[LRB]

Let me start with the worst of the moves:

5. Cut Henderson. He can't play. We're not using him as a trading chip (see above). His salary comes off the books either way. We don't need him sitting on the IR (besides, Mark can give me the front row seat he'd fill up otherwise).

80% of Henderson's salary is covered by insurance and he has an expiring contract. This is a valuable commodity. We should A) try to use it to get something, like a pick possibly, even a 2nd rounder is better than nothing. B) failing to gain something for him send him to a team under the cap enough to absorb his salary + cash to pay the noninsurance part + extra million to make it worth their while. Team makes money taking on an expiring contract that they might use in a trade or just keep on IR for a $1million dollar profit. If we can't do A or B, then and only then do we cut him.

1. Trade Finley for Antonio Davis. This is a salary cap move. Two years of Davis instead of four of Finley. We're aiming to get under the cap in 2006 or at least under the luxury tax number (I'm hoping Mark will give me half the money he saves that way).

Another poor move IMO. Fin will be younger than Davis is now when Fin's contract is up. We also needs Fin's outside shooting. Fin's contract is for too much but so is Daniels. Sure Daniels is for 2 years shorter, but that's 2 years for a little used scrub where Fin can give us a very useful 30+ minutes. No thankyou.

2. Trade Bradley and Stackhouse for Marion. We need a true small forward. Our 2/3 rotation is now Marion-Daniels-Howard. That's plenty.

This would be a good trade IMO. Of course I'd rather do Booth + Stack, but if we can get Marion it would be worth it whether it's Booth or Bradley.

4. Buy out Eschmeyer and TAW--unless one or both of them agrees to retire. Neither one of them will ever play for the Mavericks and we're not going to save them as trading chips, because we're done taking on salary. Might as well take the hit now.

I think TAW might have some value for a trade because of insurance paying for 80% of his salary. If nothing else I'd see if Charlotte would take him off our hands for 3 million cash. They'd essentially make a small profit on TAW this year. Doubtful that they would do it, but it can't hurt to try. But if all else failed cutting them would be right. I don't see anyone wanting Esh.

3. Let Avery coach. We don't need him at point.

Offer Avery more money to coach if he retires as a player. If he doesn't take it, then cut him.


But we only need to get down to 15. Getting to 12 like you say is suicidal. And we need more than 3 players to play the 2-3 positions. If there were no injuries, 3 players would be fine. That's not the case in the NBA.