Mark Cuban confirmed that Kobe for Dirk was on the table

[monosylab1k]

and Mark turned it down. fuck my life.

[sribb43]

http://box308.bluehost.com/~dallasba/fullColumn.php?id=1728


Wouldn't it be easier to just tear the whole thing down, trade Dirk, and build from scratch?



Cuban: "Hypothetically, if we were trading Dirk, it's just as hard if not harder to get it right in getting the right players back, because no one's gonna give up somebody that's 'an automatic superstar who takes you to the Finals and win a championship' player. You have just as much risk in saying, 'They're willing to trade Player A and Player B for Dirk, now what do we have and how do we know that's gonna make us better.' "



He also revealed they'd had just that sort of discussion on a Kobe-for-Dirk swap in the past (specifically in the summer of 2007), but ultimately said no because they felt like they would be trading away a player who had been carrying his team to the Finals without much help for a player who had been struggling just to make the playoffs with a similar caliber of supporting cast.


:bang:bang:bang

[Dex]

:lmao :lmao :lmao Brilliant.

You Dallas fans might as well just jump ship now and hop on the Spurs bandwagon.

[dirk4mvp]

You Dallas fans might as well just jump ship now and hop on the Spurs bandwagon.

No thanks. That wagon looks like shit.

[sribb43]

but we have a WC Champs banner and a SW Division championship

[sribb43]

another kick to the groin for mavs fans

[sonic21]

ouch

[Dex]

No thanks. That wagon looks like shit.

http://k53.pbase.com/o4/77/544077/1/54604364.OldWagon.jpg
We're gonna ride this shit to a threepeat!

Seven rings, bitches!

[z0sa]

cuban = fail

[manufan10]

:lmao

[monosylab1k]

PG - Harris
SG - Kobe
SF - Howard
PF - Bass
C - Dampier

Terry, Stackhouse, Dick Breath, JJ Barea on the bench.

[Reeko_Htown]

LOL!!! Congrats Mavs fans. Your Owner is Grrrrrreat!

[Ghazi]

What could Kobe have done in the past 2 years? Dirk's been excellent in the playoffs to no avail.

[pauls931]

What could Kobe have done in the past 2 years? Dirk's been excellent in the playoffs to no avail.

unclog the maverick's windpipe?

[dirk4mvp]

I don't think a Suns fan should talk about any other team choking or their choice of front office moves.

[Greg Oden]

and Mark turned it down. Fuck your life, Maverick fans.

[Muser]

:lol

[21_Blessings]

What could Kobe have done in the past 2 years? Dirk's been excellent in the playoffs to no avail.

Kobes not losing the Warriors in the first fucking round.

Or the Hornets

[ducks]

and Mark turned it down. Fuck your life, Maverick fans.

link

[timvp]

Kobes not losing the Warriors in the first fucking round.

Or the Hornets

Or the Suns.

[jonnybravo]

Lol. Similar caliber of teammates?

Kwame, Luke Walton and Smush fucking Parker were starters for God's sake.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

They're gonna miss his quickness.

FoavC5pwCTM

[21_Blessings]

Or the Suns.

Yeah go ahead and invoke the Suns when your squad, with two All-Stars, just shit the bed in the 1st round to the lower seeded Mavericks.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Almost as bad as steve Kerr turning down Amare for KG in 2007.

[timvp]

Yeah go ahead and invoke the Suns when your squad, with two All-Stars, just shit the bed in the 1st round to the lower seeded Mavericks.

lol suns twice

[Yuixafun]

Almost as bad as steve Kerr turning down Amare for KG in 2007.

that video was funny even though lowbrow his delivery made it work.


What if instead of text responses, all the responses in threads were video responses from posters...

[Ghazi]

Kobes not losing the Warriors in the first fucking round.

Or the Hornets

Warriors series is irrelevant if these trade talks were in June of 2007 after that series.

