The Dallas Mavericks have been in disarray since the Luka Doncic trade last season. The universally panned decision, led by former Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, had detractors within the organization, including former majority owner Mark Cuban. Now that Harrison is gone, an interesting proposition has surfaced for the billionaire to return to the helm.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, “An unidentified Dallas investor group is interested in partnering with Mark Cuban to buy the Mavericks back from Patrick Dumont.”

It’s an interesting development and just goes to show how much value Cuban’s presence still holds, even if it is symbolic.

However, Miriam Adelson and the Dumont family are “excited about the future of the franchise and the Cooper Flagg era.”

Reflecting on the past, Cuban himself has taken responsibility for the Doncic trade, admitting that he “let people down by not being there.” It’s the closest thing he’s said that suggests his reduced role since his deal with the Adelsons mattered more than anyone might have expected.

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Cuban sold his majority stake in the Mavericks for $3.5 billion in December 2023, a substantial increase from the $285 million he paid when he purchased the team in January 2000. According to reports, he expected to retain control of basketball operations, but ultimately relinquished it in the sale.

“I don’t regret selling the team, I regret how I did it,” Cuban said during an appearance on the DLLS Mavs podcast. “Would I still sell the team? Yes, for all the same reasons I’ve said 100 times. Would I do it the same way? Absolutely not. I would have put it out to bid, but I didn’t, so it doesn’t matter.”

Cuban, who is usually active on social media, has yet to respond to the latest Stein Line report.

For now, though, there are some issues standing in his way if Cuban tries to buy back in.

Luka Doncic’s exit and subsequent decisions have reignited questions about control in Dallas for Mark Cuban

In the aftermath of the Doncic trade, things have gone completely sideways for the Mavericks. Harrison’s gone, fired less than a year after a 3-8 start to a season in which the team was hoping to compete for a championship.

Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the Doncic deal, played just 29 games for the team before being traded to the Washington Wizards at the deadline. The Mavericks now sit 12th in the Western Conference, more than five games out of the final play-in spot, with limited ways to reset given their depleted assets.

The new investor group may be trying to recapture the magic by bringing back the man who delivered the city’s first NBA championship. Even though his ownership stake is now in the minority at roughly 27%, Cuban still has the trust of many fans, and public support would go a long way.

The Mavericks’ current franchise value is about $5.1 billion as of the 2025 valuations, up roughly 9% year-over-year. This isn’t going to be an easy deal, as recent team transactions have come with big price tags and bidding wars: the Boston Celtics sold for $6.1 billion and the Los Angeles Lakers for $10 billion.

Doncic is no longer in Dallas, but the impact of his exit is still shaping the franchise’s future. His departure cracked the strongest foundation the Mavericks had, but now, that might be the very thing that brings Cuban back to the front office.