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Good for Dirk
Dirk Nowitzki did not do any interviews immediately after propelling Germany to its first Olympic berth since 1992. He couldn’t.
The Dallas Mavericks’ best player was in the locker room in Greece bawling Sunday, like a baby or newlywed or player who has finally delivered on a promise to his country, his coach and himself.
He had been thinking of this moment long before he dreamed of MVPs and NBA championships. Anybody who even kind of knows The Big German is giddy for him, with the possible exception of Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who is certainly no fan of NBA players in the Olympics.
And even he is happy for Dirk.
"My issues on the Olympics are not with Dirk or the players," Cuban said via e-mail Sunday. "I’m thrilled for Dirk. It’s a dream of his, and there is nothing that could make me happier for him."
Well, except for an NBA championship. He has kind of been banking on Dirk leading the Mavs to a ring. That was the thinking behind the whole not being willing to trade Dirk for Kobe last summer. Cubes and Nellie Jr. have bet a lot on their favorite German, and seem to have accepted he needs better toys around him to achieve his other dream.
And good news, there was movement on the toy front this week. While Dirk was doing his Superman impression thing to push Germany to the Olympics, the Mavs were not-so-quietly, as it turns out, inquiring about acquiring Ron Artest from Sacramento.
I am strangely intrigued by this. Actually love this deal.
Sure, Artest has a lot of crazy and a little team wrecker in him, a subject on which Mavs coach Rick Carlisle has intimate knowledge. Artest basically imploded his Indy team with his decision to brawl in the stands.
Carlisle obviously had to, at least, kind of-sort of, sign off on talking to Sacramento, which means he likes Artest’s brand of crazy. What the Mavs were not willing to do was give up Josh Howard for it.
This confirms two things the Mavs have been saying:
1. There is genuine league interest in our Doobie Brother.
2. The Mavs do not want to unload Josh so badly that any deal is better than no deal.
What reportedly killed trade talks was that Brandon Bass and Jerry Stackhouse, not Josh, were offered. I am not so sure I wouldn’t have sent Howard to Sacramento.
Moving Stack is understandable (even though I am a huge Stack fan). But the willingness to part company with Bass is beyond me. He was the only player, other than Dirk, who actually showed interest in trying to defeat the Hornets.
Much like a year ago, when the Mavs were publicly saying how much they loved their team and yet talked to anyone and everyone about changing it, there appears to be a lot of talking going on now.
What I can not quite figure out is why Josh is so untouchable. Maybe, the Mavs are guilty of still buying into the hype generated by the playoffs a couple of years ago.
What we know now is Josh is not the complement to Dirk we thought he was. He doesn’t have it upstairs, on the floor, or in the fourth quarter.
If Dirk can carry the Motherland into the Olympics for the first time in 16 years, he doesn’t require a Kobe or LeBron to be his sidekick. But he does need someone more dedicated than Josh has been.
And let’s be clear for everybody who has ever said Dirk is incapable of being the man: It is on his shoulders the Deutschland is going to Beijing. He scored 32 points in Sunday’s game against Puerto Rico for the last and final spot.
My good friends at ballineurope.com — which has the best Web site mascot ever, a literally smoking Euroballer — helped put this feat in proper perspective.
"For German basketball in general, this is the top of the top for the generation around the Dallas Maverick player," Web site founder Christophe Nye said. "It would have been a shame for them if they were the only team sport not qualifying, as handball, volleyball and water polo did."
This sets up interesting viewing for Mavs fans, not named Cuban, with Germany’s victory Sunday placing it in a group with Angola, Spain, Greece, Team USA (and JKidd) and China, featuring Mavs GM Donnie Nelson as an assistant coach. Talk about your reunions.
China plays Germany on Aug. 16, with Team America playing the Germans two days later. This, of course, will test Cuban’s happy level for Dirk and his OK level with NBA players being in China.
And he has a pretty good argument in Carlos Arroyo.
He was one of the Puerto Rican players; past tense needed because of a torn leg muscle that prevented him from playing against Germany. He also, to his chagrin, is a free agent.
"If it’s bad, what happens to him?" Cuban said.
And if it is Dirk, Cuban will be the one bawling like a school girl.
For now, though, Cuban, like everybody else, is thrilled that Dirk made his Big German dream a reality.
http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/771622.html
Good for Dirk
I knew he was going to sob if they won.Though he'd sob if they lost, too.
Go Germany!
Dirk > TP
I hate the Mavs but, I actually like Dirk. Good for him.
Josh has several years left on his deal. Artest is a FA next summer. I'm leery of inking Artest to an extension, and yet they could be left with no Josh and no Artest next summer if they trade Josh. It's a bear market for Josh right now, the Mavs shouldn't unload him just to do it.
Dirk is good peoples.
why does that matter? If they flame out again this year, the Mavs FO will finally have to blow this team up.
Josh's value might sink even lower in a year.
WAH! U NEED A TISSUE!?!?!?!?
It matters because I think they'll still be over the cap, in effect they'd be losing a valuable asset without even getting cap space back.
someone email www.m-w.com
it appears that "epic failure" now has a new definition.
they'll have to be getting cap space back. if they don't, they still get closer to it. Kidd is coming off the books too. Finley will also some time this millenium.
...If Dirk can carry the Motherland into the Olympics for the first time in 16 years, he doesn’t require a Kobe or LeBron to be his sidekick. But he does need someone more dedicated than Josh has been....
It iz Fatherland, ja?
this is their last year to win a le. if they don't do it this year, a roster blowup will FINALLY happen. so there's no point in fretting over Josh Howard's cap effect.
WAHHH MOMMY PATS LOST WAHHH
http://hoopshype.com/salaries/dallas.htm
This doesn't have Diop's new contract on there, so it looks like we'll be right at the cap next summer with Josh. Artest and Josh can't be traded straight up for each other, there needs to be salary filler to make it work. Even if Artest walks, it doesn't look like we'll get to be participants in free agency next year. But as it stands we have cap room for 2010
WAHH BOTH MY TEAM SUCK SO I HAV TO GO TO TRABILAXER BADNWQAGON WAHHH MOM0MMMMY!
mavsfan1000?
No kidding
Congrats to Dirk, a class guy and sure fire Hall of Famer.
Classy guy? Yes
HOF ? Are you f...... kidding me ??????
Greatest Euro of all time, top five player in his prime....HOF is a cinch
it's just a shame you had to batantly rip off another troll.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=10722
that troll is a lot funnier than you too.
fail.
How many exercise bikes will Dirk demolish after his 1st round exit in the Olympics?
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