duncan228
07-30-2009, 01:24 PM
Mavs' backup plan not ideal, but it just might do the trick (http://probasketballnews.com/story/?storyid=671)
By Chris Bernucca
Pro Basketball News
Let's put something right on the table, before any damage control or spin can make it seem otherwise: The Dallas Mavericks were hoodwinked this offseason (http://probasketballnews.com/story/?storyid=645).
The Mavericks were looking to fortify their frontcourt and thought they had a nice long-term plan with Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass. But they were taken by Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith, who played some possum and ended up with both players.
So the Mavericks went to Plan B, as Gortat and Bass became Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas. As alternatives go, not bad. It made them older and smaller, but it also was cheaper -- not that money is ever an issue for owner Mark Cuban.
Here's what the Mavericks have: A deep roster with lots of multi-position guys and specialists that allows them to play different ways, recalling the group that reached the 2006 Finals (http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DAL/2006.html).
Here's what the Mavericks don't have: A true backup center, immediate salary cap flexibility, youth, developing players at the end of the bench.
Right now, it doesn't look like the Mavericks have added enough to truly challenge the Lakers. But championships aren't won in the summer. And Dallas certainly has added more than the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver, San Antonio, Portland and Houston -- the Western Conference teams it finished behind last season.
There's no use in lamenting the loss of Gortat. His size, skills and ceiling would have provided a terrific transition away from Erick Dampier, who gets in the way more than he gets it done. But Gortat is in Orlando.
However, keep this is mind: Shaquille O'Neal was traded out of the conference and Yao Ming is out for the season. Among West contenders, which team really has a legitimate fearsome center? Not the Lakers, with foul- and injury-prone Andrew Bynum. Not the Blazers, with Greg Oden still coming off the bench. The only true threat is the Spurs with Tim Duncan, who presents problems for every opponent.
Given Dampier's limitations and the relative lack of imposing size across the conference, it's easy to see the Mavericks playing plenty of small ball, a style where they have no shortage of options.
Power forward Dirk Nowitzki can slide up to center and open the paint. Gooden can defend the post, rebound and make 15-foot jumpers. Shawn Marion scores and rebounds from either forward slot. Thomas makes 3-pointers and can play both forward spots.
There's flexibility in the backcourt, too. Small forward Josh Howard will slide to shooting guard to make room for Marion but can easily slide back when Jason Terry comes off the bench as a scorer or Quinton Ross comes off the bench as a stopper. Jason Kidd can run the show or spot up off the ball when Jose Barea plays the point. And rookie Roddy Beaubois can press the pace to fast-forward for short stretches.
Former baseball manager Sparky Anderson used to have a plaque on his office wall with the phrase, "Ballplayers come in cans and not can'ts." He used it as a reminder of what a player can do rather than what he can't do. On his current roster, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle (http://www.thetwomangame.com/2009/03/rick-carlisle/)certainly has a lot of cans. You would be hard-pressed to come up with a team that goes 10 deep better than Dallas.
That hasn't come without a price, however. When the dust settles and camps open, the Mavericks again will be right near the top in total payroll and subjecting themselves to about $20 million in luxury tax, thanks to a lot of dead weight at the end of the bench.
The Mavs have 18 players under contract, including backup center Ryan Hollins, who received a qualifying offer, and reserve guard Greg Buckner, who has a $1 million buyout. Even if Dallas lets Hollins walk and buys out Buckner, it will still have 16 players.
And that doesn't include second-round pick Ahmad Nivins, a slim big who had his moments in the Las Vegas Summer League and would almost have to be signed as a replacement for Hollins.
At the end of the bench with no chance of any significant playing time are Nathan Jawai ($736K), Shawne Williams ($2.42M), Kris Humphries ($6.4M over two years) and Matt Carroll ($16.4M over four years). All arrived as extra
pieces in trades that Dallas always seems willing to take on.
With the longshot exception of Jawai, none of these guys is going to make a quantum leap. What you see is pretty much what you've got. And what you've got is more than $11 million in salaries for practice players, a tab that doubles because the Mavs are a tax team.
Worse is that this quartet is occupying roster spots that could have gone to Hollins, James Singleton and Gerald Green, players whom you can envision getting better and blossoming elsewhere.
And when your stud is 31, your point guard is 36 and six of your top eight are 30-something, player development shouldn't be overlooked.
It's obvious that after three straight years of increasing disappointment and tiresome tinkering, the Mavs were emboldened by last season's results. They decided to go for it and weren't going to let anyone -- including Otis Smith -- get in their way.
But while Plan B makes the Mavs contemporary contenders, it makes very few contingencies for a nucleus that right now qualifies as experienced but could quickly be labeled as old. Look how fast things changed in Detroit.
