In Vegas: Mavericks Not Interested in Kobe, Garnett - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

juckie · 07-11-2007, 10:14 AM

You might think that after a collapse like the Mavericks experienced in the 2007 playoffs their head coach might be a little anxious to get back to work. Avery Johnson, however, is quite content to take things as they come.

Diop's looking for his offense.
"I wouldn't say anxious," Johnson said following his team's 87-83 win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. "It's not time for it right now. We're still evaluating what we want each of our players to work on. They need these next three months or whatever we have left before we get to training camp. They're not ready for me yet."

The media has been swarming with reports that the Mavericks are interested in Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal, and a long list of other moves. Some are even reporting that the Mavericks might be a possible landing place for Chris Webber. The stance has not changed for the Mavericks, who have said since the end of the playoffs that they're not looking to change their 67-win roster much at all.

"The vision hasn't changed and the goal hasn't changed," said Johnson. "But at the same time we feel we have the right people and the right system, now it's just a matter of execution."

Execution is foremost on the minds of Joe Prunty, who is coaching the Mavericks' summer league team, and the rest of Avery Johnson's staff. They're placing the same emphasis on summer league games that they place on regular season games - and it shows.

"Even though it's the summer league there still should be a certain level of enthusiasm and excitement and passion about playing the game," said Johnson. "That doesn't change whether it's preseason, practice, or summer league or, obviously, the real game. When you're trying to make the team everything stands out in the coaches' minds. We watch body language and how players compete, so all of the little things matter."

The reason why summer league is of such importance to the Mavericks, as opposed to some of the other participants in the NBA's Las Vegas tournament, is that they're looking for guys who can come in and help them win a championship. They're looking to see who can learn the plays and execute them at a high level, and the result is a 3-0 record thus far.

"It's a pretty high level of importance because we can put them through a buffet of drills and they can do all kinds of cute drills and games," Johnson explains. "Summer league is a high priority because now you're able to implement what we work on during the offseason when no summer league is going on. Diop and Mo Ager have had a chance to work on a lot of different areas of their games before we got to summer league; now we need to see how it carries over into games and playing against some other competition where other guys are trying to play well and prove to their coaches that they're capable."

2006 draft pick Maurice Ager is one of the players who Avery would like to see earn minutes with the Mavericks next season. He spent part of the season with the NBDL's Ft. Worth Flyers, but never really cracked Avery's lineup even when he was back in Dallas. He has played well in Vegas this year, scoring 17 points in their opener against Seattle and averaging 11.3 overall. But more than his stats, his body language - a frequent concern of Avery's last season - is gradually improving.

"He's maturing some," Johnson admits. "He's only a second year player and it's just going to take some time. But he's playing hard and we like what we're seeing."

You can read Avery's thoughts on Nick Fazekas here and we'll be running a feature on Pops Mensah-Bonsu tomorrow, but the other Mavericks regular who's taking part in the summer league is center Gana Diop. He's been in the NBA for seven seasons, but Avery still sees him as a very young player in need of development.

"Diop is not a seven-year veteran. I don't know if those first four years counted for much. He's still relatively young in our minds and we have some offensive areas that we're trying to help him grow in and it's still a work in progress in a couple of those areas."

Unfortunately, Diop has spend most of summer league shooting 15-foot or 18-foot jumpers, which is probably not what Avery's looking for. The Mavericks have plenty of mid-range shooters, and really need Diop to stay in the paint, where he can do the most damage. Diop has been invited to Hakeem Olajuwon's big man camp, which takes place in Houston in August, but has not yet made a decision about attending. That would certainly do him some good.

The Dallas Mavericks' next summer league game is against the Houston Rockets, scheduled for Thursday at 6:00PM Eastern and will be televised on NBATV

Flacolaco · 07-11-2007, 10:16 AM

Quote:

The stance has not changed for the Mavericks, who have said since the end of the playoffs that they're not looking to change their 67-win roster much at all.

Amen to that.

alby · 07-11-2007, 10:23 AM

I definitely feel a change coming

Darth Ape · 07-11-2007, 10:46 AM

Score one for dallasbasketball.com

Darke · 07-11-2007, 11:38 AM

Diop better attend that camp of Olajuwon. (And Dampier should attend to. And probably Pops and Fazekas too.)

foglemann · 07-11-2007, 11:49 AM

can we stop the 67 game excuse, its getting sickening. Stand pat never equals getting better in professional sports.

jacktruth · 07-11-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foglemann

can we stop the 67 game excuse, its getting sickening. Stand pat never equals getting better in professional sports.

Now that gets an Amen.

alby · 07-11-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foglemann

can we stop the 67 game excuse, its getting sickening. Stand pat never equals getting better in professional sports.

