Mark Cuban Trying To Get Michael Jordan On The Mavs Is A Great NBA "What If"
(Yahoo Sports) - Mark Cuban loves when his name is behind something successful.
He has a true businessman's mind and once tried using that mind to get Jordan to play for the Dallas Mavericks in 2001 when Jordan came out of retirement... again. Cuban purchased a majority stake of the Mavericks in 2000.
Before Jordan signed with the Washington Wizards, Cuban tried getting him to reconsider.
"The day he (Jordan) signed with the Washington Wizards to come back, David Falk (Jordan's agent) - that's right when I was buying the Mavs - said 'why don't you go meet him?'" Cuban told Dallas' 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday.
Cuban went to Falk's office and saw the Wizards papers ready for Jordan to sign.
"And I was trying to convince MJ to not sign them and do something with the Mavs," he said.
As someone who loves a good NBA "what if" I have to say this one is pretty good. Even if it was the longest of long shots since by this time Jordan already had an ownership stake in the Wizards, but considering that team stunk by the time he decided to return to playing, it's too bad he didn't take Cuban up on his offer and join the Mavs. You remember those early 2000 Dallas teams? They were winning 50+ games every year with a core of prime Steve Nash/Michael Finley and a 23 year old Dirk who was starting to blossom into an all time force. That would have been such a better team for Jordan to join! It's not like he was super washed up during his two years in Washington, and the Mavs could have just bumped like Adrian Griffin from their starting lineup or something. A five of Nash/Finley/Jordan/Dirk/Juwan Howard would have been nice as hell. Maybe they don't lose in the second round to the Kings if that happens.
What if that team finally gets over the hump, Jordan has his 7th ring, Nash has a ring, does he still leave for PHX in 2004? Perhaps Cuban would have been more open to paying a 30 year old Nash if he brought them that title. Remember, Cuban has said that's one of his biggest regrets as an owner
Maybe that all changes if MJ comes over, they win a ring, and then the entire Suns era doesn't happen. Steve Nash probably doesn't win any MVPs let alone two. Who knows if the Spurs win those titles since they went through the Suns for all three of those titles during Nash's tenure there. Does Duncan maybe leave then? Maybe Dallas becomes even more of a destination to free agents once they have that first title under their belt. That's the fun of these "what ifs" the more you peel off the layers the more NBA history would have changed.
I'd love for someone to ask MJ about this. I bet looking back he wishes he listened to Cuban and went to Dallas. Would have been a bad look at the time given his connection to WSH, but seeing as how they missed the playoffs in both his years and the Mavs were contenders, I bet he regrets it.