Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is one of the most outspoken team owners in all of sports, and once again he is making some noise off the court. This time it’s in regards to the Los Angeles Lakers franchise and Kobe Bryant.
In a radio interview with ESPN Dallas’ Ben and Skin Show, Cuban was discussing the Lakers’ bloated salaries when he dropped the bomb on No. 24.
“If you look at their payroll, even if Dwight [Howard] comes back, you’ve got to ask the question: Should they amnesty Kobe?” Cuban said.
Cuban, who was fined $50,000 for publicly criticizing NBA officials in January, has always been at odds with the NBA with his unfiltered character. But when an opposing owner talks about a team’s most-prized franchise player getting amnestied, it’s natural that some negative feedback will come in return.
“We’re aware of Mark Cuban’s comments,” Lakers spokesman John Black said. “We feel they’re inappropriate. As far as the issue itself, we’re not going to comment publicly on the amnesty issue as it relates to any of our players.”
There is no word if Cuban will receive a fine from the league office, but Cuban was incorrect in his assessment of the Lakers’ situation. The longtime Laker will not be amnestied.
