DALLAS -Dallas Mavericks employees did not receive a customary bonus after the team's 2024 run to the NBA Finals, according to a former team employee.
Mike Marshall, the former Mavericks Vice President of Content, made the comments on The Dumb Zone podcast on Friday, calling it a "red flag" about the new team's new ownership.
Patrick Dumont and Miriam Adelson purchased the Mavericks from Mark Cuban in December 2023.
Ex-Mavs employee says team did not receive customary bonuses
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 30: Ernie Johnson Jr. presents the Oscar Robertson Trophy to Patrick Dumont of the Dallas Mavericks after winning the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round 3 Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on
What they're saying:
Marshall says Mavericks employees received bonuses whenever the team went to the playoffs in the past, but that changed under the ownership of Dumont and Adelson.
"99 out of 100 times that an NBA team has gone to the playoffs or Finals, they have gotten playoff bonuses," Marshall said. "We worked for two and a half extra months."
Marshall says that ownership was told about the bonuses, but, in the end, no bonuses ever came.
"It was addressed as if it was going to happen. It was stated that it was going to happen," Marshall said. "And then it didn't get ultimately approved."
The former employee says it was a telling difference between the new ownership and Cuban.
"There's very few ways you can tell an employee in a meaningful, impactful way that I care about you and you're valued and I really appreciate what you're doing. Compensation is, like, number one," Marshall said. "If every other team does it in just about every other sport does it, and we're used to it, and we've worked for a guy who was very generous with his money over the years and the first chance you get to go ‘Hey, I really appreciate y’all. Y'all are doing a great job. This is meaningful. Thanks for making us some number of millions of dollars per home game.'"
Marshall said four of the six people on the basketball operations side of the business with vice president roles or higher had no experience with a professional sports franchise before being hired by the Mavericks.
The handling of the playoff bonus situation and questions raised about the Mavericks looking for a new broadcast home raised questions about ownership, according to Marshall.
"What I slowly started to realize is that they had no idea what they'd bought," he said.
Dirk Nowitzki's relationship with Mavericks
Dirk Nowitzki on Luka trade: FULL COMMENTS
Dirk Nowitzki on Luka trade: FULL COMMENTS
Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki sat down with The Ticket at its annual Ticketstock event on Friday, Feb. 21. Dirk talked about how he found out about Luka Doncic being traded and what happened that led to him attending Luka's first game in LA.
Much has been made of Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki's relationship with the team following the Luka Doncic trade.
Nowitzki, who played one season with Doncic, previouslysaid he was "a little disappointed and sad" for the Slovenian starfollowing the trade.
Dirk made waves by appearing at Doncic's first game in Los Angeles to support Luka.
Ex-Mavs employee on organization post-Luka | DZTV
Ex-Mavs employee on organization post-Luka | DZTV
Mike Marshall, the former Mavericks Vice President of Content, talks with the Dumb Zone crew about changes under new ownership and what it was like to oversee the Mavs social media content after the Luka Doncic trade.
Marshall said that in the wake of the trade, Nowitzki denied an attempt by the Mavericks to take part in a project.
"That definitely happened. He was like, let's sit a few plays out," Marshall said.
Nowitzki did take part in a Mavericks video congratulating Cooper Flagg on becoming the first pick in the draft.
FOX 4 has reached out to the Mavericks for comment. At the time of publication, the team has not responded.
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The Source: Information in this article comes from The Dumb Zone podcast on June 27, 2025.
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