People who want to stand pat are in the minority on this board =]

Flacolaco · 07-11-2007, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alby

People who want to stand pat are in the minority on this board =]

No, but they're going to end up being right. Look at what SA did last offseason.

mkat · 07-11-2007, 12:48 PM

oh they're interested. they just don't wanna show their hand...

it'd make very sad to find out they passed up a good offer on either player.

mkat · 07-11-2007, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foglemann

can we stop the 67 game excuse, its getting sickening. Stand pat never equals getting better in professional sports.

67 means ZILCH when you go 2-4 in the first round of the playoffs.

DelNegro · 07-11-2007, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

No, but they're going to end up being right. Look at what SA did last offseason.

Not that the Spurs did anything sexy last offseason, but they didn't stand pat either. They shipped out Rasho, let Nazr walk and NVE retired. That's 3 guys out of their rotation from 05-06 who weren't there in 06-07. Replacing them with Elson, Vaughn and Bonner, combined with Oberto stepping up, was hardly doing anything earth shattering, but it was a change made specifically to match up with you guys.

To your point though the Mavs don't need to trade for KG to be able to say they did something. Subtle changes can still improve the team. Given that the Mavs are capped out and lacking in trade assets it's extremely likely that subtle changes will be all that the Mavs can do.

DelNegro · 07-11-2007, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkat

oh they're interested. they just don't wanna show their hand...

it'd make very sad to find out they passed up a good offer on either player.

"don't want to show their hand" = "don't have enough to offer"

LonghornDub · 07-11-2007, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foglemann

can we stop the 67 game excuse, its getting sickening. Stand pat never equals getting better in professional sports.

The 06-07 NBA Champion Spurs disagree with you.

Windmill360 · 07-11-2007, 01:18 PM

We don't have duncan on our team though.

LonghornDub · 07-11-2007, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windmill360°

We don't have duncan on our team though.

That doesn't really matter though. The guy I was responding to made the point that "teams don't improve by standing pat" and I provided an example of when they do. The Spurs kept their core together and they improved quite a bit.

Captain Disaster · 07-11-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkat

67 means ZILCH when you go 2-4 in the first round of the playoffs.

Who cares about the playoffs, anyway? It's no longer basketball; the way the games are officiated is a joke! They take one of the most exciting games in the world and turn it into some kind of macho fiasco to satisfy who?

The NBA is pathetic. The regular season is the only place that we get to see real basketball games; oh yes, and the Olympics. As long as fans are willing to put their behinds in the seats and buy into the whole playoff lunacy and (ohhhhh) THE IMPORTANCE OF A RING (OMG!), then we are destined to have to suffer through this loosely scripted silliness. I am STILL pissed over the playoffs from the last decade where there is ALWAYS enough controversy created by the league itself EVERY YEAR to leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth regardless of who you root for because it is not basketball.

So, who cares? I would rather get to watch an incredible BASKETBALL team (the Mavericks during the regular season) then get all upset every year because of the playoffs. Would it be great if the Mavs won? I guess, if you want them to win a title in a different sport!

I'm done with the playoffs and all the stressing over who wins because it is not basketball. Look at this years playoffs: the Spurs win because of a mindless situation in the Phoenix series. Are the Spurs the champs? The best team? Better than all others because they won? Ludicrous.

I vote for entertainment during the regular season; I'd rather win 60 games EVERY year than win ONE title. If we win one one day, great; if not, let's get the most for our time and money during the REAL season where the games are called like basketball games and the players play basketball.

LonghornDub · 07-11-2007, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Disaster

Who cares about the playoffs, anyway? It's no longer basketball; the way the games are officiated is a joke! They take one of the most exciting games in the world and turn it into some kind of macho fiasco to satisfy who?

The NBA is pathetic. The regular season is the only place that we get to see real basketball games; oh yes, and the Olympics. As long as fans are willing to put their behinds in the seats and buy into the whole playoff lunacy and (ohhhhh) THE IMPORTANCE OF A RING (OMG!), then we are destined to have to suffer through this loosely scripted silliness. I am STILL pissed over the playoffs from the last decade where there is ALWAYS enough controversy created by the league itself EVERY YEAR to leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth regardless of who you root for because it is not basketball.

So, who cares? I would rather get to watch an incredible BASKETBALL team (the Mavericks during the regular season) then get all upset every year because of the playoffs. Would it be great if the Mavs won? I guess, if you want them to win a title in a different sport!

I'm done with the playoffs and all the stressing over who wins because it is not basketball. Look at this years playoffs: the Spurs win because of a mindless situation in the Phoenix series. Are the Spurs the champs? The best team? Better than all others because they won? Ludicrous.

I vote for entertainment during the regular season; I'd rather win 60 games EVERY year than win ONE title. If we win one one day, great; if not, let's get the most for our time and money during the REAL season where the games are called like basketball games and the players play basketball.

An interesting take. Can't say I agree, but interesting nonetheless.

I DO agree with you, however, that people place too much importance on championships. It's the most important thing, yes, but not the only thing worth playing for. Being a fan is about enjoying the team's success, and if you can't enjoy watching the Mavs win 67 games, even without a title, then why are you watching?

