Browsing: owner

ARLINGTON — Tom Hicks, who owned both the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars during extremely successful periods of the franchises, died on Saturday at 79.

“Mr. Hicks was a passionate and competitive owner and Texas Rangers fan,” the team said in a statement on Sunday. “The club extends its thoughts and prayers to Mr. Hicks†wife Cinda, his six children and his entire family as they mourn a legendary Texas businessman, philanthropist, and sportsman.”

Hicks owned the Rangers from June 1998 to August 2010, winning the American League West of each of the first two seasons of his ownership, including a then-club-record 95 games in 1999.

Hicks facilitated the hirings of general manager Jon Daniels in 2005, manager Ron Washington in ‘07 and team president Nolan Ryan in ‘08. All three were key pieces of the 2010-11 AL-pennant-winning clubs, which were the first two World Series appearances in franchise history.

Hicks and the Rangers made history in December 2000, when they signed Alex Rodriguez to a 10-year, $252 million contract, at that time the largest contract in American professional sports.

Off the field, his ownership led to a number of positive changes for the Rangers organization, including the opening of Riders Field, home of the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders, and the partnership of the Surprise Recreation Complex in Arizona.

Hicks also owned the NHLâ€s Dallas Stars (1995-2011), who won the Stanley Cup in 1999.

Hicks is survived by his wife, Cinda, and their six children.

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Tom Hicks, who owned the Liverpool, the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars, died Saturday. He was 79.

Hicks made his fortune as a private equity investor and entered the sports realm in 1995, when he purchased the Dallas Stars. After a last-place finish in the 1995-96 NHL season, the Stars went on to win their division five years in a row. The team reached the playoffs every year over that stretch, winning a Stanley Cup in the 1998-99 season.

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After missing out on the playoffs for a year, the team again made five straight playoff appearances, though only got as far as the conference finals.

In 1998, Hicks purchased the Texas Rangers from a group managed by George W. Bush. The Rangers won the American League West the first two years under Hicks’ ownership, but failed to win a game in the postseason both years.

Under Hicks’ ownership, the team signed shortstop Alex Rodriguez to a then-record-setting 10-year, $252 million deal. While Rodriguez continued to play well, the Rangers finished in last place in four straight seasons. Hicks eventually traded Rodriguez to the New York Yankees ahead of the 2004 MLB season. Hicks later called the contract “one of the dumb things” he did as an owner.

In 2007, Hicks joined George N. Gillett Jr. to become co-owner of Liverpool. Hicks became a hated figure among the fans after promising a new stadium and claiming no new debts would be placed on the team.

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Hatred of Hicks’ ownership reached a point where Liverpool fans banded together to release a video titled “Dear Mr Hicks” on YouTube. In the video, the fans berate Hicks for his poor ownership, urging him to leave.

In January 2010, Hicks agreed to sell the Rangers. With that sale still pending, Hicks ran into financial issues, defaulting on loans with the Stars, eventually leading to the team filing for bankruptcy. The Rangers were eventually sold to a group led by Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan. The Stars were sold at auction to Tom Gaglardi.

Hicks eventually lost control of Liverpool in 2010, as the club’s board of directors voted 3-2 to sell the team to New England Sports Ventures.

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DALLAS — Tom Hicks, the Texas businessman and philanthropist who owned two Dallas-area professional sports franchises and an English Premier League soccer team, died Saturday. He was 79.

Spokesperson Lisa LeMaster said in statement that Hicks died peacefully in Dallas surrounded by family.

Hicks owned the NHL’s Dallas Stars from 1995 to 2011, winning the Stanley Cup in 1999. He also owned baseball’s Texas Rangers from 1998 to 2010, leading them to three American West Division titles and a World Series appearance. In 2007, he acquired a 50% stake in Liverpool.

“Being shoulder to shoulder with him was always about more than ballparks and stadiums, though,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “It was about personal respect, trust and friendship. We shared a lot of miles together, and I’ll miss him greatly. My heart goes out to his family.”

Tom Hicks owned the NHL’s Dallas Stars from 1995 to 2011, winning the Stanley Cup in 1999, and baseball’s Texas Rangers from 1998 to 2010. AP Photo/LM Otero, File

Hicks co-founded Hicks & Haas in 1984 and helped reshape private equity and investing strategy. He served on the University of Texas’s board of regents from 1994 to 1999.

