Mark Cuban takes the low road…again

Nobody’s ever accused Mavericks owner Mark Cuban of being tactful. Or classy, or dignified, or humble, or…well, you get the picture.

So it comes as no surprise that Cuban eschewed the high road after Deron Williams, whom the Mavericks made a major run at in free agency, said he elected to stay with the Nets in part because Cubes couldn’t drag himself away from a taping of his reality TV show, “Shark Tank,” for Williams’ visit to Dallas.

As told by the :

Asked if Cuban’s absence affected his decision, Williams said flatly, “Of course.”

Williams added: “A lot of the questions that me and my agent had for them really didn’t get answered that day — you know, pertaining to the future. And I think if he was there, he would have been able to answer those questions a little bit better. Maybe would have helped me.”

Never one to admit he’s wrong, with a barb of his own before the Mavericks’ exhibition game in Spain:

“I’m a big D-Will fan, but I’m kind of surprised that he would throw his front office under the bus like that by saying that I would make a difference,” he said. “I would have expected him to say — like I’d expect one of our guys to say — ‘Hey I’m so thrilled with the front office and the moves we made and our team that it wouldn’t have mattered what he did.’

“I’m flattered that he thought my presence would have made more of a difference than what the Nets’ management did.”

This, after Cuban admitted to a Dallas radio station in August that his presence might have made the difference in Dallas’ sales pitch.

dmccarney@express-news.net

@danmccarneySAEN

Mark Cuban takes the low road…again

Nobody’s ever accused Mavericks owner Mark Cuban of being tactful. Or classy, or dignified, or humble, or…well, you get the picture.

So it comes as no surprise that Cuban eschewed the high road after Deron Williams, whom the Mavericks made a major run at in free agency, said he elected to stay with the Nets in part because Cubes couldn’t drag himself away from a taping of his reality TV show, “Shark Tank,” for Williams’ visit to Dallas.

As told by the :

Asked if Cuban’s absence affected his decision, Williams said flatly, “Of course.”

Williams added: “A lot of the questions that me and my agent had for them really didn’t get answered that day — you know, pertaining to the future. And I think if he was there, he would have been able to answer those questions a little bit better. Maybe would have helped me.”

Never one to admit he’s wrong, with a barb of his own before the Mavericks’ exhibition game in Spain:

“I’m a big D-Will fan, but I’m kind of surprised that he would throw his front office under the bus like that by saying that I would make a difference,” he said. “I would have expected him to say — like I’d expect one of our guys to say — ‘Hey I’m so thrilled with the front office and the moves we made and our team that it wouldn’t have mattered what he did.’

“I’m flattered that he thought my presence would have made more of a difference than what the Nets’ management did.”

This, after Cuban admitted to a Dallas radio station in August that his presence might have made the difference in Dallas’ sales pitch.

dmccarney@express-news.net

@danmccarneySAEN

Najera retires from NBA to coach D-League’s Legends

FRISCO — Eduardo Najera, the first Mexican-born player drafted in the NBA, retired Wednesday to become the coach of the NBA Development League’s Texas Legends.

Najera was drafted by Houston in the second round in 2000. The former Cornerstone High and Oklahoma standout played 12 NBA seasons with Dallas, Golden State, Denver, New Jersey and Charlotte.

The Legends said Najera will now be the first Mexican-born head coach under the NBA umbrella. The deal also includes Najera becoming a minority owner of the Legends, who are co-owned by Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, and holding a front-office position with the NBA team.

“This is a dream come true,” Najera said. “I have long wondered what would be in store for me when I hung up the basketball playing shoes, and this is the perfect opportunity for my post-playing career. The chance to develop as a coach, while also assisting Mark (Cuban) and Donnie with the Mavs, is an ideal situation.”

Najera succeeds Del Harris as the Legends coach. Harris is the general manager.

The Legends’ first coach two years ago was Nancy Lieberman, the first woman to coach a men’s pro team.

Najera, who made his NBA debut with the Mavericks in 2000 and played parts of five seasons in Dallas, played the last two seasons with the Bobcats.