Honesty is rare commodity in the NBA, which is why Mark Cuban can often be the best.
Sometimes he’s the worst, but that’s neither here nor there. This time, he’s the best. The absolute best.
The Dallas Mavericks owner apparently rooted for the division rival San Antonio Spurs when they faced off against the Miami Heat in last year’s NBA Finals, according to ESPN Dallas’ Tim MacMahon. Not because he hates the Heat that much, though he might. Not because he fears Gregg Popovich’s wrath, though he—along with the rest of us—should. But because he was hoping Tim Duncan would retire after winning his fifth championship:
Mark Cuban rooted for the San Antonio Spurs to win the title after they eliminated his Dallas Mavericks last season, in large part because he hoped one more ring would lead Tim Duncan to ride off into the sunset.
But Duncan didn’t retire, returning to San Antonio for his 18th season. Cuban hopes it will be Duncan’s last and would like to honor the future Hall of Famer on March 24, the Spurs’ last scheduled trip to Dallas of the season.
“If we get word that it’s his last year here, we’ll do something special,” said Cuban, who would similarly honor former Mavs Steve Nash and Jason Terry if they make it clear they plan to retire at the end of the season. “We did the same thing for David Robinson. I’m hoping Tim will bless us with those words. “
What kind of farewell prize might Cuban offer Duncan? The possibilities are practically limitless.
“Probably worth a salary-cap violation,” Cuban joked.
Awesome. No, this is better than awesome. It’s awesome times awesome. It’s awesome squared.
Cuban’s priorities are equal parts maniacal, shameless, reasonable and, well, awesome. The Spurs have won at least 60 percent of their games every year since Duncan entered the league in 1997. Of course Cuban would love to see him bow out. It would signify the beginning of the end for San Antonio’s dynastic core, putting his Mavericks in position to strike even harder.
Don’t mistake his feelings for malice, though. That he would honor Duncan in Dallas is pretty damn fantastic. Such sentiments aren’t likely borne out of excitement for Duncan’s departure. They’re a sign of respect.
And, yeah, excitement over his departure.
The Spurs wouldn’t be the Spurs without Duncan. They wouldn’t necessarily crumble, but they wouldn’t be the same. Even if it’s Duncan alone that leaves, the door opens for other teams, like the Mavericks, to make a play for that Southwest crown. At the very least, the Spurs are a tiny bit less scary without Duncan. That alone is a victory for Cuban’s Mavericks and, let’s face it, the entire league.
For what it’s worth to Cuban, he may indeed get his wish next spring. Duncan’s contract expires after this coming season, and championship or not, you have to believe he’ll walk away for good, making Cuban’s wildest dreams come true.
Well that, or he could decide to play on, surprising everyone, most notably Cuban, whose nightmares would still be haunted by visions of Duncan’s crazy, championship-coralling eyes.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
