Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has never been one to shy away from the chance to say something that turns heads. With the rival Los Angeles Lakers struggling badly just a couple weeks into the season, Cuban took a shot at one of the NBA's premier franchises during a local radio interview Tuesday. Via ESPN:
Mark Cuban hopes the Lakers ‘suck forever’
The Mavericks’ outspoken owner said some interesting (and possibly facetious) things about the Lakers during a radio show on Tuesday.
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
As far as the Lakers, I think there are going to be a lot of teams that are going to be focusing and saying, ‘Look, I’ve got a ton of cap room, free agents A, B and C, why don’t you guys come together and come play for me?’ And L.A. has always been considered a destination, so maybe they feel there’s a valid strategy. You know me, Fred. Personally, I just hope they suck forever.
That final sentence has garnered a good deal of attention in basketball circles, since you don’t typically hear prominent team leadership openly calling out another franchise. However, Cuban is as outspoken as any owner in the league, and this isn’t the first time he’s said stuff like this.
A couple years ago, after the Lakers landed Dwight Howard, Cuban made similar comments about the team, according to ESPN. "I don't know, I don't care, I just hope they suck. You know, like any other team."
He's also made comments about the San Antonio Spurs, another primary rival of the Mavericks in the Western Conference. Four years ago, when the two teams were playing in the postseason, Cuban told ESPN, "No, I mean I hate the Spurs."
So this isn’t anything particularly new for Cuban. But it still stands out in the NBA landscape given how few owners are willing to go on record with such comments. With that said, the Lakers are still the Lakers, so I don’t think anybody expects Cuban’s wish to come true.
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