Mark Cuban says Jordan move not about etiquette, moratorium
— -- After refusing to accept DeAndre Jordan's public apology for backing out of a verbal agreement to join the Mavericks, Dallas owner Mark Cuban said the free-agent moratorium period that enabled Jordan to change his mind wasn't to blame.
"I don't give a f---," Cuban said Saturday from the Las Vegas Summer League. "It isn't relevant to anything."
Jordan, who backed out of his commitment to Dallas to re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, apologized to Cuban, the Mavericks and the team's fans in a pair of tweets Friday night.
In response on Saturday, Cuban wrote on the social media messaging application Cyber Dust: "When is an apology not an apology? When you didn't write it yourself. Next."
After the tweets were posted, Cuban told ESPN.com via his Cyber Dust messaging app that he still has not had any communication with Jordan since Tuesday night. Cuban said Jordan's mother, Kimberly, called him, but he declined to elaborate on that conversation. On Saturday, Cuban dismissed the idea that Jordan had committed a breach of etiquette.
"I pick my nose at the table," Cuban said. "I don't give a f--- about etiquette. It's not about etiquette. Look, guys, s--- happens, right? This is business. This is the real world. You move on. There's lots of guys that haven't played for the Mavericks that are in the NBA."
During the moratorium period which begins on July 1 and in which the NBA audits its finances to determine salary-cap figures, NBA teams are permitted to negotiate with free agents. Those players can then commit to a team, but they're not officially allowed to sign a contract.
Jordan, after verbally agreeing to a four-year max deal with the Mavs during the moratorium period, made an about-face when he re-signed with the Clippers on Thursday morning shortly after midnight ET.
Following Jordan's decision, various parties around the league and in the media have broached the subject of shortening the moratorium period to avoid such situations. But Cuban insisted the notion that the moratorium period wasn't consequential.
"There's nothing to talk about," Cuban said. "Until you get him to sign on the line that is dotted, nothing happens."
Jordan departed for a 10-day cruise Thursday and is unlikely to hold a news conference until July 20.
Jordan reneging on the verbal commitment he made on July 3 left the Mavs scrambling to fill their void at center. They addressed that need Thursday by trading a future second-round pick to the Milwaukee Bucks for Zaza Pachulia, a 12-year veteran who averaged 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds last season.
On Saturday, Cuban said that while Pachulia brings a set of skills to Dallas, the team still needs to address its presence inside.
"I think we need to get a center, obviously," Cuban said. "Zaza can play; don't get me wrong. The guy can shoot. He can rebound, but it would be nice to have somebody who can play above the rim, so we're looking at some of our options there."
Asked if he had any proposals for the NBA Competition Committee which will meet on Monday in Las Vegas to discuss any rule changes to the game, Cuban suggested that the league should put a fourth referee on the floor.
"I think guys will have to just play basketball," Cuban said. "There will be a lot less fooling of refs, a lot less flopping. The game will be smoother, a lot less movement, less wear and tear on refs' [bodies] ... I think there's a lot of upside to it."
Jordan was having second thoughts about his commitment to the Mavericks by Monday. He eventually decided to stay in Los Angeles after coach Doc Rivers, owner Steve Ballmer and teammates Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Paul Pierce arrived at Jordan's house in Houston on Wednesday afternoon and didn't leave until he officially re-signed with the Clippers.
The contract with the Clippers also is a four-year max deal that will be worth an estimated $88 million, sources told ESPN. Jordan can opt out after three years.
