[Poindexter Einstein]

From Dallasbasketball.com

DAMPIER TO THE MAVS?: And here we go again – another story that requires us to trace its roots while we play our heroic role as “SportsMedia WatchDog.’’
More trade rumors, but this time they are at least ones that sound fun for the home team. This time, the heart of the gossiped-about deal is Antoine Walker (plus a little bit more, for cap purposes) going to Golden State, and the Mavs getting back big man Erick Dampier plus playoff hero Nick Van Exel. This began to be reported as an active trade discussion by "The Musers" on The Ticket early Friday, and the merits and possibilities have continued to be expanded on by old pal and DB.com colleague Norm Hitzges.
Could The Musers have gotten their tip from the Newshound Norm? And doesn't Norm have some ties to Nellie? Logically, perhaps Nellie whispered a few tips to Norm about an impending major move. Doesn't Cuban regularly make big moves at the trade deadline?
Norm spent a lot of time discussing how Dampier would help the Mavs, and how Dallas would be the perfect place for Dampier to re-sign this summer after he opts out. Obviously, whispered Norm, Dampier and Van Exel are both pushing the Warriors for a trade to Dallas, and this is on the table and could happen.
And then Norm told us the source for this breaking news.
It came from a tip from Nellie, yes? Well, no.
Oh.
Well, then was there must have been an email or call from Cuban that leaked the impending news. That was it, yes? Ummmm, that wasn't it either.
Then who at the Mavs let the cat out of the bag on this huge story? Norm told us that the station got its tip from ESPN.COM!
ESPN.com? Wow, when I heard those words, I rushed to their site, to see what news I had missed. And there it was, in the ESPN insider section this week on trade possibilities in the NBA:
"Dallas Mavericks. Every year about this time, Mark Cuban and Don Nelson begin preaching the virtues of sticking with the roster they have. And just about every year around this time, the Mavs end up making a huge trade.
"The Mavericks need a tough big man, and everyone knows it. They tried to land Rasheed Wallace last month, but talks went nowhere. Attempts to land Zydrunas Ilgauskas also have fallen short. What they'd really love to have is the package Golden State is offering right now -- Nick Van Exel and Erick Dampier. Problem is, the Mavericks don't have any expiring contracts to give up unless ... Antoine Walker decides to opt out if traded to the Warriors."
From there, the article goes in other directions.
So the entire basis of this scoop is essentially ESPN's two-fold observation that the Mavs have pulled off deals at prior trade deadlines, plus the Mavs need a big man. And then Golden State 's RUMORED willingness to trade Van Exel and Dampier is tossed into the ESPN discussion, and voila the Mavs are in the middle of making a trade with the Warriors, according to a radio station.
Sheesh. ESPN tosses out a GUESS of something that could make some sense and then shoots it down. It was not a news report, there were no sources; it was only chit chat. And chit chat that the author himself shoots down! And then THAT turns into "the Mavs are in trade discussions" and more?
Gimme a break.
As we play our self-appointed role of “SportsMedia WatchDog," we're not necessarily ripping The Ticket here. Norm was honest in finally framing his source for the information as being another media outlet. We’re glad to have The Musers talking about the Mavs, in whatever context. We’re just saying that as you listen to The Ticket and others pick up on this "breaking story" (and again, you watch, this thing could really get legs now), keep in mind the eternal caveat when it comes to evaluating what you hear from the media: consider the source. - David Lord, 02/06/04, 12:15pm