Mavericks need Wallace to upgrade their frontcourt
01/18/04
T he Dallas Mavericks limped into town Saturday, a shadow of the team that went to the Western Conference finals last spring.
Gone are Nick Van Exel and the chemistry that made Dallas so exciting to watch. Newly arrived is the confusion that an unresolved pecking order brings to a game where just one basketball is used. Antoine Walker, the talented former Boston Celtics star, is the Mavericks' leader in shot attempts, something that should never happen to any team with Dirk Nowitzki.
The Mavericks sneaked out of town with a 108-104 victory but left behind a bigger prize and a key to reinvigorating their title hopes: Blazers power forward Rasheed Wallace.
Wallace and the Mavericks have been the focus of trade talks off and on for months. The latest two ideas were Wallace for Antawn Jamison, Tony Delk and Eduardo Najera or Wallace for Jamison and Tariq Abdul-Wahad, who anchors the Dallas injured list with a $7 million a year contract.
Blazers general manager John Nash and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban dismissed trade talks Saturday.
"The only thing I can say to you," Cuban said before the game, "is both teams played hard."
Dallas has been slowed by injuries. Point guard Steve Nash missed Saturday's game with a sore hip. Delk was out with an ankle sprain and Najera, the team's lone blue collar post player, continues to miss time with a sore knee.
"We are not playing defense as well this year and the injuries have hurt us," Cuban said.
But Dallas' problems run deeper. When the Mavericks acquired Walker, they added a highly skilled offensive player, but one who needs the ball.
As much as Portland fans might loathe to hear it, you can have too much talent on a team. Championship teams need hard-working role players in addition to stars. Dallas added a poodle when it really needed a bulldog.
The Mavericks hope to uncover that elusive chemistry and begin a drive toward the playoffs; but the run this year will fall far short.
The only defensive pressure Dallas exerts is of the hurry up and score variety. Watching the Mavericks and the Trail Blazers -- two of the NBA's weakest defensive teams -- is like watching 48 minutes of power play hockey.
Wallace has become an emblem for all that ails Portland, but he remains a very good player. Overnight, he would become Dallas' best defender and give coach Don Nelson a forward who could guard stars such as Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.
Wallace is as versatile as he is volatile. He can play all three frontcourt positions. He has guarded scorers from Vince Carter to Shaquille O'Neal. What other NBA big man can do that? Nelson could use Wallace at center against many teams. A frontline of Wallace, Nowitzki and Walker would create matchup nightmares.
Wallace understands the game and would blend with Dallas' open-court style. He would be more comfortable in a system in which he wasn't the star and his Dean Smith-bred unselfishness would fuel his stay in Texas. His addition would give the Mavericks a chance at competing with the western power teams: Sacramento, San Antonio, Los Angeles and Minnesota.
The Blazers, on the other hand, would learn a lot about their roster in Wallace's absence. He has become the lightning rod for problems, but there is much more that ails this team. Once he is gone, the weaknesses of other players will be seriously revealed.
The Blazers glimpsed that in the past week after Wallace went down with an ankle injury. Zach Randolph's play suffered and the defensive lapses that have plagued this team soared.
Cuban and his Mavericks left town with a W, but the wrong one. If Dallas is to return to the conference finals, Cuban should do what is necessary to woo Wallace from Portland.
Brian Meehan: 503-221-4341;
brianmeehan@news.oregonian.com