Hornets? Dirk averaged 27/12. Is it Dirk's fault Howard quit on the team, Terryvanished, Kidd couldn't guard Paul, Stackhouse was a big bag of nothing, etc?

Try harder please.

[BUMP]

We turned this down after the Golden state series?????
:bang:bang:bang:bang

[BlackSwordsMan]

dirk beat the spurs in the 1st round playoffs!!!!

[Laker-fan-in-SanAnto]

Cuban turned down this guy
http://dimemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/kobe_lat_1.jpg
:lmao

[pauls931]

He also revealed they'd had just that sort of discussion on a Kobe-for-Dirk swap in the past (specifically in the summer of 2007), but ultimately said no because they felt like they would be trading away a player who had been carrying his team to the Finals without much help for a player who had been struggling just to make the playoffs with a similar caliber of supporting cast.

Damn!!! He can't be serious. The Mavs had a much better cast than LA did back then.

[ducks]

mark loves dirk balls

[pauls931]

mark loves dirk balls

I bet there's some connection with that crazy bitch in jail...

[KSeal]

lol suns twice

lol, 2009 NBA Champions, team of the decade.

[timvp]

lol, 2009 NBA Champions, team of the decade.

lol living in the past.

lol no such award.

[KSeal]

lol living in the past.

lol no such award.

:lmao

[21_Blessings]

Warriors series is irrelevant if these trade talks were in June of 2007 after that series.

Hornets? Dirk averaged 27/12. Is it Dirk's fault Howard quit on the team, Terryvanished, Kidd couldn't guard Paul, Stackhouse was a big bag of nothing, etc?

Try harder please.

Kobe plays defense. And Howard's not quitting on Kobe. Just look at the effort Gasol played with in Memphis compared to LA.

Oh and Kobe is a better player than Dirk ever has been or ever will be.

[dirk4mvp]

Just look at the effort Gasol played with in Memphis compared to LA.


Exact same player, exact same effort. Do you ever know what you're talking about?


And Howard's not quitting on Kobe.

:rolleyes

[21_Blessings]

Exact same player, exact same effort.

Not even close. You obviously have no idea what you're talking about.

[Ghazi]

Kobe plays defense. And Howard's not quitting on Kobe. Just look at the effort Gasol played with in Memphis compared to LA.

Oh and Kobe is a better player than Dirk ever has been or ever will be.

1. Yeah, blame Dirk for Howard quitting.:rolleyes. And jeez, someone's effort level rose when they went from a 55-60 loss team to a contending team? Whoda fuckin thunk it?

2. What a cunning observation.


Get the fuck

[dirk4mvp]

Not even close. You obviously have no idea what you're talking about.



I watched just about every game while he was in Memphis. I know what I'm talking about. You don't. But you're a laker fan, so it's par for the course.

[dirk4mvp]

Does the common laker fan believe Magic when he said Pau is the most skilled big man in the league?

[dirk4mvp]

Gasol was the #1 guy on a team he took to the playoffs 3 years. But it wasnt cuz of effort. Probably that bbq sauce in Memphis.


21_Palins is such a stupid faggot. Do you watch basketball?

[sribb43]

Not even close. You obviously have no idea what you're talking about.

False...same damn player. it helps to have Kobe, Odom, Fisher, Bynum, Ariza as opposed to Bonzi Wells, Mike Miller, Eddie Jones, Stromile Swift, Jake Tsakalidas, Chucky Atkins.....please

[sribb43]

Does the common laker fan believe Magic when he said Pau is the most skilled big man in the league?

Forgive Magic, he is as incompetent as they come

[TheMACHINE]

Dirk for Kobe = Mavs championship


O WELL.

[sonic21]

kobe for dirk = lakers championship

[sribb43]

http://startelegramsports.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54f7fc4c5883301156f84e93e970c-400wi

[Ghazi]

Dirk for Kobe = Mavs championship


O WELL.

How?

[dirk4mvp]

Because Kobe would've made Howard stop smoking weed.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

:lmao Kobe would have motivated howard. Just like he motivated Kwame Brown.

