Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban denied that late-season losses in the 2022-23 season were to improve lottery odds in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The Dallas Mavericks went from being out of the playoffs a year ago to contending for the Larry O’Brien trophy against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals this season. However, the Mavericks had to contend with allegations of tanking at the tail end of their 2022-23 campaign. Now-minority owner Mark Cuban is clearing the air on the circumstances that surrounded the unpleasant ending to their season that may have cost the New York Knicks a high draft pick.
During the tail end of the 2022-23 season, the Mavericks had an opportunity to get one of the four spots for the Play-In Tournament and possibly earn a ticket into the NBA Playoffs. However, the Mavericks decided to sit out both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, among others, in the last two games.
The move may have cost the Mavericks a cool $750,000 fine from the NBA, but this gave the Mavericks a higher chance of keeping their 2023 pick, which eventually became the No. 10 pick. Had the pick landed outside the top 10, the Knicks would have received the draft pick as part of a 2019 trade that involved Kristaps Porzingis.
As a result, the Knicks will draft 24th overall via a pick from the Mavericks in the upcoming 2024 Draft, while also retaining their own 25th pick.
Another wrinkle in the move was the move by then-Maverick Jalen Brunson to sign a four-year, $104 million deal with the Knicks during the 2022 offseason. The NBA later found that the Knicks and Brunson were tampering due to negotiations taking place prior to the official negotiating period.
The move may have cost the Mavericks a cool $750,000 fine from the NBA, but this gave the Mavericks a higher chance of keeping their 2023 pick, which eventually became the No. 10 pick. Had the pick landed outside the top 10, the Knicks would have received the draft pick as part of a 2019 trade that involved Kristaps Porzingis.
As a result, the Knicks will draft 24th overall via a pick from the Mavericks in the upcoming 2024 Draft, while also retaining their own 25th pick.
Another wrinkle in the move was the move by then-Maverick Jalen Brunson to sign a four-year, $104 million deal with the Knicks during the 2022 offseason. The NBA later found that the Knicks and Brunson were tampering due to negotiations taking place prior to the official negotiating period.
