Mark Cuban Regrets Selling Dallas Mavericks to Casino Billionaires
Posted on: March 31, 2026, 08:14h.
Last updated on: March 31, 2026, 08:14h.
- Mark Cuban regrets selling the NBA Dallas Mavericks to the Adelson family
- The Adelsons control the Las Vegas Sands casino company
- The Adelsons are deeply political, with heavy ties to the White House and President Trump
Mark Cuban has seemingly had seller’s remorse since he sold a controlling stake in the NBA Dallas Mavericks in late 2023 to the billionaire family that owns the Las Vegas Sands casino empire. This week, Cuban doubled down on his misgivings.
Cuban purchased the Mavs in 2000 for $285 million. He made a massive return on his investment more than two decades later when he sold a 73% position in the franchise at a $3.5 billion valuation to Miriam Adelson and her daughter, Sivan, and son-in-law, Sands CEO Patrick Dumont.
Cuban has been open about the emotional aspects of selling the team (Cuban retains a 27% ownership stake). The Shark Tank star had been the face of the organization, along with superstars Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic, but his deal with the Adelsons put Dumont in control.
Cuban has regrets.
I don’t regret selling. I regret who I sold to,” Cuban told Intersections, a podcast that covers a wide range of issues facing America.
“I made a lot of mistakes, and I’ll leave it at that,” Cuban added.
Mavs Controversies
Just months after Cuban sold the Mavericks, Dallas lost the 2024 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics. Shortly into the 2024-2025 season, General Manager Nico Harrison announced on Feb. 2, 2025, that Doncic was being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. The decision to trade Doncic, the reigning scoring champion, was panned by most NBA insiders and analysts.
Rumors surfaced that the trade was orchestrated by Adelson and Dumont, a decision perhaps linked to the Adelsons’ resolute backing of the Israeli State and Doncic’s native Slovenia, a country that in the summer of 2024 formally recognized the State of Palestine.
Adelsons are inherently political, among President Donald Trump’s biggest financial donors. The casino billionaires contributed more than $600 million to Trump’s three presidential runs. The Adelson Family Foundation is also a donor to Trump’s White House Ballroom.
The Adelsons have been accused of directing Trump’s activities in the Middle East, including assisting Israel in its war against Iran.
Trump appeased the Adelsons and the late Sheldon Adelson, the founder and longtime chairman and CEO of Sands, by relocating the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem during his first administration. The Adelsons sat front row at the Embassy’s ceremonial opening next to the Trump family and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Fans Upset, Attendance Plummets
Mavs fans have certainly not embraced the new owners.
Dumont has been booed when he’s sat courtside at the games. Harrison was fired last fall, with the team in chaos after failing to make the NBA Playoffs the season after reaching the Finals.
The Mavericks have been eliminated from the 2025-26 Playoffs. Dallas’ record stands at 24-51, third-worst in the Western Conference.
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