[KSeal]

Because Kobe would've made Howard stop smoking weed.

Kobe couldn't get Lamar Odom to stop smoking weed so this is false.

[dirk4mvp]

Kobe couldn't get Lamar Odom to stop smoking weed so this is false.

Thus, Howard would've quit on the team no matter who was on it.

[TheMACHINE]

How?

when someone deamnds doubleteams like Kobe does....the other players (Howard, Terry, Harris) are gonna be crazy good.

[sribb43]

when someone deamnds doubleteams like Kobe does....the other players (Howard, Terry, Harris) are gonna be crazy good.

So i guess you have never watched a Mavs game?

ever since GS back in 2007 teams have doubled Dirk and the failure of this team is due to the lack of players other than Dirk being able to step up when he constantly receives double teams....

[Ghazi]

Ceteris Paribus, Kobe's skills would not have made the Mavs contenders in place of Dirk over the last 2 years. Obviously a better team, but there's too many construction flaws that have reared their head the past 2 years (poor FTA/FGA ratio, top 5 3PA bottom 5 3P%, mediocre defense, last in league in points in paint) and the talent gap between Dirk/Kobe certainly would not repair all of this.

You could get into unsubstantiated speculations such as: 1. Terry would have performed better in playoffs due to Kobe 2. Howard would not have quit 3. The offensive floor spacing would be better with Kobe instead of Dirk's unorthodox style 4. Mavs defensive intensity as a team would rise with Kobe instead of Dirk 5. Kobe would introduce a culture and swagger Dirk's personality doesn't provide.

etc etc

But those are speculations I won't lose much sleep over, especially since some of them are retarded (pinning Howard quitting on Dirk's personality)... and therefore I won't lose much sleep over the best PF in the fucking game not getting traded.

Again I'm assuming ceteris mutha fuckin paribus when I say Kobe would not have taken the Mavs to an elite level in place of dirk over the last few years.

Gooooo Dirk :)

[dirk4mvp]

At least out 2 guard hole would've been filled.

[Ghazi]

At least out 2 guard hole would've been filled.

This is true, although a gaping hole at PF would be created.

As it turns out Bass may be an okay starting 4 in the league, but that could not have been anticipated at the time due to how terrible he was with the bastard stepchild of a franchise known as the New Orleans Hornets.

I'm not sure why this deal would have been on the table. The incentive for the Mavs was marginal and what would the incentive be for the Lakers... who were a 42 win team inheriting a lesser player of the same age?

[monosylab1k]

Ghazi do us all a favor tonight when you're taking your bubble bath, and drop a toaster into the tub with you.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Ghazi do us all a favor tonight when you're taking your bubble bath, and drop a toaster into the tub with you.


:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

[sonic21]

Ghazi do us all a favor tonight when you're taking your bubble bath, and drop a toaster into the tub with you.

:lmao

[Ghazi]

Ghazi do us all a favor tonight when you're taking your bubble bath, and drop a toaster into the tub with you.

Thanks for agreeing with me :)

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Thanks for agreeing with me :)


Wow so you even think that would be doing the world a favor. That's sad.

[mavsfan1000]

Did the Mavs have talent like Gasol, Bynum, and Odom to go with that trade? Nope. It would've been the same story of Dallas falling short. We get a jerk as a leader instead of the humble Nowitzki.

[Ghazi]

Wow so you even think that would be doing the world a favor. That's sad.

My points are irrefutable.all other things held constant, Kobe in place of Dirk would not have won the Mavs a title the past 2 years, arguably wouldn't have even got them farther in the playoffs than they have.

To suggest that it does implies that Dirk's stats exaggerate his impact on a game or that his style of play/demeanor holds team mates like Howard/Terry back.

But I doubt this :)

It's not that Dirk is equal or better than Kobe, it's just that the Mavs talent level has been far off from championship caliber the last 2 years.

Goooooo Dirk :)

[poop]

Ghazi do us all a favor tonight when you're taking your bubble bath, and drop a toaster into the tub with you.

