Avery/Cuban Argument was About Brandon Bass

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

MAVERICKS PLAYBOOK: Cuban venting is nothing new
By JEFF CAPLAN
Star-Telegram staff writer

DALLAS -- Brandon Bass was at the heart of an argument between Mavericks coach Avery Johnson and team owner Mark Cuban, concerning Bass' playing time and his performances against top teams, a source said.

Cuban, the source said, believes Bass hasn't produced consistently against top teams and that Johnson is playing the third-year power forward too much.

Cuban denied the encounter after Tuesday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers centered on Bass. The owner and the coach both downplayed it as a fiery, but not untypical, conversation between two passionate and stubborn personalities.

"No, it wasn't about Bass. It was just venting," Cuban answered by e-mail. He did not attend Thursday's game against the Celtics. "Happens all the time. Just like it has with former coaches. I've even blogged about it before.

"And anyone who says Bass doesn't show up for big games is an idiot and missed the Warriors and Spurs games."

Bass had 16 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes in the Feb. 28 loss at San Antonio. He posted 12 points and 11 rebounds in the Jan. 2 home win against the Warriors. Against the Celtics on Thursday, Bass had 10 points and five rebounds in 11 minutes.

In 13 games since Jan. 1 -- prior to Thursday night -- against the seven other West teams occupying playoff spots and East division leaders Boston, Detroit and Orlando, Bass has averaged 8.8 points and 5.0 rebounds in 20.9 minutes, practically mirroring his season averages of 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 20.4 minutes.

Bass, though, has had three tough outings this month against Utah, Houston and the Lakers on Tuesday. In those three games, he totaled 11 points and 11 rebounds.

"He's had an awfully good year for us," Johnson said. "Just unfortunately, he didn't have one of his good nights [Tuesday]."

http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/540892.html

[ducks]

I take bass on the spurs

[monosylab1k]

Who does Cuban suggest we play in his place? Juwan Howard?

That's why he needs to just sign the checks and stop interfering.

[DarrinS]

Seems to me that they don't play him enough. He's one of the better bench players that they have -- kind of like Najera used to be.

[monosylab1k]

Seems to me that they don't play him enough. He's one of the better bench players that they have -- kind of like Najera used to be.
Damn, what I wouldn't give to have Najera back. He didn't fit with Nellie but he'd be great in this system.

[DarrinS]

What's up with Dallas teams having egomeniacal meddling coaches?

[DarrinS]

Damn, what I wouldn't give to have Najera back. He didn't fit with Nellie but he'd be great in this system.


I wish he was on our team.


You guys can have Finley back.

[mavsfan1000]

Bass is really small though. He is even worse as a center. Avery is playing him at the wrong position. He should be playing SF/PF and not PF/C. All my complaints seem to involve Avery's decision making. It's unfortunate that it appears to be we got a dumb coach.

[Gino]

Better question: Why is Mark Cuban answering questions from reporters?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Bass is really small though. He is even worse as a center. Avery is playing him at the wrong position. He should be playing SF/PF and not PF/C. All my complaints seem to involve Avery's decision making. It's unfortunate that it appears to be we got a dumb coach.
Shouldn't he have more of a shot range to be a SF/PF?

[Shank]

If Cuban doesn't like Bass, then why did he insist on not including him in any trades last month? They could have just as easily swapped in Bass for Diop in any trade scenario, but Cuban was the one that said Bass was off-limits.

Just another day in Mavsland.

[Killakobe81]

Id take bass as well we will give you back DJ Benga for him if you like ...

[GuerillaBlack]

I'd take in Bass for Chuck Hayes.

[Findog]

Bass may not be a Maverick next year. There are complications to resigning him to a long-term deal after next year, and if they want to get rid of some of their bad contracts, they might have to include Bass as a sweetener.

Bass is on a two-year contract and becomes a free agent in the summer of 2009. Unfortunately, at that point, due to CBA limits the Mavs will only have the ability to offer him a deal that starts at Mid-Level (MLE) money using what is known as the Early Bird cap exception for players with 2 years of consecutive service. The MLE will likely be around $6M, meaning a team with more cap room than that could outbid the Mavs for his ongoing services.

Perhaps a multi-year deal starting at $6M (and raises) will be enough. Or perhaps he would sign a one-year deal for that $6M, getting the Mavs to 3 years of service and the ability to then offer in the summer of 2010 any contractual amount using the full Bird rights that kick in after 3 years.

But the better he gets, the harder it may be to keep him.

[Brutalis]

I would let someone kick me in the nuts if we could get Bass.

Young, strong, smart... Spurs could mold him into such a great asset

[SenorSpur]

Bass is really small though. He is even worse as a center. Avery is playing him at the wrong position. He should be playing SF/PF and not PF/C. All my complaints seem to involve Avery's decision making. It's unfortunate that it appears to be we got a dumb coach.


...and a stubborn coach who will not listen to anyone outside the "man in the mirror". The success he had in his first couple of seasons at the helm, have only server to swell his over-inflated ego.

[The Nba Is Rigged]

Fuck Avery Johnson

[ducks]

remind me how many times cuban has won a title
and aj should listen to him about playing certain players so many minutes because cuban has experience and has titles :rolleyes
maybe if he would let his staff do their job they might win one
when a owner is so involved there are very little titles in any sports

cowboys do better when their owner is not as involved to

[ducks]

...and a stubborn coach who will not listen to anyone outside the "man in the mirror". The success he had in his first couple of seasons at the helm, have only server to swell his over-inflated ego.
cuban is just as stubborn

[Findog]

remind me how many times cuban has won a title
and aj should listen to him about playing certain players so many minutes because cuban has experience and has titles :rolleyes
maybe if he would let his staff do their job they might win one
when a owner is so involved there are very little titles in any sports

cowboys do better when their owner is not as involved to

how many title duck win
that what i want know
duck basketball expert everyone listen to
duck know more than buford popovich combined

[JMarkJohns]

Didn't Bass have two major knee surgeries before he ever even played a college game? This kid could have been really special.

[Gino]

Im waiting for the day Cuban takes the coaching spot himself.

Its got to be hard for the players to have to worry about what the coach wants them to do versus what Cuban is telling them to do.

I know Cuban loves his team probably more than any other owner, but there's no way I could work in that situation if I was Avery.

[Findog]

Im waiting for the day Cuban takes the coaching spot himself.

Its got to be hard for the players to have to worry about what the coach wants them to do versus what Cuban is telling them to do.

I know Cuban loves his team probably more than any other owner, but there's no way I could work in that situation if I was Avery.

Avery's problems are mostly self-inflicted. These are pro basketball players that have been playing all their lives, but he coaches them like a 7th grade YMCA team that has never picked up a ball before.