maybe us mavs fans should give donnie and cubes some more credit

[Findog]

But when you have an owner who has never been held down by bad contracts, the rules are different.

To be fair, Cuban's free-spending ways have prevented the Mavs from ever having cap space to sign a FA above the MLE. Along with draft picks, that's the easiest way to improve your team.

[stretch]

Marion >>>>>>> Wright

so I'd say that was a win

Marion's offense has been the main thing that was disappointing, but it seemed like the calf injury has really been holding him back. seems like over the last couple games he had a little more jump in him than he had for a while this year. but in the first few games of the year, he was looking very active, up until he really irritated the injury. but i think having a slasher/penetrator like Butler will really help the team all around.

dont forget Stevenson either. I have a feeling he will contribute more than people think

[Basketballgirl25]

Cuban has always been a good owner, Sure he has his moments in the press but nobody can deny he has been a very good owner for the Mavs.

he has been a good owner for the Mavs, but it hasn't gotten him anywhere, like I tell people Mavs will win when they don't have Dirk just my feeling

[LOL@MavsFan]

Go Spurs Go!

[LOL@MavsFan]

LOL Mavs

[stretch]

LOL bjot

[LOL@MavsFan]

LOL bjot

LOL Mavs fan thinking this trade will get them anywhere

[stretch]

LOL utsa

[LOL@MavsFan]

LOL utsa

LOL graduating UTSA and getting a master's at Trinity LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

[Mel_13]

To be fair, Cuban's free-spending ways have prevented the Mavs from ever having cap space to sign a FA above the MLE. Along with draft picks, that's the easiest way to improve your team.

History says otherwise. Most teams are built through draft picks and trades. The NBA landscape is more often changed by major trades than FA signings. Kareem, Kobe, and Gasol all came to LA via trade. KG and Allen came in trades. The recent Detroit teams featured traded players (the Wallaces and Hamilton) and an MLE-level FA in Billups.

Name another big money FA besides Shaq that was instrumental to winning a championship with a new team.

[stretch]

LOL a 13 year old lying on an internet forum

[stretch]

History says otherwise. Most teams are built through draft picks and trades. The NBA landscape is more often changed by major trades than FA signings. Kareem, Kobe, and Gasol all came to LA via trade. KG and Allen came in trades. The recent Detroit teams featured traded players (the Wallaces and Hamilton) and an MLE-level FA in Billups.

Name another big money FA besides Shaq that was instrumental to winning a championship with a new team.

i was about to say the same thing. trades and the draft always seem more effective to me.

[mavs>spurs2]

i was about to say the same thing. trades and the draft always seem more effective to me.

I think this is because when signing a free agent, many times you're trying to add talent to the roster. The new signing may or may not work out well for the team. Usually when a trade is made, it's because a team has certain needs that they desperately need filled before the deadline, and if the GM is any good at all, he trades for guys who fill those needs so that the pieces fit in perfectly.

[sefant77]

There's no doubt that the Mavs have a made a series of moves that have improved the talent on the team. They also deserve credit for constructing the contracts of Dampier, Howard, Stackhouse, Gooden, and Buckner in ways that made them valuable as future trade chips. The authors of the article are, however, just a little disingenuous when they downplay the role of Cuban's money in all the improvements. If the Mavs complete the plan that is outlined in the article, Cuban will be paying around 125M in salaries and taxes for the 2010-11 team.

wut?

Even with Damp to JJ/Bosh/whatever and Haywood extended around 6-7 mio it will be not more than 115 total with taxes (payroll 90-95 + LT) and thats not much less than Lakers, Orlando, Cavs etc.

Thats the prize you have to pay these years for the le...

[Mel_13]

wut?

Even with Damp to JJ/Bosh/whatever and Haywood extended around 6-7 mio it will be not more than 115 total with taxes (payroll 90-95 + LT) and thats not much less than Lakers, Orlando, Cavs etc.

Thats the prize you have to pay these years for the le...

Do the math. If the payroll is 95M, and the luxury tax limit goes down from 69M to 65M as projected, then the Mavs would pay 30M in luxury tax and 125M overall.

And as I said before, Cuban has every right to spend that money to pursue a championship. Just pointing out that the Nelson could not have assembled the current and future rosters without Cuban's checkbook. If he was limited to a budget of 80M or 90M in total payroll expenses, most of the recent transactions would not have been possible.

[Rogue]

Marion >>>>>>> Wright

so I'd say that was a win

Marion's offense has been the main thing that was disappointing, but it seemed like the calf injury has really been holding him back. seems like over the last couple games he had a little more jump in him than he had for a while this year. but in the first few games of the year, he was looking very active, up until he really irritated the injury. but i think having a slasher/penetrator like Butler will really help the team all around.

dont forget Stevenson either. I have a feeling he will contribute more than people think

I have to agree that Marion is an absolute upgrade over Antonie "the mutha ing man" wright, who flourishes at one night and has to shuffle off the following 3 or 4 until the next night when he plays like the man. The lame side is Donnie could have got something far more valuable than Marion yet he hadn't got enough brain or vision to convert the invaluable assets into the right things. Marion is playing fine but I would imagine a better squad with Marion replaced by someone else like Iggy, or Amaré or whoever is affordable for expiring contracts.