“Tom Hicks was an innovative businessman and a pioneer in private equity,” fellow Texas businessman Ross Perot Jr. said in a statement. “He combined his commitment to business and sports through his ownership of the Stars and the Rangers.”

Hicks is survived by his wife of 35 years, Cinda Cree Hicks, and his six children — Thomas Ollis Hicks Jr., Mack Hardin Hicks, John Alexander Hicks, Robert Bradley Hicks, William Cree Hicks and Catherine Forgrave Hicks.

His children released a joint statement, saying:

“Of everything he accomplished in his remarkable life, Tom Hicks’s most cherished title was, ‘Dad.’ No matter the trials and tribulations he faced in life, he was constant in his generosity and love for his family. He remains a guiding force for our family, and we are deeply honored to continue expanding his legacy. Although we are devastated by this loss, we are profoundly grateful to have been his children.”

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In a totally unforeseen comment following Indiaâ€s 2-1 victory in the IND vs SA ODI series, head coach Gautam Gambhir responded to the Delhi Capitals†co-owner Parth Jindalâ€s suggestion of the adoption of split coaching in the Indian cricket team.

India avoided the shame of losing both Test and ODI series of a bilateral tour at home for the first time since 1986-87 when they recorded a thumping nine-wicket victory over the Proteas in Visakhapatnam courtesy of Yashasvi Jaiswalâ€s century and half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

The trio helped India haul down the target of 271 in 39.5 overs. This was Indiaâ€s 10th bilateral ODI series win at home out of 11 after the 2019 World Cup.

The attention from the clinical victory in Vizag quickly moved to a bizarre statement from Gambhir, who went after Jindal, saying he “doesnâ€t have anything to do with cricket.â€

So what is the Gautam Gambhir vs Parth Jindal controversy?

After Indiaâ€s 408-run defeat in the Guwahati Test against South Africa, co-owner of Delhi Capitals Parth Jindal tweeted his opinion, suggesting a “specialist red ball coach†for the Indian Test team.

Jindal tweeted,

“Not even close, what a complete thrashing at home! Donâ€t remember seeing our test side being so weak at home!!!This is what happens when red ball specialists are not picked. This team is nowhere near reflective of the deep strength we possess in the red ball format. Time for India to move to a specialist red ball coach for Test cricket @BCCIâ€

Following Indiaâ€s victory against the Proteas in the Vizag ODI, where India won the series 2-1, Gambhir responded to Jindalâ€s tweet in the post-match press conference. The head coach recommended Jindal to “stay in your domain.â€

Gambhir said, “There were a few things said by people who didnâ€t have any connection to cricket. One IPL owner also wrote about split coaching. This is very surprising. Itâ€s important for people to stay in their domain. We donâ€t go into their domain. So, they have no right to interfere in what we do.â€

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IND vs SA: When and where is the 1st T20I of the India vs South Africa T20I series? Will Shubman Gill play?

The India vs South Africa T20I series will begin on Tuesday, December 9, with the first T20I taking place at the Barabati Stadium, Cuttack.

Gambhir confirmed that T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill has recovered from his neck injury and got his fitness clearance from the BCCIâ€s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The coach said, “Yes, Shubman is ready to start. Thatâ€s why he has been selected. And obviously he is fit and fine, hungry to go.â€

Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.

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Parth Jindal, Gautam Gambhir NEW DELHI: Indian men’s cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir on Saturday used the post-match press conference after the third ODI win against South Africa to respond to the criticism that followed Indiaâ€s 2-0 Test series defeat. Gambhir said the reaction to the Test losses ignored key details. He said: “There were so many things said and written after we lost the Test series against South Africa, but nobody spoke about the fact that in the first Test we played without our captain, who didn’t bat in either innings (Shubman Gill, who was out after playng three balls in the first innings due to neck injury) and we lost the match by just 30 runs. If you are going through a transition and lose your captain, who is also an in-form batter, it’s tough. No one talked about this.”

