Cuban calls Phil Jackson "Jeanie Buss' boy-toy"

So Phi Jackson was asked about Caron Butler's season ending injury and he said that it would create a large hole to fill for the Mavs. Most people would take that as compliment to Caron's game, but since Whistlin' Phil's intent is usually to get under the skin of others, Mark Cuban wasn't too pleased and responded:
"I love that Jeanie Buss' boy-toy had something to say about us," Cuban said while sweating on the stair-stepping machine in the Mavs' workout room. "I don't know if it was his thought or Jeanie's thought, but it's nice to know that she lets him speak in public about other teams."
Good stuff and it had the potential for something great, but Phil Jackson's comeback was pretty poor:
"I love it," Jackson said. "I consider myself an old man, to hear that I'm a boy-toy? That's terrific."
There's a little bit more on ESPN Dallas if you want to check it out. So my question is how do people feel about the Mavs now? Did they lose their contender status with this injury? Were they never really true contenders? Or will they move Caron Butler's expiring contract and broken knee for an upgrade?