DALLAS -- Rajon Rondo expressing his desire to keep the Dallas Mavericks out of the playoffs didn't bother Mark Cuban one bit.
In fact, Cuban laughed about the comments Rondo made after his Sacramento Kings routed the Mavs on Sunday.
"If I walked into an arena and every time I touched the ball somebody booed me, I'd be saying the same s---," Cuban said Wednesday night. "I say the same s--- about other teams all the time. I want to see the Lakers go 0-82, the Spurs go 0-82. I would do the same thing, so I'm not blaming [Rondo] for that."
Dallas fans detest Rondo because of his disastrous stint with the Mavs after he arrived in a blockbuster trade from the Boston Celtics in December 2014.
The Mavs hoped that acquiring Rondo, a four-time All-Star point guard, would elevate them to contender status, but Rondo fit poorly and clashed with coach Rick Carlisle. Rondo left the team for good after Game 2 of the Mavs' first-round series with the Houston Rockets. The team issued a press release stating that Rondo had a back injury, but multiple sources told ESPN.com that his departure was a mutual decision.
Now with the Kings, Rondo has taken great pleasure in beating the Mavs three times this season. The Mavs were ninth in the West standings with a 35-38 record entering Wednesday night's home game against the New York Knicks.
"Yeah, I want them to get their plane ticket as soon as we get ours," Rondo said after his 11-point, 11-assist in the Kings' 133-111 win over the Mavs on Sunday. "So anytime we can help, that's what I try to get these guys [his teammates] to focus on.
"If we're not going to make the playoffs, then let's help some of these guys go home with us."
Rondo averaged 16.7 points and 9.3 assists in the three wins over the Mavs this season. He sat out the Kings' loss in Dallas because of a legitimate back injury.
The Mavs still owe the Celtics a top-seven-protected pick to complete the Rondo deal.