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Gambhir also responded to comments made by Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal, who had called for split coaching in Indian cricket after the Test series defeat. Gambhir said: “A lot was said. Even people who have nothing to do with cricket spoke up. An IPL owner also wrote about split captaincy.” He added: “Everyone should remain in their domain. If we don’t interfere in other’s domain, then they don’t have the right to interfere in our domain”.Jindal had criticised Indiaâ€s Test performance after the 2-0 loss against South Africa. He posted on X: “Not even close, what a complete thrashing at home! Donâ€t remember seeing our test side being so weak at home!!! This is what happens when red ball specialists are not picked.” He also wrote: “This team is nowhere near reflective of the deep strength we possess in the red ball format. Time for India to move to a specialist red-ball coach for Test cricket.”India defeated South Africa in the third ODI and sealed the ODI series 2-1. In the match, India won the toss and elected to field first, sending South Africa in to bat. The Proteas posted 270 all out in 47.5 overs. While chasing 271, India’s batters put on an excellent show. Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 116, supported by Rohit’s 75 and Virat Kohli’s 65, guiding India to a comfortable nine-wicket victory and sealing the series 2-1.

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Yankeesowner Hal Steinbrenner hasn’t wavered in commitment to building a championship-caliber roster this offseason, but he’s hoping to achieve his family’s annual goal at a lower price.

Amid speculation of the Yankees wanting to cut payroll below $300 million next season, Steinbrenner addressed their financial state on Monday, admitting to reporters via video call he’d prefer to see their 2026 number drop.

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What he didn’t divulge, however, was a budget or dollar range the Yankees are operating under as baseball’s hot stove rises in temperature. Steinbrenner insists there’s no mandate to shed payroll — although it’s now clear what’s written atop his holiday wish list.

“Would it be ideal if I went down [with the payroll]? Of course,” Steinbrenner said. “But does that mean thatâ€s going to happen? Of course not. We want to field a team we know can win a championship, or we believe could win a championship. It all depends on whatâ€s out there and what the possibilities are and how much I feel weâ€re able or we need to pull the trigger on those possibilities.â€

Steinbrenner contended the Yankees’ payroll in 2025 was $319 million, not far off from a $323 million figure analyzed by Cot’s Contracts. At the moment, their payroll is $283 million, according to Cot’s, and this number includes millions projected toward the league’s Competitive Balance Tax. The Yankees eclipsed the top luxury tax threshold in the last two seasons.

By retaining outfielder Trent Grisham via the $22 million qualifying offer and re-signing reliever Ryan Yarbrough to a one-year, $2.5 million deal last week, bringing back lefty slugger Cody Bellinger would easily push the Yankees back over $300 million. Steinbrenner declined to comment on their free-agent pursuits, but Bellinger is a top priority.

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There also was some pushback from Steinbrenner when he was asked about the Yankees’ profit margins. While he didn’t explicitly say the franchise is operating at a loss, he hinted at some belt tightening and challenged reports on their latest revenue totals. According to Forbes, the Yankees generated over $700 million in 2025.

“I don’t want to get into it, but that’s not a fair statement or an accurate statement,” Steinbrenner said. “Everybody wants to talk about revenues. They need to talk about our expenses, including the $100 million expense to the city of New York that we have to pay every Feb. 1, including the COVID year. It all starts to add up in a hurry.

“Nobody spends more money, I don’t believe, on player development, scouting, performance science. These all start to add up. If you want to go look at the revenues, you got to somehow try to figure out the expense side as well. You might be surprised.”

While there’s no disputing the Yankees spend money — they had the third-highest payroll in MLB this past season — disgruntled fans want to know where and how it’s being allocated. And considering Steinbrenner isn’t obligated to open the books, statements on this matter are always met with warranted skepticism.

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Of course, boasting the highest payroll doesn’t guarantee a championship. But flexing financial muscle has worked for the Dodgers, coming off a second straight World Series crown. They’re the first team to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy in back-to-back seasons since the Yankees in 1999-2000.

Steinbrenner believes there’s a “weak correlation” between spending the most and winning the ultimate prize. He also remains in support of MLB implementing a salary cap, as long as a sensible salary floor number is incorporated.

It’s unclear how the winter will shake out for the Yankees, searching for players to fill voids at several key positions. But if they’re truly hellbent on celebrating a championship for the first time since 2009, strategies must change. And fans can’t feel reassured by their owner expressing a portion-controlled apetite.

The Yankees’ overall value is currently listed at $8.2 billion, according to Forbes.

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The legal battle between Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia and two of the franchiseâ€s minority owners took another turn Monday, with the stakeholders accusing Ishbia of using the basketball organizations as his own “personal piggy bank†while hiding details of his spending from them.

