Prospective Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban will meet with
the NBA Board of Governors tomorrow before they vote on
whether to approve his bid for the team, but he's "not sure
if he'll know the results of the vote tomorrow or if he'll
have to wait another two or three days to find out,"
according to Dwain Price of the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. So
far, Cuban's "outgoing style has not set well with some NBA
owners," but NBA Commissioner David Stern has "steadfastly
said" that Cuban's bid "will be approved." Cuban: "I'm
nervous about (tomorrow). You never know until you know.
It's hard to tell what's feedback and what's not these
days." The sale must receive 22 "yes" votes from owners to
be approved (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/29).
HOLDING HIS TONGUE? Cuban said that he has "received
several scoldings" after criticizing the NBA for its "star
system of refereeing," but that the backlash was "more from
our own people than anyone else." Cuban: "I'm learning how
to say, `No comment'" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/29).
Meanwhile, in Boston, Peter May writes that Cuban, who
"invites reporters to e-mail him with a promised response
within 24 hours," sat behind the Mavs' bench during their
game against the Celtics last night at the FleetCenter and
"high-fived players during timeouts" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/29).
THE RODMAN RULES: Also in Boston, Frank Dell'Apa writes
that Mavs F Dennis Rodman became a PR "disaster" after last
night's game with his "choreographed exit from the
FleetCenter that featured security guards grabbing and
shoving journalists en route to the team bus." Dell'Apa
calls Rodman's security guards a "combination of friends,
groupies and security." Dell'Apa: "This was a strange
scene, made worse by the lack of management by Celtic and
Maverick officials. Rodman is clearly being allowed to set
his own agenda, so it should not have been surprising that
there was a chance NBA protocol could be breached" (BOSTON
GLOBE, 2/29). ESPN's David Aldridge cited a source who
claims that Cuban "arranged for Rodman to drive a
Lamborghini sports car, leasing it to him for only $15 a
month." Aldridge reported, "That would be a technical
violation of the salary cap, though the league likely
wouldn't make a big deal out of it" ("SportsCenter," 2/28).
