Mark Cuban reveals biggest regret as Mavs owner

Dallas Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban is one of the most prominent — and successful — team owners in the league today. Since taking over the Mavs at the turn of the millennium, Cuban has overseen a rapid rise in the success of the franchise, culminating in that memorable 2011 championship. Nevertheless, despite his unprecedented success with the organization, the 61-year-old has admitted that he has some huge regrets since taking over the helm.

According to Cuban himself, the biggest one he rues to this very day is how he allowed Steve Nash to walk away in 2004.

“Yes,” Cuban answered, when asked if he still thinks about how Nash and Dirk Nowitzki would have flourished together if only the Mavs kept the former on board (h/t Brandon ‘Scoop B.' Robinson of heavy.). “Often. It was my biggest mistake.”

Nash entered free agency in the summer of 2004, coming off two All-Star appearances over the past three seasons. Mark Cuban was somewhat unwilling to dig deep in their pockets to pay Nash the money he deserves, which led to the future Hall of Famer heading to the Phoenix Suns. In his first two seasons with the Suns, Nash won back-to-back MVP titles and led the team to two consecutive trips to the Western Conference Finals.

The Mavs did find success with Nowitzki as their cornerstone superstar — albeit nearly a decade later — but it's still hard not to imagine just how good this duo could have been had they just been given the opportunity to play on the same team for a few more years.

In Cuban's mind, he believes this pair could have made history.

“16,” he nonchalantly answered when asked how many titles a Nash-Nowitzki tandem could have won in Dallas.

He's exaggerating, of course, but given how these two found so much success after they had parted ways, it's not impossible to think that they could have won one or two titles together.