:rollin

[Chillen]

I have to defend the Mavericks decision, Dirk had just won MVP and led them to the NBA finals. Though, I guess Cuban could have undervalued the impact that having Kobe would bring.

What put the Lakers over the top was the Gasol trade, I highly doubt Memphis would trade Gasol for a bag of peanuts if Kobe wasn't in LA.

[Allanon]

I like Dirk and he's a cool dude and all. But the Mavs will never win it all with Dirk as the #1 guy.

Dirk's like Pau, extremely skilled but should never be the Man on a team if you want to win a Ring.

[dirk4mvp]

Except he's way better than Pau.

[sribb43]

I like Dirk and he's a cool dude and all. But the Mavs will never win it all with Dirk as the #1 guy.

Dirk's like Pau, extremely skilled but should never be the Man on a team if you want to win a Ring.

Kobe needed a legit #2 guy to at least win a playoff series. Kobe wouldnt have won shit by himself without Gasol. Dirk needs a legit #2 just like Kobe did...give Dirk a Gasol-like player and winning a title isnt out of hte question. J-Ho is Dirk's #2 guy and

Gasol>>>>>>>>>>>>J-Ho

[Rogue]

Probably it should have been Carter rather than Kidd shipped to Dallas.

[mystargtr34]

No way Kobe wins an NBA Championship with Erik Dampier and Brandon Bass as his big men.

[Findog]

From my understanding, it's all moot anyways, because Kobe never would've approved a swap to Dallas for Dirk. He had veto power and he made it clear that he wanted to team up with Dirk, not go to war with Josh Howard and Jason Terry. Still, it's not good that the front office turned that down. It makes you question a lot of things.

[iggypop123]

the lakers demanded kobe for dirk and howard. basically nothing was going to happen

[blink]

kobe to mavs changes nothing that year, youd be a fool to think otherwise. kobe wouldnt have made anything happen with jason terry/howard.

[Findog]

the lakers demanded kobe for dirk and howard. basically nothing was going to happen

Exactly. The talks never progressed to the point that it got serious or close. Plus, I don't think the Lakers were ever going to do anything with him that summer, regardless of how unhappy he was. He can or could've at the time opted out in 09, meaning the Lakers would have no incentive to move him until the summer of 08. They decided to wait it out and get him some help and the rest is history. They gambled they could buy themselves some time until the summer of 08 and they did with the Gasol trade. I think he signed an extension. He wasn't going anywhere in the summer of 07, so you can't hammer the Mavs front office too hard.

[monosylab1k]

Um, Mark himself already said that it was Kobe for Dirk, and that he didn't reject it because Josh was involved or anything else, he rejected it due to that retarded ass logic he gave.

Bottom line, another vomit-inducing blunder by Mark Cuban.

[monosylab1k]

Exactly. The talks never progressed to the point that it got serious or close. Plus, I don't think the Lakers were ever going to do anything with him that summer, regardless of how unhappy he was. He can or could've at the time opted out in 09, meaning the Lakers would have no incentive to move him until the summer of 08. They decided to wait it out and get him some help and the rest is history. They gambled they could buy themselves some time until the summer of 08 and they did with the Gasol trade. I think he signed an extension. He wasn't going anywhere in the summer of 07, so you can't hammer the Mavs front office too hard.

Whatever helps you justify what Mark did. Or didn't do, rather. Or hasn't done for 3 years now.

[Findog]

Whatever helps you justify what Mark did. Or didn't do, rather. Or hasn't done for 3 years now.

The Lakers weren't moving Kobe that summer. "On the table" and "being discussed" is a lot different from "firm offer." The Mavs probably didnt take the talks seriously enough to pursue it to the serious stage because they doubted the Lakers true willingness to move Kobe. Nothing will convince me otherwise that Buss was putting off a Kobe decision until the summer of 08.

