‘Sleazy’ and more _ Court records detail falling out between Mavericks owner and former coach

Records shed light on Cuban-Nelson dispute

DALLAS — The feud between Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former coach Don Nelson stretches back nearly seven years and has some $7 million at stake. But just how ugly and dysfunctional their relationship has been is only now being revealed.

Previously secret testimony and e-mail is now coming to light.

There’s testimony from Cuban in which he acknowledges withholding consulting fees from Nelson because he believed the former coach had “badmouthed” the team during the NBA finals and should be made to “beg” for the money.

Nelson recalls being so disgusted with Cuban that he signed a contract to stay on as coach only after friends “got me drunk.”

The proceedings stem from a contract dispute over whether Nelson, now the coach of the Golden State Warriors, should be paid millions in salary he deferred while coaching the Mavericks from 1997 to 2005.