Mark Cuban let all his suppressed steam out against the Dallas Mavericks. On a recent podcast appearance, the former Mavericks majority owner expressed regret about selling the team to the Adelson family. He even defended Luka Doncic, suggesting Nico Harrison and Jason Kidd knew about the infamous trade beforehand. That’s created a second saga of tension between Cuban and the Mavericks top brass.

But the fan in him still exists. Cuban wasn’t present in the arena when the Dallas Mavericks lost to the Orlando Magic tonight. That wasn’t a surprise considering the business mogul’s latest comments. Yet, he’s still rooting for the Mavericks until the very end, even though he’s currently in Indiana.

Mark Cuban proved that with a single tweet. He posted a picture of himself watching the game on his phone right till the end of the third quarter. The Mavericks were trailing by 19 at that point, with no real chance at a comeback. But Cuban can’t just sit back and detach himself from the franchise.

He still considers the team his own. More than an owner, Cuban is a basketball enthusiast who built the foundation of the Mavericks franchise. You can’t put away a decade of investment just because of a feud with the current management. With that being said, it doesn’t mean he can’t be displeased with the way the franchise is being run.

There was actually some hope for reconciliation. Notably, once Patrick Dumont fired Nico Harrison, Cuban was back in the hold. He worked closely with the recruitment team to look after the franchise’s future. But it seems that was only short-lived. It’s uncertain whether Mark Cuban will ever return to working with the Mavericks in close proximity.

Until then, there’s one ray of sunshine showing the fanbase some promise.

Cooper Flagg makes history in loss to the Orlando Magic

It never seemed like the Mavericks could win against the Magic. In the fourth quarter, the lead grew to 27 points. There was no way back. Everybody in the building knew it. But just one 19-year-old refused to give in. Cooper Flagg produced another miraculous performance, making history as the youngest player to score 50 points in an NBA game.

He finished the game with 51 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and one block. The number one overall pick was everywhere, doing everything. In that final period, Flagg showed the Mavericks fanbase that they could count on him. He was the only Dallas player to have multiple made field goals.

Flagg scored 24 points in close to 10 minutes of playing in the fourth quarter. The Magic’s lead condensed to 11 points, with the Duke sensation punishing their physical defense. It came with some controversy, too. Flagg received a technical, and Jason Kidd was ejected after an official missed a blatant foul on the rookie.

But this performance meant something bigger. This season was marked by dread. The only exception remains Cooper Flagg, who may have locked the Rookie of the Year debate with his prolific performance. He and Kyrie Irving playing together could amend everything that’s wrong with the franchise right now.

All the Mavericks really need right now is hope. Flagg provides a sense of security. That could hopefully even sway Mark Cuban to play an active role in the future. He has rescued the fanbase that was distraught once they lost Luka Doncic. Cooper Flagg didn’t just conquer them, but represents a silver lining to trading Doncic.

The Mavericks may have done many things wrong. But the way Kidd has handled Flagg’s development can’t be questioned. He’s become a star within his first season. The future is only optimistic with Irving set to play a full season next year. At least that’s something to celebrate while everything else seems to be falling apart.