ESPN's Stephen A. Smith was not pleased with the NBA's decision to let Dallas Mavs owner Mark Cuban skate with a $10 million donation and stricter checks to ensure the organization was conforming to league standards after an investigation unearthed a plethora of sexual assault violations that have happened during his ownership of the team.
Smith was irate for the way in which Cuban was punished, pushing a six-month suspension along with the loss of a first-round pick.
Via Nick Schwartz of USA TODAY Sports:
“Mark Cuban should have been suspended for half the season. He should have been banned from NBA games. He should have been banned from the business of basketball. Banned from an association with the game of basketball for six months. And the Dallas Mavericks should have [lost] a first-round draft pick.
“Now that's suffering the basketball team, and we understand that because the basketball side didn't have anything to do with the business side, and obviously there's collateral damage that comes along with that. But when you are the owner, you're not just the owner of the basketball side. You're the owner of the business side as well. And I take no pleasure in saying that, because again, I got a lot of love for Mark Cuban. But we have to pay attention to what's going on here.
“In fairness and in full disclosure, I've spoken to the NBA office. Their mentality has been ‘Mark Cuban was forthcoming. Mark Cuban didn't make any excuses. Mark Cuban was incredibly cooperative,' and where they distinguish the difference between him and a Donald Sterling, former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, and a Jerry Richardson, former owner of the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League — their direct actions was what was offensive and ultimately something that had to be dealt with. Mark Cuban wasn't the culprit here.”
ESPNW columnist Kate Fagan spoke on the matter during ESPN's “Get Up,” noting that a harsher punishment would have done nothing to change matters.
Cuban was contrite during his recently televised interview with Rachel Nichols, assuming responsibility for all that happened under his nose and maintaining his ignorance of what had taken place.
The NBA reportedly never discussed Cuban being forced to sell his franchise, as the league did with Donald Sterling after his history of racist behavior toward his employees. While the two are certainly different matters, they both evoke a nasty smell, one which the NBA has tried to rid itself of under commissioner Adam Silver.
Follow Us
Subscribe