Diop looking to cash in for Mavericks

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Diop looking to cash in for Mavericks

Mavericks center knows developing offense could help land big deal

12:53 AM CDT on Sunday, July 8, 2007


By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com

LAS VEGAS – The last time Avery Johnson had a center who was in position to cash in big but needed an occasional sneaker to the seat, the results were stunningly good.

Mavericks fans can only hope the scenario that made Erick Dampier a gazillionaire will repeat itself with DeSagana Diop.

Johnson is doing all he can to make sure that Diop gets a chance to follow Dampier's blueprint. It was Johnson who was teammates with Dampier in the 2003-04 season at Golden State. It was Johnson who was on Dampier like beads of sweat making sure he worked harder than he'd ever worked to become a $63-million man.

Never mind what's happened since the Mavericks signed him to that contract.
The point is that, with Johnson in his last active season that year, Dampier averaged 12.3 points and 12 rebounds per game. He became a free agent and cashed in.

Johnson believes it's Diop's turn to do the same thing. And the Mavericks hope to benefit from this opportunity for the 7-foot center.

"Gana has positioned himself really nicely," Johnson says. "Obviously, it's his option year, he's still relatively young and it's a great opportunity for him.

"It's kind of like building a brand in business. He's been in obscurity for a while, but now's his chance."

That's why Diop is in Las Vegas with the Mavericks' summer-league team, which plays No. 1 overall draft pick Greg Oden and the Portland Trail Blazers at 3 p.m. today. It's almost unheard of for a player entering his seventh season – seventh! – to be at summer league. Incoming players are required to put in only two summers.

But Diop knows exactly what is at stake this summer and next season.

"Everybody says I'm too old for this, but I feel like playing here is going to give me more confidence, even though I didn't score [in Friday's opener]," Diop said. "I have to stay aggressive and shoot it. But at the end of the day, I'm going to do what I do, which is block shots and rebound."

And that's fine. That's what will keep Diop in the league at a nice salary after this season. But what the coaching staff must see from him is a hint that he can be an opportunistic scorer. Let's face it: when the Mavs have the ball, opponents ignore him.

If he can show the Mavericks – and the rest of the league – improvement in that area, along with keeping his defensive instincts, he can break the bank next summer.

Diop has split time with Dampier for two seasons. He was a non-factor in his first four seasons in the league with Cleveland. What people sometimes forget is that he was a lottery pick, taken eighth overall in the 2001 draft. So long ago, yet he is only 25.


LOUIS DeLUCA / DMN
Avery Johnson wants DeSagana Diop (left) to improve his performance on offense.

But he's never averaged more than 2.3 points per game. He had 5.4 rebounds in about 18 minutes of playing time per contest last season. What might make the difference is that Diop has learned how to work hard, which he admits he didn't always do earlier in his career.

"I had to learn the hard way," he said. "I was so much bigger than everybody in high school. I didn't have to work hard. And I didn't work hard in Cleveland."

Now, he does. He and Popeye Jones work on footwork and shooting. And in the summer league, he is getting to touch the ball more.

"We're going to throw him the ball a little more," Johnson said.

Diop has a functional 15-foot jumper that he can make from either side of the paint and from the baseline. But he has lacked interior moves, something he has worked hard on since the playoffs ended.

Diop will never be known as a classic, post scorer. He will still have to get many of his points from offensive rebounds. But if he can make the occasional shot, it would make the court less congested for Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Devin Harris.

"I don't want to say it's a make-or-break deal for him," Johnson said. "He's only 24 or 25. It could kind of be great timing for him. But we don't want to put so much pressure on him that he can't perform."

Getting comfortable as an offensive option – even on a limited basis – is what his appearance in the summer league is all about.

Link

[EricaLubarsky]

Dude will never have average offense. I would be thrilled if he matured his post-defense even more, and could finish if he's alone.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Weird how he said it would make the court less congested for Dirk, Josh and Devin but didn't mention Terry.

[skylive321]

that's the first thing i noticed too. i thought maybe it's because terry is an outside scorer but kinda fishy.

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by skylive321

that's the first thing i noticed too. i thought maybe it's because terry is an outside scorer but kinda fishy.

It is NOT fishy at all. Terry is a pure outside shooter. Josh, Devin, and sometimes Dirk slash to the lane..Dont read more into this.

[dude1394]

I hope that I'm plesantly surprised but I sure do not expect it. Especially if what they think is a 12foot shot. I can't believe he's ever going to be a brad miller type shooter.

[dirno2000]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Weird how he said it would make the court less congested for Dirk, Josh and Devin but didn't mention Terry.

That was Eddie Sefko's quote, not Avery Johnson's. You think Sefko has some inside information that he's not sharing with the rest of us?

[dude1394]

the quote makes perfect sense. The biggest problem with diop/damp is that it allows their centers to sit there and wait for dirk to get around his guy. And jason doesn't get to the rack very much anyway, it's not his game, he's much more likely to back up for a shot.

[alby]

Diop just needs to learn one power move. Catch the ball, take one quick dropstep and try to throw it down. At least draw the foul if you can't complete the play. Of course, basketball enthusists realize that playing in the post is all about positioning. If you can catch the ball 5 feet from the basket (ala Shaq), then you really don't need any refined skills--just turn around and dunk the ball. If you catch it further than 5 feet (ala KG), that's when you need the footwork and a polished post game. So learn how to get good position down there and learn how to flash from weakside to strongside. Meanwhile, our PG's must learn how to feed the post player, allowing them to keep the position that they worked for (big big problem here for the Mavericks).

[dude1394]

A lot of this is between Diops ears. I just watched the last 2 minutes of the seattle-dallas summer league game and there was a play that was indicative of what diop's problem is.

He got the ball about 5 feet from the basket, instead of just turning and taking the shot, he tried a through the lane bounce pass for a turnover.
He really needs to change his mindset a lot.

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by alby

Meanwhile, our PG's must learn how to feed the post player, allowing them to keep the position that they worked for (big big problem here for the Mavericks).

Summer job for avery I would think.