[Findog]

No doubt Buss briefly considered moving Kobe and went through the motions of contacting other clubs after Kobe insulted him personally...but they never seriously considered moving him after looking at his contract and seeing the timeline involved.

[Rogue]

It's unfair to blame Mark or any other organizer to stay dumb in recent years, in fact our team has got enough talent to compete with any other team in the West division. It's undeniable Kobe is a great player but Dirk is definitely not too far behind even the greatest player of all time in NBA history. Our team leader is above or beneath Kobe by a slim hair, and the role players of these two teams are roughly among the same caliber. It's been the poor coaching work that holds back our boys in blue. we have a big bunch of talented roles around Dirk in Kidd, Jet, Smokey... but our poor chemistry gives no glue to patch all these talents into a team.

[monosylab1k]

I just want my fucking team to do something right for a change. Even when they traded for Kidd and I thought they did something great, it turned out to be a horrible error.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

I think mono's frustration is the fact Dallas has kept a core of players together for several years now that has clearly proven it doesn't have what it takes yet Cuban doesn't make any roster improvements and releases stupid news stories about how the same group of players is somehow magically getting better.

The reason I know this is cause I've had a pretty similar frustration with the Suns since they clearly proved a major change was needed after 2007.

[Ghazi]

I like Dirk and he's a cool dude and all. But the Mavs will never win it all with Dirk as the #1 guy.

Dirk's like Pau, extremely skilled but should never be the Man on a team if you want to win a Ring.

Dirk was the man on a title team in 2006. He's probably closer to the class of Kobe then to the class of Pau, or perhaps hedged in the middle. Just saying. Even if you do consider the Heat actual champions the Mavs were within a few shots and whistles of a title, so just because Dirk "wasn't" the man on a title team (he was) doesn't mean he was never ever capable.

Although the league is stronger now and Dirk's experiencing some slight declines in certain aspects of the game, so I agree that he probably isn't an ideal #1 anymore, but he's pretty close.

[Ghazi]

I think mono's frustration is the fact Dallas has kept a core of players together for several years now that has clearly proven it doesn't have what it takes yet Cuban doesn't make any roster improvements and releases stupid news stories about how the same group of players is somehow magically getting better.

The reason I know this is cause I've had a pretty similar frustration with the Suns since they clearly proved a major change was needed after 2007.

Like all Mavs fans, mono is frustrated by the atrocity that was the 2006 Finals, which were robbed of the Mavs.

The Suns/Mavs did make major changes though with the Shaq and Kidd trades FWIW. Just because they didn't pay off doesn't mean they weren't major trades. Now the only question is whether they need to gut even more of their core.

I say YES in the case of the Mavs with regard to Dampier/Howard/Terry. Dampier's lack offense creates imbalance on that end of the court, Howard has bball IQ flaws and has gradually drifted away from the basket over the past few years (I think 22% of shots in paint compared to 35% or so 3-4 years ago), Terry is undersized and one dimensional and 40% of his shots are 3-PT range, yet he's not even a knockdown 3-PT shooter. They just don't play winner's basketball, not on this team at least. Ideally 2 of the 3 if not all 3 should be moved if value is available. Stack too, although that's given.

[Ghazi]

I just want my fucking team to do something right for a change. Even when they traded for Kidd and I thought they did something great, it turned out to be a horrible error.

It's only a "horrible" error if Kidd walks. Otherwise, it was probably just a lateral move, although that could be interpreted as horrible since the objective of a trade is to get better.

But Kidd's intangibles offset Harris's superior offensive production. And yes, I'm busting out the intangibles card :). It's the only explanation for his insanely good on/off stats and adjusted +/- numbers despite the fact that he's just a 9/8/6 guy.

Furthermore, as I've argued in the past, the Mavs in 2008 got better after the Kidd trade, especially on the defensive end, it just wasn't obvious due to a bombardment of Murphy's Law, with Dirk missing a 5 or so games due to injury/suspension, Howard turning into an inefficient chucker/blackhole/quitter, a plethora of last minute losses, Avery's coaching, etc etc.

