Cuban on Post-Wolves Brandon Roy, ‘We tried to get him’

Mavericks frontman Mark Cuban revealed that the team pursued Trail Blazers legend Brandon Roy after the former All-Star parted ways with the Timberwolves. In an interview with Fanatics View, Cuban explained how the Mavs expressed interest in Roy.

Clutch Points contributor Christian Alamodin collected Cuban’s comments on the subject. According to Cuban’s remarks, Roy’s basketball IQ and ability to finish drove the Mavs’ interest.

“He could play, that’s for damn sure. It’s interesting because he wasn’t a great three-point shooter, so he would’ve had to learn how to become a better three-point shooter. But, he was so strong, he understood the game, knew how to get to spots, and could finish,” the Mavs owner furthered. “I know after he went to Minnesota for a little bit, and after that, we tried to get him. We said, let’s see if our doctors could do a better job than your doctors, and he just wasn’t ready for it.”

After three All-Star Game appearances with the Blazers, degenerative knee issues took a toll on Roy’s playing career, leading to his early retirement. Prior to a brief five-game stint with the Timberwolves, Roy torched the Mavericks in a memorable fourth-quarter outburst. Following an opening round matchup with Portland, Dallas went on to claim the NBA Championship.

During his five seasons with the Blazers, Roy averaged 19 points and 4.7 assists per game. Outside of his on-the-court contributions, Roy played a significant part in carrying the Blazers out of the “Jail Blazers” era.