Mavericks helped Dorian Finney-Smith get his father out of prison / News - Basketnews.com

The Mavericks organized a veteran lawyer for Finney-Smith and continued to be involved in the player's father's case even after the forward was traded away. In the end, Finney-Smith's father was set free after being incarcerated for 28 years.

Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix Credit Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix

Dorian Finney-Smith is no longer a member of the Dallas Mavericks but his relationship with the organization remains strong until this day due to one major factor - his now-previously incarcerated father.

Finney-Smith's father Elbert Smith has been incarcerated for the last 28 years. He was set free in large part due to the effort shown by the Mavericks organization.

In an unexpected 3-0 ruling, the Virginia Parole Board voted to release Elbert Smith, granting him conditional freedom. A big part of the decision was Finney-Smith's assertion that his father will return stable home where he will have a job and a caring family.

Previously, the Virginia Parole Board had granted parole in only 23 of 1,255 cases it had considered in 2023, The Dallas Times note.

Mark Cuban Companies chief of staff Jason Lutin was crucial in the case even getting considered, the outlet notes. He convinced former Virginia attorney general Jerry Kilgore to take on the case.

Lutin spent weeks trying to get Kilgore on board. "This was not really an easy decision for me because you look at the charge that’s on the record, and what Mr. Smith’s imprisoned for, you almost immediately want to just back away," Kilgore told The Dallas Times.

Kilgore met Elbert Smith and almost immediately changed his mind. In the end, the veteran lawyer even decided to do it pro bono, i.e. without receiving financial compensation for his work.

During the season, Finney-Smith flew to Richmond, Virginia to the hearing. He was excused from practice and the team flight to Phoenix. The player was accompanied by Lutin and Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison.

"We didn’t even know if we would be able to be in the room, but that didn't matter. It was all about Dorian, for him to know that he didn't have to fly there by himself, that his team was there to support him," Harrison said.

"Obviously we couldn’t say much about Dorian’s father because we don’t know him," he continued. "But we could talk about Dorian and the amazing human that he is, all the beautiful characteristics that make him Dorian."

10 days later, Finney-Smith was traded away as part of the blockbuster Kyrie Irving trade package. Despite this fact, the Mavs organization continued to care about the player.

They helped him navigate the tough legal waters when his main focus was on the basketball court. It was Lutin who brought the good news about his father's release to Finney-Smith on Wednesday, July 26th.

"In basketball, players don't usually bring up stuff like this, but the Mavericks are different as far as relationship," Finney-Smith said. "Now I had to talk to five people [from the Virginia Parole Board] I don't know about things that were very personal to me, but I could feel the support in the room.

"I appreciate everything the Mavericks did behind closed doors, the whole situation. I’m always going to have love for Dallas and the organization," the player concluded.

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