Mark Cuban rarely minces words, and the Dallas Mavericks owner admitted Wednesday that his team did its best to tank after it was eliminated from postseason contention this year.
"Once we were eliminated from the playoffs we did everything possible to lose games," Cuban told The Dan Patrick Show.
The Mavs were mathematically eliminated on Apr. 1, and went 2-5 in their remaining games. However, Cuban was careful to stress that the younger players who coach Rick Carlisle put on the floor were trying their best.
"Once a guy walks on the court, they're going to play their heart out," Cuban said. "Particularly the young guys because they have something to prove. So, Dorian Finney-Smith, Yogi Ferrell, there's nothing you could do or say to them to say 'Don't play hard' or 'Try to lose this game.'
"That wouldn't be right and I don't think any NBA team would do that. But when you have Salah Mejri shooting threes?" Cuban added, laughing.
To be fair, 7-foot-2 center Mejri only put up one 3-point attempt down the stretch (and made it), in the Mavs' season-ending loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Yet Cuban's conundrum demonstrates the polar opposites that most NBA teams prefer to be at: Either extreme excellence - such as the current-day Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers - or in position to select in the top few spots of the draft. The mushy middle of mediocrity appears to be the enemy of progress in the NBA, and only time will tell if the Mavericks - who will select No. 9 on June 22 - can net a future star.
This season was only the second time since 2000 that the Mavs failed to make the playoffs.
