Mark Cuban Comments on Rajon Rondo Trade

The Dallas Mavericks attempted to go all-in last December when they traded for enigmatic point guard Rajon Rondo, but the experiment flopped when the floor general failed to fit into the team's space-oriented scheme.

Rondo, now with the Sacramento Kings, also butted heads with head coach Rick Carlisle, and their philosophical differences earned the point guard a one-game suspension in February before his stint with Dallas was cut short just two games into the Mavericks' first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

Despite the turbulence of Rondo's stint in Dallas, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban took a realistic approach Wednesday evening while revisiting the trade with the Boston Celtics, according to MassLive.com's Jay King: "S--t happens. Right? There's a lot of risks I've taken that have worked out just fine. They're not all gonna work."

It was clear at the time Dallas was taking a gamble to try to move up in the Western Conference standings. It's hard to blame Cuban for taking his shot with Dirk Nowitzki's career winding down, Tyson Chandler manning the middle, Monta Ellis offering boatloads of buckets and Chandler Parsons chipping in points from the wing.

In total, the Mavericks parted with Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson, Brandan Wright, a 2016 second-round pick and a first-round selection that's top-seven-protected through 2020 before it becomes unprotected in 2021, according to RealGM.com.

However, Dallas didn't get totally hosed. The Celtics also shipped Dwight Powell to Texas in the deal, and he's been more than serviceable this season as a piece of the Mavericks' frontcourt rotation.

Entering Thursday night, Powell is one of 10 players averaging at least 10 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting at least 54 percent from the field.

The Mavericks have started the season strong behind Nowitzki's stellar shooting and a defense that ranks 11th in efficiency, but it's still hard to envision that they'll make much noise in the Western Conference as the season progresses.

As for Rondo, his journey has led him to California's capital, where he's encountered organizational instability and hot and cold performances to start the season. However, if the 29-year-old can produce admirably throughout the 2015-16 campaign, he could be in line to sign a lucrative deal next summer when free agency starts. 

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.