[V]

Mavs, Blazers talk, but for now, no deal
Teams agree that scenarios involving Wallace make no sense

12:18 AM CST on Sunday, January 18, 2004

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

PORTLAND, Ore. – For now, the Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to disagree about Rasheed Wallace.

Donnie Nelson, the Mavericks' president of basketball operations, and Portland general manager John Nash met for about 20 minutes Saturday night before tipoff to discuss their team's priorities going into the final month before the Feb. 19 NBA trading deadline. The bottom line is that the trade talks about Wallace going to the Mavericks don't make sense for either team.

"We just reiterated what each of us is trying to do," Nash said of the meeting that ended about 15 minutes before tipoff. "We had a nice conversation, but nothing's imminent."

The meeting, which took place in Blazers owner Paul Allen's private office, put to rest, for the moment, talk of a Wallace trade for Antawn Jamison and at least one other Maverick. With the Blazers expected to field numerous trade options in the coming weeks, there's always the chance things could reheat with the Mavericks.

The two most widely discussed deals had Jamison and Tariq Abdul-Wahad going to the Blazers, or Jamison, Tony Delk and Eduardo Najera being exchanged. The Blazers don't want Abdul-Wahad's contract, which runs four more years after this one. And the Mavericks don't want to give up three rotation players for Wallace.

"Nothing but smoke," was Nelson's comment after emerging from the meeting.

The Mavericks have been named in numerous reports as possible trade partners with the Blazers. Owner Mark Cuban said the Mavericks remain committed to keeping their core players together unless "a no-brainer" comes along in trade talks.