Will Mark Stevens be a Minority Owner of the Warriors in 2020? Odds Say No
- Warriors minority owner fined, banned from NBA games for a year
- Will Mark Stevens still be a part of Warriors ownership group?
- If forced to sell his shares, will he turn in a big profit?
It’s about the dumbest thing I’ve seen in a basketball game in years.
only angle you need to see
Mark Stevens / Kyle Lowry#byehoe pic.twitter.com/6UPYCVWtEM
— 👁️🫦👁️ (@blogboyzHQ) June 6, 2019
The Game 3 situation in the NBA Finals only got more bizarre when it was discovered the man giving Raptors guard Kyle Lowry a shove and a verbal lashing (and wasn’t even involved in the play) was a Warriors minority owner by the name of Mark Stevens.
His punishment, less than 24 hours after the incident? A $500,000 fine and a one year ban from attending all NBA games.
Oddsmakers were quick to the scene, offering a pair of prop bets based on the assumption that Stevens will likely not be affiliated with the Warriors or the NBA in the near future.
Odds Mark Stevens is a Minority Warriors Owner in 2020
| Will Mark Stevens Be a Minority Owner with the Warriors in 2020? | Odds |
|---|---|
| No | -500 |
| Yes | +300 |
Analysis: This is one I bet NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wants a do-over on, because he’s getting slayed for the perceived preferential treatment that comes with being rich.
Kyle Lowry was direct. He was clear. He said Mark Stevens shouldn't be a part of the league any more.
He's right.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) June 6, 2019
Full stop, if this was anyone else other than someone who has something in the tens of millions invested in the league, he or she would be eating a lifetime ban. Silver said in an interview after the ruling that Stevens was very apologetic.
Perhaps harder than anything else is the universal approval behind Lowry’s actions in the moment – particularly from the game’s biggest stars, looking for their commissioner to take the reins and protect the players.
LeBron calls for "swift action" against Warriors investor Mark Stevens for pushing Kyle Lowry in Game 3 of the #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/Nm8aLPR7hF
— ESPN (@espn) June 6, 2019
This incident was one or two bad decisions away from turning into a Malice at the Palace or even worse – a compromised NBA Finals.
If the situation escalated, benches could have cleared, violence could have erupted, and the league would likely be forced to dole out suspensions that could potentially alter the winner of the league championship.
https://twitter.com/freedarko/status/1136664950351380480
I suspect there won’t be much fanfare when Stevens does sell, and it will likely be done during the heart of NBA free agency, when the league can mix that into the news cycle that involves the moves of stars like Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Jimmy Butler.
But it will get done.
The Pick: No (-500)
How Much Will Mark Stevens Sell His Warriors Stock For?
| Price | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over $300 million | -110 |
| Under $300 million | -110 |
*Odds taken 06/08/19
Analysis: Several different stories identify Stevens as a 59-year-old venture capitalist with S-Cubed Capital, a startup investment firm based in Menlo Park. He is worth something in the neighbourhood of $2.4 billion.
His investment stake in the Warriors started in 2013, when he purchased about 8% worth of the franchise, which, according to an article in Forbes magazine, was somewhere in the neighbourhood of $800 million.
🏀 Multiple sources close to the Golden State Warriors tell me Mark Stevens, the minority owner who pushed Kyle Lowry, will likely be forced to sell his shares before the start of next season … #NBAFinals #KyleLowry
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) June 6, 2019
And along the way, basketball in general, and Warriors basketball, in particular, became big business. With a new arena set to launch in San Francisco next season, and a franchise currently in a dynastic run, Golden State’s franchise valuation has gone through the roof, jumping an estimated 367% in six years.
It’s now worth $3.5 billion.
Commissioner Adam Silver on the process of the Mark Stevens' suspension and why it was only for one year. #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/lZgQYPzrvl
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) June 6, 2019
Forbes estimates that were Stevens to sell his shares, after paying off his part of the team’s debt, he could still be in line to make upwards of $180 million in profit from his original investment. Forget about a slap on the wrist, Stevens is about to get extra padding in his wallet.
"Mark Stevens should never, ever be allowed to have a courtside seat again and if I was Adam Silver, I'd take him out of the ownership circle. I'd get him out of there, have him bought out… Get him out of the arena forever." — @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/OtQNeBB8Fn
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 6, 2019
My only reservation in choosing over $300 million is that when the NBA does eventually force him out, they’re not going to let him take his time to find the highest bidder or to even create a market for a bidding war. He’ll get his back and then some, but it wouldn’t be for the ransom he’d get if he just wanted out of his stake.
Which is too bad, because what rich Silicon Valley dude wouldn’t want in on the Dubs right now?
The Pick: Under $300 million (-110)
Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
