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there is no way the mavs will stand pat..
just no way.
That would be like suicide for them, their fans would cut their balls off
Nice pick, but the point is, Dallas Mavericks haven't improved
by Jean-Jacques Taylor / The Dallas Morning News
The Mavs drafted the explosive, energetic, athletic point guard they wanted Thursday night. The only problem is Rodrigue Beaubois won't help them win many basketball games next season.
He's not ready.
Actually, consider it a surprise if he even cracks Rick Carlisle's rotation next season.
"He's only tapped into part of his potential," Carlisle said.
The Mavs acquired another guard, first-round talent Nick Calathes, by sending a second-round pick to Minnesota. But he will spend next year playing in Greece, so that's another guy who won't help them this season.
The reality is the Mavs, right now, aren't any better than they were at the end of last season. Trust me, that's not a positive.
After all, San Antonio has improved by adding Richard Jefferson, a proven scorer, for three bags of magic beans. Denver is better, too, after acquiring point guard Ty Lawson, Chauncey Billups' new backup, in draft-day trade.
You can add Golden State to that list, if it can get a proposed deal for Amare Stoudemire completed. Even the Clippers are better after acquiring Blake Griffin with the first pick in the draft.
Los Angeles, Houston, Utah, Portland and New Orleans were already better. And Oklahoma City is rapidly improving.
We all know you don't win championships on draft day, especially since the NBA draft is all about potential these days. And you certainly can't put too much emphasis on it since most draft experts claim this is one of the weakest drafts in years.
Frankly, it doesn't matter whether the Mavs use the draft, free agency or trades to improve their roster.
The problem is other teams are already making themselves better. Cleveland found a way to trade for Shaq. Orlando found a way to acquire Vince Carter.
The Spurs added Jefferson, which should take considerable pressure off Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan.
The Mavs scrapped their way to 50 wins again, grabbing the sixth seed in the final two weeks of the season.
Carlisle maximized the talent on this roster. You can even make the case that Dallas overachieved in the regular season.
In the playoffs, they took advantage of Ginobili's absence to win in five games. Then Denver overwhelmed the Mavs, exploiting the Mavs lack of size and athleticism.
The club that was up 2-0 in the NBA Finals just a few seasons ago is now an aging club on the verge of becoming irrelevant in the Western Conference. The opportunity for this team, as currently comprised, to compete for a championship is just about over.
Dirk Nowitzki remains a phenomenal player, but he's 31. Jason Terry is 32. Josh Howard is 29.
Players in their 30s start declining at some point. They no longer have upside.
So it's up to Donnie Nelson and Mark Cuban to figure out a way to make this team better. There must be some sense of urgency because there are only so many quality players available who can help the Mavs.
"In this league you can never tell about the timing. You have to be ready at any time," Nelson said. "It could be in July. It could be in August. It could be in September. You can't really predict, but when the opportunity arises, we'll be ready."
If the Mavs wait too long, it will become a seller's market. Then they'll really find themselves in a dilemma. It's not too late because they still have the expiring contracts of Jerry Stackhouse and Erick Dampier that some team would love to have.
What they can't do is take essentially the same team that lost to Denver into next season in hopes of making some splashy free-agent signing in the summer of 2010.
That would be a colossal mistake.
Without adding some significant help this season, the Mavs will struggle to make the playoffs. Do you really think one of the game's top free agents will come to Big D when Jason Kidd, assuming he gets re-signed, is another year closer to 40 and Dirk and Terry are another year older?
No.
For now, Nelson wants you to trust him. It's OK, if you do. It's not time to panic.
Yet.
*********************
Dallas Mavericks gamble they'll make noise in free agency
by Eddie Sefco / The Dallas Morning News
The movie production company that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's has a piece of put out a movie a few years back called The Smartest Guys in the Room.
Based on evidence gathered so far, it was not a do entary on the Mavericks' off-season.
But that doesn't mean hope is lost.
The NBA draft Thursday night was not a time for the Mavericks to make a big splash. It was a time to take care of business as best they could. But the festivities were not the big dealings that fans are waiting for.
