note the difference between cuban and drayton mclane, in terms of keeping the promises made to the taxpayers before being given new facilities. ------------------
Mark Cuban didn't make any promises about making the Mavs better if he was given a new arena. ------------------ HoustonSportsBoard.com SpiritOfTheBull.com
If the Rockets ever run off to another city (which of course won't happen because the city of Houston will keep them here... *AHEM*), I already know the team I'm pulling for. Those lowly Mavs. Check out this story on Mavs owner Mark Cuban. I love the last line in the article: -------------------------------------- From the Star-Telegram http://www.startelegram.com/news/doc/1047/1:MAVERICKS71/1:MAVERICKS710909100.html Tax a luxury for Cuban; League's fear of new fee helps Mavs, owner says By Dwain Price Star-Telegram Staff Writer DALLAS -- Many NBA owners are concerned about the league's luxury tax, but not Mark Cuban. Cuban believes the team escrow tax, or luxury tax, is tipping the balance of power in favor of maverick owners such as himself, even though the tax doesn't kick in until the 2001-02 season. That's because Cuban, the Mavericks' 42-year-old billionaire owner, said he doesn't mind sharing his money with his players. "Bring it on," Cuban said. "I love new taxes." While most owners see the tax as punitive, the effervescent Cuban sees it as another way of revitalizing a dormant franchise. And that's Cuban's primary reason for purchasing the Mavericks -- to breathe some new life into this franchise. "If this was two years ago, I probably wouldn't be spending all that much money," Cuban said. "But now with the luxury tax right around the corner and people so concerned with it, they'll give up better players if you pay part of the salary." According to the NBA Players Association, the luxury tax will go into effect only if league-wide spending on players salaries and benefits exceed 61 percent of basketball-related income. Basketball-related income is, among other things, all income received by teams as a result of basketball operations -- ticket revenue, television contract monies. In other words, a team will be taxed a dollar for every dollar exceeding 61 percent of revenue generated from ticket revenue, television contract, etc. While many owners have traded players the past two summers to avoid the luxury tax, owners such as Cuban and Paul Allen have been busy gobbling up huge contracts. Cuban and Allen, who owns the Portland Trail Blazers, don't even flinch at the luxury tax. Last month the Cleveland Cavaliers were more than happy to add forward Shawn Kemp to Allen's stable of highly paid players when they traded him to the Blazers. Kemp has four years remaining on his contract that will pay him $71 million, including a staggering $46 million during the final two years. Last week, Allen added to his luxury-tax burden when he acquired Dale Davis in a trade from the Indiana Pacers. Davis signed a $19-million extension with the Pacers three weeks ago and is still owed $40 million over the next five seasons. The Blazers, whose payroll will approach a $85 million this season, have five players on their roster who will earn more than $10 million each during the 2000-01 season. That's the kind of payroll Cuban endorses. When the Mavericks acquired Christian Laettner from Detroit late last month, Cuban gladly gave the Pistons $3 million to complete the transaction. Laettner is scheduled to make $6.275 million this season, and if he receives the maximum amount when he becomes a free agent next summer, he'll have a seven-year, $77 million contract. That lofty price tag is one the Pistons were not willing to pay, especially when it'll substantially affect the amount of luxury tax they'll owe. But Cuban isn't complaining. "That's where the $3 million comes in. It helps you take their deals, because it [helps them] avoids the luxury tax," Cuban said. Some insiders believe dumping high-priced players to avoid the luxury tax could become chic among the NBA owners. Cuban even said of the NBA owners: "I think most are concerned with winning, but not all of them are." Cuban's advice to the owners? "Concentrate on making money," he said, "so I can have an advantage." ------------------ Falk that Mo Fo!!!