Captain Disaster · 07-11-2007, 01:43 PM

We know that few teams with anyone other than Shaq and Duncan have won the title in the last decade, so why is everyone stressing so much? My argument is that if you take one of these two clearly dominant players, give them all the calls, and surround them with players who you also give crucial calls to, who else (barring injury) even has a shot. The league, in embracing their post season lunacy has made the league so predictable. It's just that people have short memories, get emotional, and can't step back and really think about what is happening year after year (it's like subscribing to a fitness magazine that recycles the same articles over and over, but puts enough space between articles that you don't notice). Think about it, the NBA is strongly skewed toward dominant players by the way they call the games in the playoffs, by all the contact they allow, and by their SELECTIVE officiating in particular as it pertains to their superstars and the teams they are on. I was watching the summer league game the other night and the commentators were discussing Oden's 9 and 10 foul games. They mentioned that this wouldn't be an issue in the NBA because he would get different treatment from the officials. These announcers are saying this on the gamecast!! And we all know this is exactly the way it is!! How can we work ourselves up into a ridiculous frenzy about our loss to the Heat when we are willing to support a playoff system that allows Shaq and Mourning to physically beat up our players with impunity while at the same time awarding Dcrybaby more free throws than our ENTIRE TEAM! Why are we STILL laying back and proverbally taking it up the &**@@ from this pathetic league as far as the NBA playoffs are concerned. Doesn't everyone see that the ONLY WAY under this current system to win a title is to somehow get the NBA to make DIRK the player who gets all the calls in the playoffs (as if we should care anyway!). I WANT BASKETBALL, dammit, not WWF.

So, you should totally agree with me; why would you beat yourself up otherwise? The Mavs WERE the best team last year, and all the other GMs, coaches, and players around the league know it. In my view, they need to figure out a way to acquire players who can play against teams who have post up guards, and maybe a couple of low post players for spot duty, but other than that, they are a pretty dominant teams. The playoffs are irrelevant.

dude1394 · 07-11-2007, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alby

People who want to stand pat are in the minority on this board =]

Thankfully no one on this board (majority anyway) are running a team.

Windmill360 · 07-11-2007, 01:48 PM

I remember a lot of people on this board mentioning how insecure they felt about the way the mavs played games late after the All Star game and how we were remaining very close in all the games. Does that not bother anone anymore?

Flacolaco · 07-11-2007, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windmill360°

I remember a lot of people on this board mentioning how insecure they felt about the way the mavs played games late after the All Star game and how we were remaining very close in all the games. Does that not bother anone anymore?

I am very guilty of this.

I still think if this team (as is) peaks a little later on, like the spurs did this year, they have just as good of a shot as phx or SA.

MavsX · 07-11-2007, 02:04 PM

you know if the team with the most wins in the regular season got the trophy, we would have been champs. Just something to think about. Thats why i make a movement to abolish the playoffs all together. And make the playoffs a 82 game series. Where every game counts.

It's Genius!

mkat · 07-11-2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Disaster

Who cares about the playoffs, anyway? It's no longer basketball; the way the games are officiated is a joke! They take one of the most exciting games in the world and turn it into some kind of macho fiasco to satisfy who?

The NBA is pathetic. The regular season is the only place that we get to see real basketball games; oh yes, and the Olympics. As long as fans are willing to put their behinds in the seats and buy into the whole playoff lunacy and (ohhhhh) THE IMPORTANCE OF A RING (OMG!), then we are destined to have to suffer through this loosely scripted silliness. I am STILL pissed over the playoffs from the last decade where there is ALWAYS enough controversy created by the league itself EVERY YEAR to leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth regardless of who you root for because it is not basketball.

So, who cares? I would rather get to watch an incredible BASKETBALL team (the Mavericks during the regular season) then get all upset every year because of the playoffs. Would it be great if the Mavs won? I guess, if you want them to win a title in a different sport!

I'm done with the playoffs and all the stressing over who wins because it is not basketball. Look at this years playoffs: the Spurs win because of a mindless situation in the Phoenix series. Are the Spurs the champs? The best team? Better than all others because they won? Ludicrous.

I vote for entertainment during the regular season; I'd rather win 60 games EVERY year than win ONE title. If we win one one day, great; if not, let's get the most for our time and money during the REAL season where the games are called like basketball games and the players play basketball.

who cares about the playoffs? um....THE TEAM. there's no point in playing basketball in the NBA if you don't get the ultimate payoff (a ring for instance).

Captain Disaster · 07-11-2007, 02:52 PM

I don't buy that; I think that the majority of NBA players would like to win a ring if it was for BASKETBALL, not WWF.

Dirkadirkastan · 07-11-2007, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

I am very guilty of this.

I still think if this team (as is) peaks a little later on, like the spurs did this year, they have just as good of a shot as phx or SA.

So now what is it, something like 2 of 12 teams winning 65+ failed to win the title?

I'm sick of this "peaking too early" BS. Success is NOT a weakness.