Andy Kohlberg and Scott Seldin say Ishbia has mismanaged the pro basketball organizations, accusing him of financial malfeasance and of trying to use a capital call to try to bully them out of some of their shares in the franchises. Instead, they allege, it blew up in Ishbiaâ€s face and afforded them an opportunity to take a majority share of the teams.

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The accusations come in a legal filing made last week in Delaware court in response to a countersuit filed by Ishbia last month against the two minority owners, who had originally sued in August to begin what has become a messy legal drama.

“Ishbia does not own the Suns to make money for the company but he does operate it as a personal fiefdom for his own personal gain and for the benefit of his other businesses, including his mortgage company United Wholesale Mortgage,†the legal filing states. “The reality is that Ishbia is using the Suns as his personal piggy bank, including through a lengthy list of conflicted transactions — only some of which the Minority Owners are aware of.â€

Ishbia, the two minority owners allege, made a loan to the Suns at an interest rate that is significantly above market rate. They say he leased the Mercuryâ€s new practice facility to himself. They also claim that he has turned the Suns and Mercury into money-losing franchises while he intends to make money through UWM.

“This isnâ€t a lawsuit; itâ€s a shameless shakedown dressed up as legal process,†a spokesperson for Ishbia said. “From day one, Mat Ishbia was transparent that he was going to do things differently. Contrary to how the team was previously managed, Mat made it very clear he would invest significantly into the Suns and Mercury. He told all the investors that they could step up with him or sell their stake and step aside. Kohlberg and Seldin stayed in and now theyâ€re trying to freeload off the value Mat created.

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“Kohlberg and Seldin want to drag the organization backward, and they openly admit in this filing that investing in the team and its fans ‘makes no business sense.†They are advocating neglect. They are free to sell their shares in the open market and if they donâ€t, they should be prepared to lose this lawsuit and participate in Matâ€s continued investments in the teams and community.â€

Ishbia, in an appearance on “The Draymond Green Show,†said the two minority partners “can sell if they want†and should be thanking him.

“Those people, they think about money. All the people think about money,†Ishbia said. “The way I look at it is, letâ€s do the right thing. Money follows success. Itâ€s not the other way around.â€

“And by the way, since I bought the team at $4 billion, itâ€s worth, what, $6 billion now? Itâ€s gone up,†he said later. “I told them, ‘Instead of suing me, why donâ€t you just write me a letter and say, thank you? Your investment is worth more.â€

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The disagreement stems from a capital call this past summer. Kohlberg said he originally went to Ishbia last September looking for the majority owner to buy out his share because of his own liquidity issues. Ishbia bought more than half of the teams in early 2023 at a $4 billion valuation and has since then bought out other minority shareholders. Kohlberg, through the legal filing, said Ishbia did not respond initially. When he went to him again and asked that he answer his offer by June 1, 2025, Ishbia, the filing said, set a capital call for the next day.

That capital call, the two minority owners claim, was used as a way to dilute their shares in the teams, which could occur if they did not pay, and to create a new lower per-unit share price. They ended up contributing their share, but when another member did not, Ishbia set another capital call for the next month, according to the filing, and they paid again.

They later learned that more of the capital had not been funded and that Ishbia had used a debt-to-equity conversion to fill the financial gap. This maneuver, Kohlberg and Seldin say, was not the legitimate way to do that. The two minority owners also say that a July 8, 2025, capital call was also not fully funded on time. They argue that under the teamâ€s operating agreement, they would be afforded to buy the shares Ishbia had not funded himself. If they did, they would then have a majority stake in the franchises.

“Ishbia blundered into the very trap he set for the Minority Owners and faced a devastating dilution of his ownership interest if his failure was discovered,†the filing said. â€A failure that would wipe off his net worth and put his continued status as an NBA team owner and governor in jeopardy.â€

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Since assuming controlling interest of the Phoenix organizations in February 2023, Ishbia has promised championships. He started by spending. With the Suns, he made a big, early splash, trading for superstar Kevin Durant. Ishbia and the front office later doubled down and traded for Bradley Beal despite the star guardâ€s injury history and burdensome contract that included a no-trade clause. The moves backfired.

Last season, the Suns were perhaps the NBAâ€s biggest disappointment. Built around Durant, Beal and Devin Booker, they had the leagueâ€s most expensive roster, yet they finished 36-46 and failed to make the Play-In Tournament. Ishbia promised change.