All of this in the 07-08 West is the difference between being 7th or a Top 4 seed w/ home court. And so, all of this could have been the difference between losing in 1st round or advancing to 2nd or even WCF.

It's all hindsight, just saying... Kidd didn't make the Mavs drastically worse the past few years, and it's too soon to call it a "horrible" trade.

[21_Blessings]

Dirk was the man on a title team in 2006. He's probably closer to the class of Kobe then to the class of Pau,

Nah, not really. But you and Cuban can keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, Dirk will retire ringless.

[Ghazi]

Nah, not really. But you and Cuban can keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, Dirk will retire ringless.

Edit:

Dirk has been all-NBA past 9 years just like Kobe. Has an MVP just like Kobe. was within 1 whistle of a title as the #1 guy.

So yes, closer stats/accolades to Kobe than Pau, at least in his prime from 2005-2007.

Then again you have suggested in the past Pau > Dirk, so of course you would disagree here :lol

[21_Blessings]

Dirk's MVP was undeserved and should have been mailed to Kobe or Lebron after the 1st round.

lmao nice choke against the 8 seed that year M-V-P

[Ghazi]

Dirk's MVP was undeserved and should have been mailed to Kobe or Lebron after the 1st round.

lmao nice choke against the 8 seed that year M-V-P


Much deserved regular season award. And if he didn't deserve it that year he deserved it in '06 so it offsets.

suck a dick FGT!

[Sportstudi]

Dirk's MVP was undeserved and should have been mailed to Kobe or Lebron after the 1st round.

lmao nice choke against the 8 seed that year M-V-P

Is it so hard for you to understand that the MVP is a regular season award? We all know the outcome against GSW and that Dirk didn't play well (he was injured though), but if someone led a team to 67-15 season (still tied for 6th all time) and shot 50-40-90 as the only one during that season (btw, the first 7-footer and likely the only one in the near future), he simply he deserved the MVP.

[Findog]

Is it so hard for you to understand that the MVP is a regular season award? We all know the outcome against GSW and that Dirk didn't play well (he was injured though), but if someone led a team to 67-15 season (still tied for 6th all time) and shot 50-40-90 as the only one during that season (btw, the first 7-footer and likely the only one in the near future), he simply he deserved the MVP.

You're arguing with the epitomy of frontal lobe damage.

[Findog]

I like Dirk and he's a cool dude and all. But the Mavs will never win it all with Dirk as the #1 guy.

Dirk's like Pau, extremely skilled but should never be the Man on a team if you want to win a Ring.

Dirk is way better than Pau and came much closer to a ring as a #1 guy. The Mavs came within an inch of a title, so it's definitely possible although not likely that a team can win a title with Dirk as the #1 man. Gasol couldn't even win a playoff game. The only time they met in the playoffs, Dirk kicked his teeth in, and that was a 60 win team going up against a 50 win team, so it's not like Gasol was playing with a bunch of D-Leaguers.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

I'm not a big fan of either one but Dirk >>>>>>> Pau.

[Ghazi]

I'm not a big fan of either one but Dirk >>>>>>> Pau.

hhmm dislike of JJ Reddick, Gasol, Dirk, Nash.

Seeing a pattern here. :bking

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

hhmm dislike of JJ Reddick, Gasol, Dirk, Nash.

Seeing a pattern here. :bking

I never said I dislike Dirk, I said I'm not a big fan of him. I can't even jock on the way he carried Dallas last year.

[Sportstudi]

You're arguing with the epitomy of frontal lobe damage.

Now Einstein's quote really makes sense... :rollin

[pauls931]

hhmm dislike of JJ Reddick, Gasol, Dirk, Nash.

