The phrase "We can't let the prisoners run the prison" is older than anyone alive. It is a management vs employee saying and has never implied ownership of anyone(unless once used on the plantations that had slaves). If you owned a large business, would you let a few selected employees help you run your company, or let everyone do what they want all the time? If they can give themselves a raise, they will. Pro sports run from the bottom up won't work. Cuban is an idiot.
The one I use all the time is letting the inmates run the asylum. Same meaning.