In his “state of the franchise” remarks about the Dallas Mavericks on Friday afternoon, Mavs governor Patrick Dumont gave high praise to general manager
Nico Harrison and coach Jason Kidd for setting the wheels in motion while getting the Mavs to the NBA Finals for the first time in 13 years.
“First off, I have to credit Nico and Coach Kidd for the phenomenal job they’ve done this season,” Dumont said. “They’ve earned everything (through) their hard work and dedication.
“It’s really easy to sit next to Nico here, but you don’t realize the work they put in and the effort they made in order to get a team to win the Western Conference. This is a very big accomplishment.”
Dumont recently rewarded both Harrison and Kidd with multi-year contract extension. He also praised the work of Mavs chief executive officer, Cynt Marshall, who was hired by former Mavs governor Mark Cuban in February of 2018.
“I love Mark, and everybody knows that,” Marshall said. “He brought me in. He brought me to this dance.
“And one of the things he told me when he came to my office to tell me about the (governorship) change is, ‘You will love your new boss. You guys will do great together.’ “
Dumont echoed that sentiment.
“Cynt and Nico and Coach Kidd, they’re the leaders who define the culture and the character of the organization,” Dumont said. “And I think they’ve done a phenomenal job.
“We want them all here for the long term.”
Miriam Adelson and the Dumont family purchased the Mavs on Dec. 27 from Cuban, with Cuban still owning a 27 percent ownership stake in the team. Meanwhile, the Mavs’ lease at American Airlines Center expires after the 2030-31 season, with Dumont saying he plans to honor that lease with the city of Dallas and then keep the Mavs in Dallas at a site to be determined.
“Over time we’ll figure out where our new home will need to look like, if and when that time comes,” Dumont said. “So, I think we’re looking forward to finding the best possible home for our team in the city of Dallas.”
As the Mavs advanced to the playoffs in 15 of the first 16 full seasons after Cuban purchased the team from Ross Person Jr. on Jan. 4, 2000, Dumont praised Cuban for the passion he has and for the way the team responded under his guidance.
“That’s an unbelievable run,” Dumont said. “And so, he has a lot of experience and a lot of depth. I value that and I think our team values that.
“To be able to talk to Mark, be able to get his thoughts, to work with him is incredibly important. To be fair, I think it puts us in a different position. It’s not so often you can have someone with that level of experience and success — who wants to be helpful, wants to contribute to the team success — and is incredibly passionate about the team.”
As far as his time learning the ins and outs about the city of Dallas, Dumont was all smiles.
“It’s just been an unbelievable experience to have purchased the Dallas Mavericks and to be in this position to see the team’s success,” he said. “It’s been a whirlwind six months.
“That’s still the amazing thing about Dallas. A very warm community, its great to be here, very excited to spend time and get to know people. People are super friendly and community-oriented. There’s a strong feeling of family and community here. People are very nice, and the food is great.”
X: @DwainPrice
Share and comment