Seeing a pattern here. :bking

He also hates snow.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Yup, I'm white and I hate white people, you got me :rolleyes

[Sissiborgo]

PG - Harris
SG - Kobe
SF - Howard
PF - Bass
C - Dampier

Terry, Stackhouse, Dick Breath, JJ Barea on the bench.

yeah bass would shit in he's pants! and dampier is getting old! good lineup! and kobe would end up like Iverson! Not good:fro

[carrao45]

Dirk is great...He's only good enough to be a sidekick though IMO

[sribb43]

Dirk is great...He's only good enough to be a sidekick though IMO

Just like Kobe was with Shaq or like Kobe was before Gasol...this arguement is so fuckin' stupid. Kobe wouldnt have won without Shaq or Gasol just like Dirk cant win with JET or J-Ho as his #2. Also, take KG, he wasnt so great with Cassell, Wally or Sprewell but once he got Ray Ray and Pierce he all of a sudden is greatness.

All great palyers need stud #2 guys to win a championship, unfortuantely Dirk hasnt had that in his career. Dirk is not on Kobe's level but he can win if the right pieces are with him. Donnie + Mark = FAIL

[Ghazi]

Just like Kobe was with Shaq or like Kobe was before Gasol...this arguement is so fuckin' stupid. Kobe wouldnt have won without Shaq or Gasol just like Dirk cant win with JET or J-Ho as his #2. Also, take KG, he wasnt so great with Cassell, Wally or Sprewell but once he got Ray Ray and Pierce he all of a sudden is greatness.

All great palyers need stud #2 guys to win a championship, unfortuantely Dirk hasnt had that in his career. Dirk is not on Kobe's level but he can win if the right pieces are with him. Donnie + Mark = FAIL

In fairness to the FO the '06 team, although in retrospect probably lucky to make the Finals, was pretty well constructed and deserved to win a championship :). Good 3-PT shooting, decently good defense, good FT/FTA ratio, Dirk playing his absolute best, J-Ho being more paint oriented than he has been past few years, etc.... all of that has dissipated in the past couple of years though, despite keeping much of the '06 core.

Although nelly had his fingerprints on that team and is no longer with us

Perhaps the league has gotten better.

[Findog]

I'd like to see Dallas go after the combo of Emeka Okafor and Raymond Felton, two guys that I think have the potential still to become much better than what they've shown and would probably do better as complementary pieces in Dallas instead of building blocks in Charlotte. Dallas is looking to get more athletic and talented, and Charlotte is a miserly operation that would love to dump salary. Okafor still has a ton of money coming to him and Felton is expendable with DJ Augustin in the mix now.

Okafor is not exactly Bill Russell, but he can get you a double-double and defend the post. That's all the Mavs need at the center position. Certainly much better than what they throw out there now. He seems to be past his injury problems.

Felton to me looks like a potential Chauncey Billups in the making. Sometimes it takes guys a while to figure out how to play the PG position. Billups and Devin Harris took awhile to blossom. If Felton can add a reliable 3-pt shot, he instantly goes from mediocre to good. He shoots a terrible % from the floor if memory serves. Bet you he gets better looks alongside Dirk. He's a hard-working high-character guy, and he's a potential successor to Kidd. Maybe he won't ever be an All Star, but I can see him working out for us in a Derek Harper-esque fashion.

The big names come up in trade talks and rumors but there is a use for identifying underutilized talent on other teams and making it fit better for you. We've seen it with Ariza going from a scrub with Orlando to a VERY good complementary piece in Los Angeles. We've seen it with Brandon Bass getting buried on the bench in New Orleans and blossoming with Dallas. A lot of people will say "Okafor and Felton? meh...." but I think that's something the Mavs should look at.

[Rogue]

I'd like to see Dallas go after the combo of Emeka Okafor and Raymond Felton, two guys that I think have the potential still to become much better than what they've shown and would probably do better as complementary pieces in Dallas instead of building blocks in Charlotte. Dallas is looking to get more athletic and talented, and Charlotte is a miserly operation that would love to dump salary. Okafor still has a ton of money coming to him and Felton is expendable with DJ Augustin in the mix now.

