By Mike Fisher - fish@dallasbasketball.com

Am I a bit stunned at Michael Heisley’s crazy-explosive radio interview in which the Memphis Grizzlies’ owner reveals that he’s a dunce when it comes to basketball management, right down to his admission that he’s never bothered to read the CBA?

Yes.

But here’s what’s even more stunning: The inability of Mr. Heisley – who joins Dallas’ Mark Cuban as one of the 30 men in charge of the NBA – to smoothly and calmly explain his position.

And it leads to the question: What qualifications should an NBA owner possess? As a fan, what skills would you want in an “ideal’’ owner?

I’m not an NBA owner. But I am a homeowner. Therefore, while “I have people who work for me’’ (to paraphrase what Heisley says)… and those people are my Realtor and my mortgage broker and my plumber… I’ve still at least looked at my survey, my loan and my toilet.

It behooves me to have at least some grain of knowledge about the property I own.

But, fine. Heisley isn’t interested in how the NBA makes the sausage? Fine.

Rather than announce his ignorance, why not inform his live radio audience of devoted paying fans, “WE understand the CBA?’’

Hey, I’m just a broken-down ol’ sportswriter. So I’M not an expert on all things DFW sports. But WE (the staff here, and at DallasBasketball.com, and at FOXSportsSouthwest) ARE.

That’s all Mr. Heisley had to say. That WE – the Memphis Grizzlies – have it covered. Instead, his ego and insecurity nudged him into an arena in which he’s ill-suited to succeed… the guy is not a polished public speaker, obviously… and he exposed himself.

Michael Heisley is no fool. He cannot be. He has some qualifications, obviously, that have him in this position.

Which takes us to…
What qualifications would you like in an NBA owner? I come up with six ideals:

1 Experience and success as a businessman.
2 Experience and success as a sports executive.
3 Deep pockets and the know-how to use them.
4 Basketball expertise.
5 Passion and commitment to his team, city and fans.
6 A salesman’s skill, a psychologist’s insight, a lawyerly mind.

We can have some fun turning this into a Mark Cuban-related game, or an NBA-wide parlor game… a debate about what you want in an owner, what qualifications you prefer, and who possesses them…

Cuban has made his mistakes and Dr. Jerry Buss (even with all those Lakers rings) has made his, and, in Denver and Minnesota and Detroit there is bumbling as you read this. James Dolan in New York? Donald T. Sterling with the Clippers? Some of what ownership has done in Phoenix, in New Orleans, in Charlotte, in Washington, in Cleveland, in New Jersey, in Toronto… The list goes on and on… and all the way up to 30.

How does Mark Cuban fit into this? His high profile and unusual manner make his performance a subject of debate among Mavs followers. One thing he has in common with Heisley? Well, I’ll let the Memphis media explain.

In the Memphis Flyer, its own Heisley-vs.-Cuban evaluation:

“There's only one other owner who seems to be as directly involved in such a wide range of basketball decisions and as prominent in media reports as a quoted source about all manner of team operations. And that's Dallas' Mark Cuban. And you know what? Heisley is no Cuban. I'll give Cuban something of a pass as an exception to the norm for two reasons: 1. His history of success. And 2. His demonstrated knowledge of team-building concepts, league practices, and cutting-edge basketball ideas. Cuban is knowledgeable enough to have moderated a panel at the last Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. It's unimaginable that Heisley (or, to be fair, most other NBA owners) could do the same.’’

I’ve said this in support of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dating back 20 years and I’ve said it in support of Cuban for 10: There really is no such thing as a “meddling owner.’’ He OWNS it; how can his involvement be “meddling?’’

His involvement might result in goof-ups. But his involvement alone is not a goof-up.

The Memphis writer gives a “pass’’ to Cuban…understandable in this case, because I damn sure know Cuban understands the CBA. (And is surrounded by a staff of people who do as well.) That doesn’t mean the Mavs don’t err; it means they don’t err due to a lack of information and education.

But in the specific case of the Grizzlies’ Michael Heisley, he seems in need of not only a refresher course on his CBA, but also a review of The Bible, Socrates and Mark Twain, all contributors to the notion that “It is better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.’’

Catch “The Fish’’ at DallasBasketball.com, on FOX Sports Southwest and on Twitter at FishSports