Dallas Mavericks, in response to lawsuit, accuse ex-GM Donnie Nelson of 'scheme to extort as much as $100 million'

The Dallas Mavericks responded Friday to a wrongful termination suit by Donnie Nelson, accusing the former longtime general manager of a «lengthy scheme to extort as much as $100 million» and saying the lawsuit was preceded by demands that he receive «in effect, a blackmail payment» in exchange for his promise not to expose the sexual orientation of owner Mark Cuban's chief of staff or make other claims to embarrass the team.

The official court response was to Nelson's claim that Cuban fired him last summer as retaliation for reporting that Cuban's «right-hand man» Jason Lutin had sexually harassed and sexually assaulted Nelson's nephew during a 2020 job interview. Nelson's lawsuit said his nephew, who was not identified, was invited to Lutin's hotel room during the 2020 All-Star Weekend in Chicago and subsequently reached a settlement with the team. Nelson said he found out about the alleged incident and settlement only months later, while he was starting contract negotiations with Cuban, but that the talks stalled and eventually ended after he pressed the issue about Lutin. Cuban fired Nelson in June 2021.

Cuban on Thursday denied Nelson's allegations, saying, «Everything in that filing is a lie.» Lutin also denied the allegations as a «complete lie.»

In Friday's court filing, the team alleged that Nelson approached Cuban in August 2020 and said he «knew of purported scandalous allegations from a family member that he could 'make go away' in exchange for a long-term employment contract that he had long desired.»

«Defendants' representatives told Nelson that if an 'assault' had occurred, then Nelson should immediately contact the authorities,» the response states. «Contrary to the statements in his Petition now, Nelson