The Dallas Mavericks have gone through a rough last two years. Under new owner Patrick Dumont, the team has traded franchise superstar Luka Doncic for a meager return, then traded that return for worse assets. Now that fans have grown disillusioned with the leadership, many have called for the reinstatement of former owner Mark Cuban.

Unfortunately, that door seems to have slammed shut. According to a report from veteran NBA insider Marc Stein, a source close to Dumont said, “The team is not for sale, and the (Adelson and Dumont) families look forward to expanding their ownership stake over time.”

What many might not realize is that this is a direct response to another recent report. Just a few days ago, Stein also reported that an unidentified investment group based in Dallas was seeking a partnership with Cuban to buy back the Mavericks from Dumont. There’s no concrete details in terms of an offer or confirmed negotiations, but the idea quickly gained traction.

Cuban still owns about 27% of the team as a minority owner after selling most of his stake in 2023 for over $4 billion, with the understanding that he would continue overseeing basketball operations. According to Cuban, however, the NBA prevented this from happening.

“We tried to put it in the contract, but the NBA said the governor is the governor, and they make all final decisions,” Cuban said last year. “I was involved and then we went on this run where we went to the Finals, and rather than trying to interject myself all the time, I was like, ‘I don’t want to get in the way, we’re rolling.’ And that was a mistake.”

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For now, it seems a potential return to the helm for Cuban is out of the question.

Mark Cuban Acknowledges Buyer Interest But Doubts Mavericks Are Truly for Sale

In an interview with Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News, Mark Cuban confirmed that he had been approached by multiple individuals and groups with the interest in purchasing the Mavericks.

“I have been contacted by multiple groups and individuals who have interest in buying the Mavs,” Cuban said. “[But] I don’t know who the report was talking about.”

Cuban expressed skepticism that the current ownership group would have any interest in selling their stake so soon after acquiring majority control in 2023, and this aligns with Stein and Townsend, both of whom have reiterated that Patrick Dumont and the Adelson family seems committed to the franchise in the long-term.

There’s also a timeline working in Dumont’s favor. The Mavs have until 2027 to buy out 20% of Cuban’s remaining 27% stake, and there are several indications that they wish to acquire at least a part of that stake. This could result in Cuban’s influence dissolving even further, which would solidify Dumont’s group in control of the franchise.

According to Stein, Miriam Adelson and the Dumont family are “excited about the future of the franchise and the Cooper Flagg era.” For now, there doesn’t seem to be any chance of Cuban returning any time soon.