And there better be some big dealings.
The Mavericks are under the microscope because of what has happened around them. So many teams have gained strength that it's guilt by disassociation.
While San Antonio, Denver and others fortify themselves, the Mavericks are waiting.
Will the right deal come along?
All fans can do is trust in the management. And word out of the Mavericks' draft room as they look forward to free agency is that there's going to be a few more perhaps more prudent options when it comes to making a big splash than the Spurs, Cleveland and Orlando have done in the last week.
"Wait," said president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson. "One shouldn't confuse silence with inactivity. We're prepared for a very active summer."
That's tough to do when you see the rest of the league upgrading in the arms race at a rapid pace.
The Mavericks have essentially the same trade chip in Jerry Stackhouse that the Spurs and Cavaliers had to work with. Yet today, the Mavericks remain unchanged since the end of the season, save for the draft night acquisition of Rodrigue Beaubois, a point guard from France who has great athleticism but is probably a couple of years away from being able to contribute on a championship-level team.
"Now the craziness really happens," Nelson said.
The Mavericks also are operating under the assumption that there is not a finite pool of "splash" players out there.
Just because Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and Shaquille O'Neal have moved to contending teams doesn't mean the Mavericks won't be able to find just as much of a helper.
It will almost certainly have to be a trade of some sort, with Stackhouse's $7 million contract, which can be bought out for $2 million, and Erick Dampier's expiring $11 million deal as the primary trade chips.
As far as straight free agency goes, this summer will not be the frenzy it's going to be in 2010. But can the Mavericks afford to wait a full year to make their big play for help for Dirk Nowitzki?
Not likely.
As for free-agent targets, the options are limited. It seems unlikely Lamar Odom or Trevor Ariza are going to leave the Los Angeles Lakers.
Carlos Boozer is looking to hit the lottery, and Utah seems intent on doing a sign-and-trade.
Others, like Ben Gordon, Allen Iverson and the like, make only marginal sense for the Mavericks.
The bottom line is that they are going to have to remain patient. Other teams are going to get antsy and try to shed money. When they do, the Mavericks have to pounce.
If they don't, it'll be a long summer and a longer 2009-10 season.
there is no way the mavs will stand pat..
just no way.
That would be like suicide for them, their fans would cut their balls off
I think a biggie is coming soon.
Many times in recent years the Mavericks seem to make trades just for the sake of swapping players, without much emphasis on how, or even whether, it will improve the team. They've got some expiring contracts to try to do something with, but they need to make the right moves this time. They have some good young talent to go with some good vets. They only need a couple of pieces, but again, they have to be the right pieces.
I think Donnie Nelson Pulls a Steve Kerr and blows the team up next year.
i think they will trade josh howard for steve nash like they did devin harris for jason kidd
Even if they do, no offense to Mavs fans, but this team is pretty full of holes. Barea is not a long term answer at any position. Kidd and Dirk are their two strongest players, although you could toss Terry in there (I guess).
Mavs basically need to work a miracle to be back as legitimate contenders. That's IS possible, but I just don't see a way right now.
They could package Dampier and Stackhouse for something and not lose anything pivotal to thier current success.
Yeah we've never heard that one before.
It's nice that the Mavs are paying Matt Carroll $5.050.000 and he still's got a contract for 5 years.
Good job Cuban.
GTFO!It's nice that the Mavs are paying Matt Carroll $5.050.000 and he still's got a contract for 5 years.
Good job Cuban.
It's nice that the Mavs are paying Matt Carroll $5.050.000 and he still's got a contract for 5 years.
Good job Cuban.
Talk about a nice little piece of trade bait..... in 4 years.
Ugh...... we've been hearing this same over and over from Donnie and Mark. I'm starting to think Donnie forgot that we have some decent trade chips in Damp and Stack...
He's no DeJaun Blair, but he's pretty decent.Eric Dampier is the 2nd best center in the league. Haven't you heard?
I can't believe the Mav's front office would pay Dampier that much money? What was Cuban thinking??!!???
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