Okafor is not exactly Bill Russell, but he can get you a double-double and defend the post. That's all the Mavs need at the center position. Certainly much better than what they throw out there now. He seems to be past his injury problems.

Felton to me looks like a potential Chauncey Billups in the making. Sometimes it takes guys a while to figure out how to play the PG position. Billups and Devin Harris took awhile to blossom. If Felton can add a reliable 3-pt shot, he instantly goes from mediocre to good. He shoots a terrible % from the floor if memory serves. Bet you he gets better looks alongside Dirk. He's a hard-working high-character guy, and he's a potential successor to Kidd. Maybe he won't ever be an All Star, but I can see him working out for us in a Derek Harper-esque fashion.

The big names come up in trade talks and rumors but there is a use for identifying underutilized talent on other teams and making it fit better for you. We've seen it with Ariza going from a scrub with Orlando to a VERY good complementary piece in Los Angeles. We've seen it with Brandon Bass getting buried on the bench in New Orleans and blossoming with Dallas. A lot of people will say "Okafor and Felton? meh...." but I think that's something the Mavs should look at.
Okafor and Felton are definitely the type of guys that can make significant changes to our team, but the problem is we can not get both of them, or even either of them. Felton is a free agent this offseason, which means he can choose whichever team he wants to join, obviously the Mavs are not very competitive in this market. The only way for him to the Mavs is just a sign&trade, but we don't have the proper contracts to get such a deal done. We have to put a couple small contracts into a single package for Felton himself, as the signed player cannot be packed with any other player. But I don't think they Bobcats have any interests in the players like Wright, Shawn Williams who are the only proper contracts on our team that fits the need. I'm unaware if a double sign&trade works, if so then we can sign Bass and trade him immediately to the Bobcats for Felton.

Okafor would be even a bigger upgrade than Felton is to our team, but he is also more unaffordable, at least we cannot get himself without some outrageous contracts. If their purpose is to dump salaries, Boris Diaw and Mohammed should be the first two guys they consider removing, and Diop right behind them. Okafor has really been very disappointing in recent years as the 2nd overall draft in 04, but he is still easily the co-leader of the bobcats together with Gerald Wallace. And Okafor will surely be used as the bait which can make acceptable the hook inside, like Diaw, Diop, Mohammed and Radmanovic. Okafor will definitely put in the same package with at least two of the four guys mentioned before, anyway Okafor cannot make this package worth what to be payed in exchange for it. Comparably I would rather trade our expiring contracts for Camby and Diddy. http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=nykhkp

Of course, Shaq is still our first target, though he is already damn close to Crab and his Cavs. The chance is always out there till the wed, I mean Donnie still is in the race and it would be stupid to give up the pursuit. Marriage is protected by the Law while relationship is not...

[Findog]

I think Felton can definitely be had for the full MLE. Plus I don't think the Bobcats want to part with Diaw. He looked terrific for them last year. Just needed to get out from under Amare's shadow.

[sribb43]

Felton is not the answer for the Mavs at PG...if he was the back up great but he is another one of those overrated Tarheels. He has to be one of the most inconsistent players in the league

[stretch]

having a better team around him i think would help Felton's game and %'s improve.

I would love to see Okafor/Felton in dallas. wanted them here for a couple years now.

[Findog]

Felton is not the answer for the Mavs at PG...if he was the back up great but he is another one of those overrated Tarheels. He has to be one of the most inconsistent players in the league

He's only 24 years old. I think he has the talent to get better. Jason Terry shot between 40-43% from the floor in Atlanta. With Dallas it's been between 47-50%. I think Felton has the potential to be a very good complementary piece. He's insurance for a post-Kidd 2010. Certainly helpful to have a veteran point if you're a veteran playoff team.

[mavsfan1000]

yeah bass would shit in he's pants! and dampier is getting old! good lineup! and kobe would end up like Iverson! Not good:fro
Agreed. Bass is a low IQ power forward and undersized. He is not good enough to start on a championship team. And who would be the backup power forward? Big hole equals no championship with Kobe.