Dennis Rodman played for the Dallas Mavericks during the 1999-2000 season. That season also happened to be billionaire Mark Cuban’s first season as new owner of the team. The Mavs were meticulously trying to craft an image of a championship team. Amid this process, Rodman signed a contract with the Mavs. According to Cuban, Rodman would be the missing piece of the puzzle that would make the team click. Having said that, the Mavs organization used a ‘never seen before’ tactic to include Rodman in the team.

Dennis Rodman’s tenure with the Mavs lasted barely for a month. While the Mavs hoped for Rodman to be a solution to their problems, his presence hardly left a positive impact on the team. A report unveiled the conversations that took place between the team before, during, and after Rodman.

Dallas Mavericks used a unique tactic to involve Dennis Rodman

In the 1999-2000 season, the Mavs looked to build a reputation as a championship team. This meant that they had to build around the new faces of Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash, all while banking on the expertise of the senior players. Their new owner, Mark Cuban believed that the team possibly needed a player like 5-time NBA Champion, Dennis Rodman. When he pitched the idea to Mavs coach Don Nelson, Nelson said, “Well, it’s gonna be a shit show.” 

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However, Nelson and Cuban decided to use the principle of democracy to make the crucial decision. In a team meeting, the team was asked to vote on whether they wanted Rodman or not. Mavs guard, Damon Jones stated that he had never seen something like this before. He believed that this happened because Nelson was a coach who wanted to include everyone in the decision making process.

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The votes came in and eventually, the ones in favor of Dennis Rodman outweighed those against him. Soon, Rodman joined the team but he never interacted with the team. According to the players, Rodman never responded to the information and instructions given to him. He preferred being in a world of his own.

Mavs point guard Erick Strickland expressed that he had the utmost respect for Rodman. However, he said, “I thought he was a clown.” Guard Greg Buckner also weighed in on the decision. He believed that for Cuban this was a marketing move because signing a deal with Rodman meant lots of attention from the media. 

Rodman’s tenure with the Mavs

However, Rodman’s unmotivated display only harmed the team’s morale. He didn’t last for long on the roster. He played 12 of the 13 games before being released. Rodman averaged 2.8 points per game and 14.3 rebounds in the 12 games overall. A month into the season, the Mavs released Rodman. This closed the curtains on his career in the league particularly.

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