"I might have had many rings”: Mark Cuban ponders sticking with Dirk Nowitzki over 2x NBA MVP

During the early 2000s, Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks had a pair of future Hall of Famers on the roster. However, in 2004, they decided to make a choice between Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash. Years later, the longtime owner reflected on his decision to ride with the legendary forward.

On "The Draymond Green Show," Cuban spoke on a wide range of topics. Among the things that came up was the decision to part with Nash. Cuban thinks he might have won more titles had the Mavs stuck with electric point guard but stuck with his decision to make Dirk "the guy" in Dallas.

"I let Nash go, I might have had as many rings as you if I make a different decision there. And so, you know, sticking with Dirk wasn’t hard, but trying to figure it all out, it’s always hard," Cuban said. "But Dirk was just like a cornerstone who made it easy."

Nash would win back-to-back MVPs with the Phoenix Suns after being traded from the Mavericks. Meanwhile, Dirk delivered Mark Cuban a championship years down the line.

At the age of 31, he led the Mavericks all the way to the NBA Finals in 2011. On the game's biggest stage, the 14-time All-Star took down LeBron James and the Miami Heat in their first year together.

Mark Cuban speaks on Dallas Mavericks' latest star addition

While Mark Cuban felt he could only have one star back then, that isn't the case now. Last season, the Dallas Mavericks went out an acquired a star in what many considered to be a controversial move.

After a drama-filled ending to his tenure with the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving was traded to the Mavericks just before the deadline last season. The All-Star guard was brought in to be the new running mate for Luka Doncic.

During his interview with Draymond Green, Mark Cuban was asked about the decision to go after Irving. He said that the media perception of him was very different from what he had heard from people in and around the NBA.

"When you talk to people around him before we did the deal, nobody disliked him," Cuban said. "Everybody loved him. When you talk to teammates, current and former, loved him," Cuban said.

Since coming over to the Mavs, Irving has continued to play at an All-Star level. This season, he's averaging 25.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Alongside Doncic, Irving has helped lead Dallas to a top-five position in the Western Conference.

Cuban and the Mavericks were so sold on Irving after just half a season that they gave him a sizable contract in free agency. This offseason, he inked a three-year deal worth $120 million to remain in Dallas.