Mark Cuban Drops Eye-Opening Take on How NBA Ownership Has Changed Over The Years

Mark Cuban (Image Credits: Imagn)

Mark Cuban Drops Eye-Opening Take on How NBA Ownership Has Changed Over The Years

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports
By Debmallya Chakraborty | Last updated May 30, 2026 10:39 AM ET

Mark Cuban sold the Dallas Mavericks ownership. Back in 2023, Cuban sold his majority shares to the Adelson and Dumont families. However, following the sale, the franchise has gone through some significant lows. One of the biggest shockers came when the Mavericks decided to trade off Luka Doncic. Now, reflecting on the NBA ownership at present, the 67-year-old star dropped some concerning insights.

In a recent interaction, Cuban noted that the league used to have owners who were passionate about the game. They had a lot of emotion and connected with the players to understand the game’s pulse. But now, things have changed completely. According to Cuban, owners are very much business-oriented and run the franchises no less than corporate projects.

“It was just a different vibe. And then as those got out, then people came in, they were more like me. They loved the game. They played some, they were more vocal, more connected to the players. Now it’s PE guys and it’s run much more like a business than as a passion,” said Cuban.

Mark Cuban says the NBA has shifted from passionate owners who loved the game and connected with players to business-minded investors who run teams more like corporations than passion projects

(Via @FOS ) pic.twitter.com/ppj4B1rzGC
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 29, 2026

The former Mavericks’ owner also acknowledged that surely there were exceptions. But the ownership mindset has changed drastically. Cuban further pointed out that he had emailed the league commissioner, Adam Silver, detailing the reasons for the sale back in 2023.

Meanwhile, following the sale, the 67-year-old is reportedly looking to buy back the franchise.

Will Mark Cuban Buy Back The Dallas Mavericks?

Recently, the former owner of the Dallas team expressed regret over his decision to sell the franchise. During the Doncic trade, it was the 67-year-old who constantly criticized the decision. He even tried to intervene in the blockbuster deal. Now, in a recent interaction with the ‘Front Office Sports,’ Cuban stated how he wants to buy back the Mavericks. Unfortunately, the current owners aren’t interested in selling.

“If there was any chance of being able to do that anymore, I would, but that’s just not the game anymore. I told [the investors] I didn’t think the Adelsons had any interest in selling. And they don’t,” Cuban said.

Mark Cuban admits he wants to buy the Dallas Mavericks back from the Adelson family but says they have "no interest" in selling, per @FOS

"If there was any chance of being able to do that anymore I would, but that’s just not the game anymore… I told [the investors] I didn’t… pic.twitter.com/TKWLboUT3E
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) May 1, 2026

Now, these were some serious insights from the former Dallas owner. With the NBA evolving, fans will be eager to see if all of Cuban’s claims turn out to be true.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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