We hope you’re sitting down for this news: Mark Cuban just gave a controversial opinion.
Kevin Durant shocked the NBA world last week by signing with the Golden State Warriors, forming a superteam that looks poised to run roughshod on the NBA this season. Even league commissioner Adam Silver publicly said Durant’s move to Golden State is bad for the league.
But Cuban struck a very different note Wednesday when asked about the mighty Warriors, arguing that everyone’s disdain for the NBA’s latest superteam will help drum up league-wide interest.
“They become the villain,” the outspoken Dallas Mavericks owner told ESPN.com. “Just like when LeBron James went to (the) Miami (Heat), I loved that there was a villain. They become the villain. I’m fine with that. Everybody’s going to root for them to lose.”
This isn’t a surprising take from Cuban, who is used to stirring the pot and taking stances that might be unpopular. He’s also not entirely wrong; Warriors games should be a huge draw this season as the other 29 teams do their best to knock off the league’s latest juggernaut.
Durant joining Golden State also helped Cuban’s own squad, as the Mavs added Warriors castoffs Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut in the wake of his signing. Of course, they’ll still have a very tough time getting past Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Co., but Cuban isn’t ready to give Golden State the title just yet.
“It’s always been tough for superteams to stay super,” Cuban said. “When you congregate that much talent, one injury destroys the whole thing. They played by the rules, so it is what it is. It has always happened. It’s nothing new.”
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images
