A steele cage match seems to be the only way to settle the differences between pugnacious Mark Cuban and the oddball Don Nelson. This is how petty it got: They argued over a hug.

Cuban and Nelson were in general agreement about the decision behind Nelson’s stepping down – he was a Mavs consultant for one year before taking the Golden State job – and Johnson’s replacing him as head coach.

They said they had a cordial private meeting, after which they may or may not have hugged, depending on which version one believes. During the arbitration, it was mentioned to Nelson that he said during his deposition that Cuban did not hug back.

“I don’t know,” Nelson said at the arbitration. “Who cares?”

Cuban’s recollection? “I hugged him. He didn’t hug me back. I know a Nellie hug, and that was not a Nellie hug.”

NBA reality show: Those two “adults” running a basketball team.

There’s also testimony from Nelson in which he describes being so disgusted with Cuban that he signed a contract to stay on as coach in 2003 only after friends “got me drunk.”

Indeed.

Donnie Nelson, his son, was obsessed for whatever reason with “a big Russian” – believed to be 7-foot-5 Pavel Podkolzin. He wanted to take him 5th in the 2004 draft. Eventually someone smacked some sense into him because he drafted Devin Harris … but then traded later in the draft to take Podkolzin 21st. Podkolzin played 28 minutes in two seasons with Dallas and is no longer in the league.

Sure sounds like a move worthy of the No. 2-rated personnel boss in the league (in 2007).

Clash between Mavericks owner, ex-coach detailed in transcripts (Dallas Morning News)