The Dallas Mavericks have been anything but quiet under the ownership of Miriam Adelson. In just over two years, the franchise has made a Finals run, pulled off the blockbuster-and widely debated-Luka Dončić-for-Anthony Davis trade, and then hit the lottery jackpot to draft Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick. It’s been a whirlwind, full of bold moves and big headlines.
But despite the ups and downs, there’s no sign that Adelson or her son-in-law, Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont, are looking to hit the brakes. In fact, quite the opposite.
According to a source close to Dumont, the family is “excited about the future of the franchise and the Cooper Flagg era.” That optimism comes amid reports that former majority owner Mark Cuban has shown interest in teaming up with an investment group to buy back a controlling stake in the team.
But for now, the Adelson-Dumont group seems fully locked in.
One of the biggest items on their agenda? A new home for the Mavs.
Dumont remains committed to working with the city of Dallas to build a state-of-the-art basketball arena within city limits. The current lease at American Airlines Center runs through 2031, and the team is eyeing two potential locations: one in downtown Dallas and another near Valley View Center off I-635 in North Dallas.
A decision is expected by July 1, according to a team spokesperson.
The push for a new arena is part of a broader vision for the Mavericks’ future-one that includes more than just basketball. The team recently announced a partnership with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to secure a new naming-rights partner and pursue other corporate sponsorships. It’s a strategic move as the franchise gears up for a major transition.
“We have an ambitious vision for the future of the Dallas Mavericks,” said team CEO Rick Welts in a statement. “The opportunity ahead of us is significant.
CAA Sports brings global expertise, deep industry relationships and a strong track record of delivering transformational partnerships for top echelon sports properties. They are the right teammate as we move into this next chapter.”
Welts, notably, is a CAA Sports client-just like Cooper Flagg, the 19-year-old phenom who’s already making a strong case for Rookie of the Year honors. The Mavericks have clearly shifted their focus to building around Flagg, moving on from Anthony Davis earlier this month in a trade that sent the 10-time All-Star to the Washington Wizards. In return, Dallas picked up expiring contracts, two late first-round picks, and three second-rounders-moves designed to create cap flexibility and add draft capital as they reshape the roster around their new cornerstone.
As for their current home, the Mavs have shared American Airlines Center with the NHL’s Dallas Stars since 2001. But that partnership is nearing its end.
Both teams’ leases expire in 2031, and they’re expected to go their separate ways after that. The split hasn’t exactly been amicable.
A legal dispute has soured the relationship between the two franchises, with the Mavericks accusing the Stars of backing out of a $300 million renovation deal. That agreement, according to the Mavs, would have extended the Stars’ lease through 2061.
The Stars, for their part, claim they never agreed to those terms and believed the deal only kept them in the building through 2035.
For the Mavericks, the goal is clear: a basketball-only arena that serves as the centerpiece of a larger entertainment district. Back in April, Welts said the team was scouting a 30- to 50-acre site to bring that vision to life.
The expectation is that the project will be a joint effort between Mavericks ownership and the city of Dallas. And with Adelson’s estimated net worth of $37.9 billion, according to Forbes, the resources are certainly there to make it happen.
Cuban, who sold his majority stake in December 2023, has been candid about why he stepped back. He pointed to the decline of local TV revenue-once a major income stream for NBA teams-and the growing need for real estate development expertise.
“When I first bought the team, I knew more about the technology and the internet and all the streaming and everything than anybody else in the NBA,” Cuban said at the time. “Now all of that, 23, 24 years later, that’s not the advantage anymore.
… The advantage is what can you build and where? And you need to have somebody who’s really, really, really good at that.”
Enter Adelson, Dumont, and the Sands Corporation. Sands, which once owned and operated The Venetian in Las Vegas, now controls major casino resorts in Macao and Singapore. And while they’ve had their eye on the Dallas-Fort Worth area as a prime location for a future casino resort, Texas lawmakers have yet to greenlight casino gambling in the state.
Still, the Sands connection is already bearing fruit in other ways. The Mavericks are set to play a pair of preseason games this October against the Houston Rockets at The Venetian in Macao-a homecoming of sorts for Sands and a showcase opportunity for the Mavs.
So, while the past couple of years have brought no shortage of drama, the Mavericks are clearly steering toward a bold new era. With Cooper Flagg as the face of the franchise, a new arena on the horizon, and a front office focused on flexibility and long-term growth, the Mavs are betting big on the future. And they’re not bluffing.