Mark Cuban, owner of the world champion Dallas Mavericks, can't currently watch his team on the court, so he'll have to settle for his recent victory in the court system against disgruntled minority team owner Ross Perot Jr.
A judge last week denied all claims made by Perot, putting an end to this latest round of lawsuits by Perot charging Cuban with mismanaging the Mavericks' franchise.
Cuban, reached via email, said he had no comment on the conclusion of this case or if he believes this will put an end to Perot's continual challenges to his stewardship.
"We are extremely pleased with the ruling, which puts the Mavericks in the win column before the season has even started," Cuban's attorney Thomas Melsheimer said Thursday.
In June, Perot sued Cuban for mismanaging the team. Perot claimed in the lawsuit that Cuban made "a litany of questionable business, financial and personal decisions" regarding the Mavs and that Cuban was "careless and reckless" in his decision-making, causing Perot's Hillwood Investment Properties III, Ltd., to "lose substantial investment value."
Perot also sought to have the team taken away from Cuban and handed over to a court-appointed receiver.
Melsheimer responded with a court brief to dismiss the suit. It included a piece of evidence that Cuban's legal team believed accurately conveyed Cuban's management: a photograph of the Mavs celebrating their 2010-11 NBA championship, hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
It included a brief caption: "On June 12, 2011, the World Champion Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat to claim the franchise's first NBA championship. A true and correct photo of one of the many victory celebrations is incorporated herein.
"Under Hillwood's ownership, the team was deemed the 'worst franchise' in all of professional sports. Under Cuban's stewardship the Mavericks have become one of the league's most successful teams and are now NBA champions. Accordingly, there can be no genuine question that Hillwood's claims of mismanagement lack merit and Hillwood's claims should be disposed of on summary judgment."
Last Friday, Judge Craig Smith agreed and put an end to the suit with a final summary judgment that read: "It is ordered that Plaintiff Hillwood Investment Properties III, Ltd. take nothing against Defendants Radical Mavericks Management, LLC and Dallas Basketball Limited d/b/a/ Dallas Mavericks, that all claims asserted by Plaintiff are denied, and that all costs of court be taxed against Plaintiff."
For more than two years, Perot has made various claims accusing Cuban of mismanaging the team. In July 2009, Perot, who still owns a five percent stake in the team, sued Cuban over money made from the American Airlines Center, alleging millions of dollars that should have gone to partners was wrongfully diverted to the Mavericks to cover substantial shortfalls.
In May 2010, Perot raised the stakes with another lawsuit that alleged the Mavs' debt exceeded $200 million and the franchise was "insolvent and/or in imminent danger of insolvency."
Cuban provided a snarky response to that lawsuit, saying that Perot was "trying to find nickels in the sofa cushion."
Jeff Caplan covers the Mavericks for ESPNDallas.com.