Would you be happy starting the season w\ this lineup?

[Dirk Nowitzki]

Lets say we find a way to strike a deal w\ the Knicks for Kurt Thomas (Walker??) who will be expendable if they land Damp & we can sign Ostertag or Keon Clark for the LLE or vet min
C: Thomas (25 mins)\Tag or Clark (15 mins)\ Bradley (8 mins)
PF: Dirk (36 mins)\Najera (8 mins), DJ (4 mins)
SF: Howard (25 mins)\Daniels (10 mins)\Fin (8 mins)
SG: Fin (24 mins), Josh (12 mins), Daniels (12 mins)
PG: Harris (28 mins), Daniels (10 mins), AJ (10 mins)
I purpously left Stack, L8 & Walker in hopes that they are traded for a vet pg, or maybe a little better C option. I also would not mind seeing Fin traded if at all possible. We would have some beef in the middle that would be expendable is something better comes along next season.

[uberfan]

I prefer not to get Thomas because of his age and contract. We no longer have the LLE, went to Benga. Vet minimum is all we have to sign Ostertag or Clark. Either one would be fine.

Same with backup PG. Basically, we need to do a 3 for 1 deal somehow to reduce roster size before signing any more to vet minimums.

[dalmations202]

No, I don't like the options you have.

IMO, you have an athletic Center now in Benga (he'll foul out quickly, but you have one), and a disrupter in Bradley (best in the league for that), now you need a true banger. Laettner can't do that........he is softer than Dirk. Really you need Damp, Big Z, Battie, Diop, or Curry. (my choice -- Big Z)

If I were the GM - I think I would try and see if I could pry a Center away from Cleveland. It really doesn't matter which one, with the lineup you have, since you are not really asking them for offense anyway.

Big Z is not known for his defense, but that is because he is expected to guard quick Centers. He wouldn't have to do that with Benga and Bradley on the team. He does OK against the Tractor Traylors, and Kandiman, etc. though. Bradley would get most of the burn against Yao, that and putting a PF against him just to change it up. Benga/Bradley against guys like Amare.

Big Z's offense would be a nice assest, if you could get him. Big Z would start some nights, and be 2nd team others. I really think that could make for a super rotation, if they could make the deal work.

If Cleveland really wants a deal, then one I think that could work out for both sides greatly (and I hate to give up Howard) is Big Z, Wagner for Walker, Howard. Cleveland gets more talent, IMO. Dallas wins on need though. Dallas would get a Center. Dallas would get a guy who could come in and score in Wagner. Wagner is really only talented a one thing --- poor man's AI. But he can score.

Lineup:
Big Z, Bradley, Benga, L8
Nowitzki, Fortson, Najera
Finley, Stackhouse, TAW
Daniels, Wagner, Stefansson
Harris, AJ, Delk

After Aug 24th:
Move Delk, Fortson/Najera (1 of), and L8 for a vet PG --- heck, maybe even Kidd, NVE, Baron Davis, Terry (NVE could be traded alone even if NVE/Davis happens)

[LRB]

Playing any combination of players 6'9" or shorter 25 combined minutes per game is at least 10 minutes too much. I'd much rather give Bradley the 25 mins. What we need most in defense and no one that we can reasonably get can do that better than Bradley. 25 min thoug is about the most that we reasonably expect for Shawn to give us high quality minutes on a regular basis. That leaves 23 minutes at the 5 spot to be filled. I'd give L8 15 minutes there and Benga the other 8.

Fortson and Najera should be situational players. They both have strength and weakness and play better and worse against certain teams. We should play them the most against the teams that they do better against and try not to play them against the teams that they don't.

Therefore I'd make L8 Dirks primary backup and plan on giving him most of the backup minutes to Dirk. I'd plan on playing Dirk around 38 minutes per game so that would leave L8 with 25 total.

I'd Start Daniels and have him play about 24 minutes per game at the point. Reserve the rest for Harris and play AJ only when needed.

I'd start Fin at the 2 and play him 32 minutes and give Stack 10 mintes as backup and Daniels 6 minutes

I'd Start Howard at the 3 and play him 30 minutes and give Stack 18 minutes as his backup

That's a nice 9 man rotation.

[vinnieponte]

I just pray you're kidding about Ostertag.

[SiberianShaq]

Ostertag has signed with the Kings.

[vinnieponte]

Originally posted by: SiberianShaq
Ostertag has signed with the Kings.

if this is true thank god, as he is no threat to any team and would only make us worse