In that case, the Mavs will need another plan.
By Chris Bernucca
Pro Basketball News
Let's put something right on the table, before any damage control or spin can make it seem otherwise: The Dallas Mavericks were hoodwinked this offseason (http://probasketballnews.com/story/?storyid=645).
The Mavericks were looking to fortify their frontcourt and thought they had a nice long-term plan with Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass. But they were taken by Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith, who played some possum and ended up with both players.
So the Mavericks went to Plan B, as Gortat and Bass became Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas. As alternatives go, not bad. It made them older and smaller, but it also was cheaper -- not that money is ever an issue for owner Mark Cuban.
Here's what the Mavericks have: A deep roster with lots of multi-position guys and specialists that allows them to play different ways, recalling the group that reached the 2006 Finals (http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DAL/2006.html).
Here's what the Mavericks don't have: A true backup center, immediate salary cap flexibility, youth, developing players at the end of the bench.
Right now, it doesn't look like the Mavericks have added enough to truly challenge the Lakers. But championships aren't won in the summer. And Dallas certainly has added more than the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver, San Antonio, Portland and Houston -- the Western Conference teams it finished behind last season.
There's no use in lamenting the loss of Gortat. His size, skills and ceiling would have provided a terrific transition away from Erick Dampier, who gets in the way more than he gets it done. But Gortat is in Orlando.
However, keep this is mind: Shaquille O'Neal was traded out of the conference and Yao Ming is out for the season. Among West contenders, which team really has a legitimate fearsome center? Not the Lakers, with foul- and injury-prone Andrew Bynum. Not the Blazers, with Greg Oden still coming off the bench. The only true threat is the Spurs with Tim Duncan, who presents problems for every opponent.
Given Dampier's limitations and the relative lack of imposing size across the conference, it's easy to see the Mavericks playing plenty of small ball, a style where they have no shortage of options.
Power forward Dirk Nowitzki can slide up to center and open the paint. Gooden can defend the post, rebound and make 15-foot jumpers. Shawn Marion scores and rebounds from either forward slot. Thomas makes 3-pointers and can play both forward spots.
There's flexibility in the backcourt, too. Small forward Josh Howard will slide to shooting guard to make room for Marion but can easily slide back when Jason Terry comes off the bench as a scorer or Quinton Ross comes off the bench as a stopper. Jason Kidd can run the show or spot up off the ball when Jose Barea plays the point. And rookie Roddy Beaubois can press the pace to fast-forward for short stretches.
Former baseball manager Sparky Anderson used to have a plaque on his office wall with the phrase, "Ballplayers come in cans and not can'ts." He used it as a reminder of what a player can do rather than what he can't do. On his current roster, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle (http://www.thetwomangame.com/2009/03/rick-carlisle/)certainly has a lot of cans. You would be hard-pressed to come up with a team that goes 10 deep better than Dallas.
That hasn't come without a price, however. When the dust settles and camps open, the Mavericks again will be right near the top in total payroll and subjecting themselves to about $20 million in luxury tax, thanks to a lot of dead weight at the end of the bench.
The Mavs have 18 players under contract, including backup center Ryan Hollins, who received a qualifying offer, and reserve guard Greg Buckner, who has a $1 million buyout. Even if Dallas lets Hollins walk and buys out Buckner, it will still have 16 players.
And that doesn't include second-round pick Ahmad Nivins, a slim big who had his moments in the Las Vegas Summer League and would almost have to be signed as a replacement for Hollins.
At the end of the bench with no chance of any significant playing time are Nathan Jawai ($736K), Shawne Williams ($2.42M), Kris Humphries ($6.4M over two years) and Matt Carroll ($16.4M over four years). All arrived as extra
pieces in trades that Dallas always seems willing to take on.
With the longshot exception of Jawai, none of these guys is going to make a quantum leap. What you see is pretty much what you've got. And what you've got is more than $11 million in salaries for practice players, a tab that doubles because the Mavs are a tax team.
Worse is that this quartet is occupying roster spots that could have gone to Hollins, James Singleton and Gerald Green, players whom you can envision getting better and blossoming elsewhere.
And when your stud is 31, your point guard is 36 and six of your top eight are 30-something, player development shouldn't be overlooked.
It's obvious that after three straight years of increasing disappointment and tiresome tinkering, the Mavs were emboldened by last season's results. They decided to go for it and weren't going to let anyone -- including Otis Smith -- get in their way.
But while Plan B makes the Mavs contemporary contenders, it makes very few contingencies for a nucleus that right now qualifies as experienced but could quickly be labeled as old. Look how fast things changed in Detroit.
In that case, the Mavs will need another plan.