that his tirades help nothing and only serve to make a bunch of bluster.

Don't forget Cuban is also actively looking for a solution alternative to the BCS championship situation.

[Cry Havoc]

I think he's got a point. It's one that a lot of critics made when the NBA took over the Hornets to keep them in New Orleans and it's only going to get worse with Paul's situation looming. You can't serve two masters. No move they make, no matter how honestly it might be in the interest of the Hornets, will be seen as legit in the eyes of fans as long as the league's got the reins there.

That's all well and good. Cuban has a point. Why does he have to make it so public? What the hell does it matter if 5,000,000 random NBA fans hear about this?

[TimmehC]

As much as I dislike Cubes, he's right on the mark with those comments.