DALLAS -- As much as the Mavericks appreciate owner Mark Cuban's creativity, they want their NBA championship rings.
After the Mavericks clinched the franchise's first championship with Sunday night's win over the Miami Heat, Cuban said he might reward his team with something other than "old school" rings.
"Rings are done," Cuban told NBA TV. "It's time to take it to the next level."
But the consensus opinion among the Mavericks, who conducted exit interviews Tuesday, is that now is not the time to break from tradition.
"We got to talk to him about that," Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki said with a big smile. "I don't think the last word has been spoken yet. You know he always wants to do something different, wants to do something bigger, but I mean, the ring is just so classic.
"I think I would vote for a ring. I mean, I'm a man. I don't know how I'd feel about a bracelet. I've gotta go with a ring."
Coach Rick Carlisle owns one championship ring, having been a reserve guard on the Boston Celtics' 1986 title squad. He wants another one now.
"It's got to be rings. I don't know what he's thinking," Carlisle said, laughing. "You win an NBA championship, you gotta have a ring. If he wants to give guys something else (in addition to) a ring, that's great."
President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson strongly agreed on that point.
"Let's get the rings," Nelson said. "I'll pay for them."
Players and coaches probably wouldn't be pleased with that solution, either.
"They might be plastic with cubic zirconium," Nelson joked.
After the Mavericks clinched the franchise's first championship with Sunday night's win over the Miami Heat, Cuban said he might reward his team with something other than "old school" rings.
"Rings are done," Cuban told NBA TV. "It's time to take it to the next level."
But the consensus opinion among the Mavericks, who conducted exit interviews Tuesday, is that now is not the time to break from tradition.
"We got to talk to him about that," Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki said with a big smile. "I don't think the last word has been spoken yet. You know he always wants to do something different, wants to do something bigger, but I mean, the ring is just so classic.
"I think I would vote for a ring. I mean, I'm a man. I don't know how I'd feel about a bracelet. I've gotta go with a ring."
Coach Rick Carlisle owns one championship ring, having been a reserve guard on the Boston Celtics' 1986 title squad. He wants another one now.
"It's got to be rings. I don't know what he's thinking," Carlisle said, laughing. "You win an NBA championship, you gotta have a ring. If he wants to give guys something else (in addition to) a ring, that's great."
President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson strongly agreed on that point.
"Let's get the rings," Nelson said. "I'll pay for them."
Players and coaches probably wouldn't be pleased with that solution, either.
"They might be plastic with cubic zirconium," Nelson joked.