Over the offseason, he overhauled the roster and front office. Phoenix traded Durant to the Houston Rockets and negotiated a buyout of Beal, a move that got the Suns out of the second apron, a payroll threshold that limits an organizationâ€s ability to make roster moves, as well as the luxury tax.

Built around Booker, this seasonâ€s team lacks star power but has played well over the seasonâ€s first month. Entering Monday, the Suns (11-6) were one of the NBAâ€s early surprises under first-year coach Jordan Ott and had won eight of their past nine.

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The Mercury have been more successful. In July of 2024, the WNBA franchise opened a $100 million, 58,000-square-foot practice facility in downtown Phoenix. Last season, the Mercury advanced to the WNBA Finals, where the Las Vegas Aces swept them in four games.

But the off-court issues continue.

Kohlberg and Seldin, who have invested in the Suns for more than two decades, first began their legal battle against Ishbia this summer, when they sued him for a lack of transparency and the teamâ€s unwillingness to provide them with internal financial records. They alleged that Ishbiaâ€s capital call in June appeared to be “part of a leverage strategy to exert pressure on and dilute†their ownership shares.

Ishbia countersued last month, claiming the minority owners were trying to force him to buy out their ownership stakes at an “extortionate†cost. He dismissed their claims as part of a public-relations ploy.

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Kohlberg and Seldin are the only remaining minority owners who still invested in the Suns and Mercury, and originally bought in while Robert Sarver led the franchises. Ishbia bought the two teams in early 2023 and has since rolled up minority stakes; he now owns roughly 85 percent of the franchises.

Ishbia professed this fall that he will not settle any of the seven lawsuits he and the teams face. In addition to the mismanagement complaint, former and current employees have accused the organization of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other issues. The Suns have denied these allegations.

“The truth is, you actually got to win a lawsuit,†Ishbia said in September. “And where Iâ€m different than most successful people … is like, we donâ€t settle. If we donâ€t do anything wrong, Iâ€m not paying someone. I hope you guys all report on how many lawsuits we actually lose.â€

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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With NBA owners seemingly more focused on European expansion than on adding teams domestically, speculation has bubbled up about the potential sale of the New Orleans Pelicans and the team being moved to Seattle (or possibly Las Vegas).

Benson shot that idea down in an interview with Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune (hat tip ProFootballTalk).

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“Let me be clear about this: The teams are not for sale. That’s in capital letters. I want everybody to know the teams are not for sale. I get tired of people asking me [if they’re for sale]. I’m going to turn 79 in January, but I’m pretty healthy. I hear that people want to talk to me about buying the team. I’m like, well, that’s a waste of my time. That’s not going to happen. And people need to calm down about the team moving.”

“It remains that when I die, both teams will be sold to the highest bidder and those proceeds will be used 100 percent to improve this community.”

Benson was also asked about the job status of coach Willie Green. The Pelicans hired a new head of basketball operations last summer in Joe Dumars, and the Pelicans are off to a dreadful 2-9 start, both of which usually land a coach on the hot seat.

“I really like Willie Green, but I hired Joe Dumars to assess our basketball operation. And that’s what he is doing. He is assessing Willie and all the players. He and I spent the entire halftime (of the Portland Trail Blazers game on Wednesday night) talking. When he makes a decision, that’s up to him. That’s why I hired him. I trust Joe, because I feel like he knows people. He’s known Willie since he was a child, so they know each other. And if he can fix that problem, then he’ll fix it. If he can’t, then that’ll be his decision, not mine. I’ve left that in his hands.”

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The Pelicans have missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons and have made the postseason just twice in the previous eight seasons, losing in the first round both times. Beyond that, the Pelicans just have a poor reputation among players and agents. Check out what former Pelican player Kendrick Perkins (now of ESPN) said on the RJ Defends podcast:

“Here’s the problem with New Orleans. Great city — one of my favorite cities to live in … They’re always going to be second to the New Orleans Saints. That city is all about the Saints — from the ownership down to Mickey Loomis. They don’t give a damn about the Pelicans. It’s so bad that if you want to eat — you know how all NBA organizations now have first-class facilities with breakfast, chefs, post-practice meals? In New Orleans, you leave the Pelicans facility, and you gotta walk across the street to the Saints’ facility just to eat. And all your food is in boxes in the cafeteria.”

