Cuban On Porzingis Trade: "We Weren't Ignorant To Circumstances"

DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - Mavericks owner Mark Cuban commented for the first time since forward/center Kristaps Porzingis was accused last week of raping a woman in his Manhattan apartment last year. 

Cuban has kept quiet on the allegations to this point, declining multiple requests from reporters to comment on what the team did and didn't know about the situation when they acquired Porzingis in a trade with the New York Knicks on January 31. 

Today, WFAA's Jonah Javad tweeted out a clip of a sit-down interview with Cuban in which the owner confirmed they did indeed know something that led them to feel comfortable enough to go through with the trade.

#Mavs owner Mark Cuban comments on going thru w/ the Kristaps Porzingis trade:"The #NBA is not going to authorize or approve anything -- that they're aware of -- without digging in."@wojespn @wfaa pic.twitter.com/gUpMAQVxq8

"We weren't ignorant to circumstances. I can't really say anything more but I think people get the sense that we just turned a blind eye and we couldn't, and we didn't. The NBA certainly wouldn't as well," Cuban said. 

When asked if there was transparency between the Mavs and Knicks when making the deal, Cuban declined to elaborate but added: "I can't get into any of that, but just realize that we're not going to turn a blind eye to anything. The NBA is certainly aware and cognizant of those issues as well and is not going to turn a blind eye. And that's probably the best way to understand it. The NBA is not going to authorize or approve anything that they're aware of without digging in."

When asked about the allegations ahead of last night's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center, Cuban would only say that "some people need to do their homework and use some common sense. A little bit of common sense is so enlightening."

Earlier this week, ESPN reported the woman accusing Porzingis of rape later sent the Mavericks' big man explicit pictures of herself and sought the help of the New York Knicks' legal department for cash

The report says the woman contacted the Knicks eight months after the alleged incident, and before she filed a report with New York police.

The unnamed woman wanted to "mediate in private" a payment of $68,000, according to her emails and text messages that were obtained by ESPN. The messages also portray a woman who wanted to pursue a romantic relationship with Porzingis after the alleged assault took place in his apartment. The accuser also claims that Porzingis agreed to contribute the $68,000 to a college fund for her brother and has a document signed by the player as proof. 

In a statement to ESPN, Porzingis' attorney said he believes the document is a fake. 

"Mr. Porzingis denies signing the alleged contract, which we believe is a forgery. When asked to produce the original contract for handwriting analysis, the complainant declined to do so," Roland G. Riopelle said. 

A copy of the handwritten document obtained by ESPN has Porzingis' name misspelled and it's unknown if the signature on it is actually his. 

"This agreement effective February 7, 2018, acknowledges the fact that an unexpected escalated sexual intercourse due to an inevitable physical attraction on the part of Kristap (sic) occurred subsequently, warrants compensation payable towards (the woman's) siblings college tuition in the amount of $68,000," the woman wrote in the alleged agreement. 

" ... Mr. Kristap (sic) willingly offered several compensations to (the woman) including business investments. (The woman) ultimately settled with Mr. Kristap's (sic) offer of a $68,000 check."

Riopelle had previously said that the claim against Porzingis was part of an extortion attempt that is being investigated by the FBI. However, NYPD sources close to the New York Post have said the accuser is "believable."

Riopelle later said in a statement, via ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, that they were in touch with the New York County District Attorney's Office. 

Kristaps Porzingis' attorney Roland G. Riopelle tells ESPN: "We have been contacted by (New York County) the District Attorney's office and we are cooperating fully with their investigation. We have agreed to provide the District Attorney's Office with the materials..." (more)

More from Riopelle: "...that we previously provided to the federal authorities in support of our extortion complaint. We are confident that, after the District Attorney reviews these materials, they will recognize that the complaint made in this case is completely meritless." https://t.co/lUfR4RUnrL

In an email sent to the Knicks, the accuser said she stayed with Porzingis from the alleged 2 a.m. rape until 11 a.m. and "enjoyed the rest of the time I spent with him." In the weeks following the alleged incident, ESPN says the woman included explicit photos of herself in some of the messages she sent when asking to spend intimate time with Porzingis. It remains unclear if the two carried on a sexual relationship after the alleged rape or how much further correspondence they had with each other. 

The woman also sent the Knicks a photo she says shows hair loss and broken nose cartilage "from when he repeatedly hit me." She says she was forced to spend around $10,000 to fix her injuries. 

Additional texts show that the woman became increasingly upset after Porzingis was friendly when they saw each other in the apartment building where they both lived, but became less responsive to her text messages. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that New York informed Dallas of the rape allegation made against Porzingis. However, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News reported Sunday that two league sources told him that in discussions with the Knicks the word 'rape' was never used. 

"The word that was used was 'extortion,' " one of the sources said.

When contacted by the New York Post about the alleged incident, owner Mark Cuban said: "we have been instructed by federal authorities not to comment." Cuban has pretty much said the same thing to reporters at Mavericks' games. 

Smartest legal minds I know suggesting to me that #Porzingis side may have been advised by FBI to record rape accuser's exchanges .. a 'sting' of sorts to establish truth of their relationship & her intentions. #Mavs @1053thefan pic.twitter.com/B4s6CzpbJH

105.3 The Fan's Mike Fisher suggested Monday (via "smart legal minds") that the FBI may have advised Porzingis to record the woman's exchanges to establish the truth of their relationship and her intentions.