Mark Cuban’s Dallas Mavericks failed to make it to the NBA’s play-in tournament this season after reaching the Western Conference finals last season and acquiring Kyrie Irving in February to join forces with Luka Doncic. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has placed most of the blame on the owner for their mistakes during the offseason.
Offseason moves and Jalen Brunson’s departure
During the offseason, the Mavs made significant moves to address their needs. However, they failed to re-sign Jalen Brunson to a contract. The 6-foot-1 guard helped the team in many ways last season, enabling them to reach the Western Conference finals.
Kyrie Irving’s impact on the team
Kyrie Irving’s arrival was expected to thrust the Mavericks into playoff contention, but it did not have the expected outcome, and he’s been blamed for their late-season struggles.
Stephen A. Smith’s criticism of Mark Cuban
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has been critical of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban for the team’s mistakes during the offseason, suggesting that Cuban’s decisions have negatively impacted the team’s performance this season.