Benson seems unlikely to make a new significant financial investment in the Pelicans or their arena, the Smoothie King Center, which could use it. She has now also made it clear she is not selling the team, and while things change (and all team owners’ public comments should be taken with a grain of salt), it appears the Pelicans are going nowhere. At least for the foreseeable future.

All of which means Pelicans fans have to hope that Dumars can figure everything out.

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Stephen Curry is now 37 years old, and conversations about how much longer he might play have become a regular storyline around the Golden State Warriors.

But the team’s principal governor, Joe Lacob, won’t be surprised if Curry has at least a few more years left in the tank.

“It’s going to be really, really hard to do this without a Steph Curry or someone like that in the future,” he told Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle. “He’s not going to play forever, though I do think he may play longer than we all think. He might be the Tom Brady of the NBA. … I look forward to it in a way probably no one else can understand, because it will be a tremendous challenge to try to replicate what we’ve done in the first 15 years over the next 15. But I’m looking forward to that, because it’s something we want to try to do—to prove we do a good job and it’s not just Steph Curry.”

Brady played in the NFL for 23 seasons, retiring at the age of 45. Curry would have to play another eight seasons to match that, which seems like a long shot, though he indicated before the season that he doesn’t have a retirement timeline in mind.

“No clue. I just know it’s closer than it was even yesterday,” he told ESPN’s Malika Andrews in October when asked if he knew when he might call it quits (1:57 mark). “Acknowledging it is fun, because the more I talk about it, the more I appreciate what all goes into preparing yourself. But all of that stuff is just the privilege that you’ve earned. I’m trying not to put any timestamps or anything, other than the sense of urgency on it now.”

LeBron James is still going at the age of 40. Perhaps we’ll see Curry play until at least that benchmark as well.

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Dallas Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont addressed the firing of former Mavericks GM Nico Harrison in an open letter to fans Tuesday. Harrison was fired Tuesday after the teamâ€s 3–8 start to the season.

Dumont and Miriam Adelson became the majority owners of the team in 2023 after former owner Mark Cuban sold the majority share.

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Dumont began the letter by acknowledging the Mavericks’ success in the 2024 season, advancing all the way to the NBA Finals before falling short against the eventual champion Boston Celtics. That run sparked high expectations for the franchise.

The Mavericks†playoff success did not carry over to the following season, however, as they failed to make the playoffs after qualifying for the play-in tournament. After last yearâ€s disappointment, a slow start to this season and a passionate (and vocal) fan base holding the team accountable, Dumont felt it was time to make changes.

“When the results donâ€t meet expectations, itâ€s my responsibility to act,†Dumont said. “Iâ€ve made the decision to part ways with general manager Nico Harrison.â€

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Mavericks fans turned up the heat on Harrison on Monday evening as Dallas hosted the Milwaukee Bucks, with “Fire Nico” chants ringing out through the crowd.

One person Dumont did not address in the letter was former Maverick Luka DonÄić. Last February, the Mavericks traded DonÄić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.

Davis has averaged 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on 52% shooting this season. Despite putting up solid numbers offensively, he has struggled to stay healthy in Dallas. This season, he has played in only five games, missing the last five with a lingering calf injury. Since the trade last February, Davis has appeared in just 13 games for the Mavericks.

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DonÄić, on the other hand, is off to a blazing start in L.A. this year. Despite playing only seven games this season, he currently leads the NBA in scoring, averaging 37.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game.

Dumont emphasized the team still has time to turn the season around and reassured fans that his goal remains winning.

“Our goal is to return to winning basketball in Dallas and win championships,†Dumont said. “Our family is committed to that mission and to continuing to invest in Dallas and the Mavericks†future.â€

The future begins with this yearâ€s No. 1 overall pick, Cooper Flagg. The 18-year-old rookie, who entered the league with high expectations, has yet to make a significant impact. Flagg is averaging 15 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists on 42.4% shooting while starting the season at point guard.

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Flagg had his best game against the Bucks on Monday night, posting 26 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists while playing his natural forward position. He later revealed he had played through a thumb injury in the game but said he was fine afterward.

The Mavericks are also counting on the eventual return of point guard Kyrie Irving, who is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered at the end of last season.

Dumontâ€s final statement urged fans to continue supporting the team and the organization.

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