Where Would the Mavericks Be if There Was No Salary Cap?

During the offseason, sometimes it is fun to dive into topics that otherwise would gain no attention. Hypothetical situations are one of my personal favorites, which is what brings us to the question: What would the Dallas Mavericks look like if the NBA had no salary cap, like the MLB?

Everyone knows that Mark Cuban is one of the wealthiest sports team owners in the business and is also one of the owners most willing to spend money on his team. Recent high-rollers like Steve Ballmer (LA Clippers) and Mikhail Prokhorov (Brooklyn Nets) have entered the NBA over the last few years. Both of these owners are worth significantly more than what Mark Cuban is (per Forbes.com), but most of the high-end franchise owners are not invested in their team like Cuban.

People have known for years that Cuban spoils his team and spoils his crowd. From a private jet and top of the line medical staff to having a drum line and the Mavs Maaniacs on payroll, there is no shortage of entertainment when it comes to the Dallas Mavericks. There is also no shortage of money flow.

If the NBA were to adopt the MLB’s lack of salary cap, I have to imagine that the league would look very different. Imagine if Mark Cuban could call any free agent he wanted to and offer them more money than anyone else? Obviously Cuban and none of the rest of the billionaire owners of the NBA would go bankrupt building up their teams but, if there were an owner in the league who would pay big money to put together his own NBA 2K fantasy team, it may just be Mark Cuban.

There are more than enough NBA players out there, stars in particular, who are there for the money and the Mavs would have the opportunity to have them. Really, what would be the difference between the NBA with a salary cap and the NBA without? Isn’t the current NBA controlled by a dominant force in the east and a dominant force in the west? All it would do is change the teams.

Of course this is all just a hypothetical situation, but it shows us two things that we already know but wish were true. First, if the NBA did get rid of the salary cap, Dallas would benefit more than just about every other team in the league. Second, if Mark Cuban were to buy an MLB team, that would be pretty interesting as well. If they ever stop vetoing him, things could get interesting.

Next: NBA Roundtable: Who Will Be Rookie of the Year?

I love the NBA the way it is and think that the salary cap should never change but, if it did, I imagine Mavs fans would be some of the first to move up in the projected standings.