[jayC]

Here is something cool the mavs don't need to do anything:

BY KELLY DWYERBootlegSports.comAug. 30, 2002 2:11 p.m.

No moves from the Mavs(Fort-Worth Star-Telegram)Remember this team? For a while there, I think it was last February, this team was the hottest thing around. The Dallas Mavericks kind of flamed-out after that, in their own inimitable way, but they've never followed a flame-out with this before. Silence. Tasty silence. See, that made no sense — but, see, they've done this before. They were hot in March of 2000, October of 2000, February of 2001, and for a few stretches last season. They heat up, they flame out, they make big moves. Screwing the Cartel out of the Asian Oil Wells, mortgaging Southfork, it's all there. Big D. Here it roar. You've also heard a lot about the Kings, but hear this: Yhese guys could be your best chance at dethroning the champs, and they're sitting pat with what they got. Since Mark Cuban bought the team in January of 2000, handing Don Nelson job security and a large checkbook in the process, it's been non-stop moves for this team. Big moves, potential four-team deals that get shot down, Cuban at the dais talking up the Maverick flavors of the month (with glossy SLAM layouts to spare) and trading them by the end of the week. More from BootlegSports.com
Nice moves, big money, no conscience. Very entertaining. They kept it up until this summer. Nothing in the Draft, no sign-and-trade deals for veteran help and not much by the way of wars and words and everything that comes in between. Raef LaFrentz gets a contract extension, Greg Buckner goes elsewhere, I listen to Robert Palmer all night and Shaq still scares you. You could take this as a sign, and reach some absurd conclusion about how the Mavs are spent (not literally, we think), how they've matured to a point where they don't need another rash transaction to make everything all right. No new saviours to put pressure on, no new names to have to learn, and no more hungry mouths to feed. If that's the case, then this has been a pretty solid summer. The first ten is set, a stark contrast from this time last year, when the Mavs were close to having 19 players under contract heading into training camp. Eduardo Najera has yet to sign, Wang Zhi-Zhi is gone, and Mladen Sekularac won't be over any time soon. But they need Najera, they'll get him back, and Mladen is a tree-mendous draft pick. Mike Finley was an iron man for years, leading the league in minutes played and games since his Christmas arrival in Dallas back in 1996, but he dropped a bit last season, missing 13 games. Without a solid backup, the Mavs may be hurting, unless Nellie thinks Dirk Nowitzki can play shooting guard for spells. Tariq Abdul-Wahad made an initial splash after coming over from Denver, and Dallas wants Nick Van Exel and Steve Nash in the same backcourt for long stretches, but another shooter wouldn't help. This is why the Mavs should give Dell Curry a look, if for nothing more than having someone to pop a quarter-ending three-pointer or nail technical free throws. Johnny Newman was brilliant last season, but J-New's forte has always been the devilish drive, so why not spread the floor even further with a player like Dell? Up front, Dirk plays every position well, on offense at least, so they're set for those 42 minutes. Najera has a little Rodman in him, which is always good; he may be the team's best defender while Finley's hamstring smarts (not saying he's still smarting, but those USA minutes add up). Evan Eschmeyer is terrible, but he can sop up minutes when Nellie feels like going with an orthodox lineup (stop chortling) after Raef gets his requisite second first-quarter foul. Last May, Adrian Griffin went from "his career may be over" to Dallas' eighth man within a fortnight — we have no clue how his dodgy back is holding up, but he could mean quite a bit to this team in 15 minutes off the bench. The guy can guard several positions, locking people up with those long arms, and though he's only been in the league a year longer than Eduardo, Najera can learn quite a bit from Griffin's game. I just like saying "fortnight." The Mavs got Raef LaFrentz and Nick Van Exel in less than a fortnight, adding what might be the two final pieces in the championship puzzle last February. These are the cats that are going to have to make the difference. These are the two factors, full of potential and perimeter pop, that can take down the Lakers; in five games. Van Exel and LaFrentz's pick-and-pop game, spotting up and hitting the Lakers at the two positions they don't defend well (shooting point guard and shooting big center), could have the Mavericks hoisting a Lawrence O'Brien next June. Those two made life for the Lakers rough in Denver too many times to be ignored, this is truly a wrinkle that no other team can throw the El Lay's way. You aren't going to beat these Lakers by shutting their offense down — it's too fluid and they have a pretty good center — but you can out-score them. Detroit, New York and Utah had it all wrong against Phil Jackson. You have to force his hand on defense. Dallas is hiding a full house, especially if LaFrentz gets his act together. NVE, you can't be worried about. He's only dangerous when he has to lead a team, no matter if the team is good or bad; and with Nash in town, Nick's fine. If Raef develops as a player and a person, turning into an inside/outside threat while finding enough defensive patience to stay on the floor, this league doesn't have a chance. Kids, Kurt Thomas and his six fouls, they ain't helping anything. Oak or Popeye or, who's left? Otis Thorpe? A.C. Green? These things don't help. The Mavs have all they need. Now that expensive coaching staff needs to do its job and extract what we know is already in Raef, Dirk, and Van Exel. If that happens, and the Lakers hit the Mavs before they get to the Kings next spring, L.A. is going to fall on some hard times. THE DISTILLERY HEDO BIG ... Hey, who doesn't like Eric Mussleman at this point? ... And, hey! Who doesn't like Milos Vujanic at this point? ... Damon, ANGRY! ... I've read this article four times since Sunday and I still have no clue what it's about ... More thoughtful, eh, thoughts on the Worlds. NBA News · MONROE: Divac isn't scared of Team USA · USA tested, but passes in win over Germany · Gasol scores 25 as Spain upsets Yugoslavia · U.S. routs Algeria 110-60 to open World Championships · DIME SMACK: Algeria gets dream-teamed · Marbury to spend 10 days in jail for DUI · Rockets sign Francis to six-year extension · 'Franchise' stays in Houston · Clippers' Odom has cast placed on ankle More stories:· By Kelly Dwyer · About Mavericks · About Kings · About Nuggets · About NBA · About Lakers