Jim Reeves in today's FWST

[MFFL]

Recruiting trail

The new wave in the NBA is players recruiting other players to join them in an effort to win a title together.

Shaquille O'Neal called Karl Malone and told him they could rule the world. Magic Johnson called Malone and Gary Payton. Malone called Payton and told him if he signed with the Lakers for the midlevel $4.917 million exception, he'd take the $1.5 million veteran's exception.

Jason Kidd helped bring Alonzo Mourning to New Jersey. Michael Olowokandi went to Minnesota so he could play alongside Kevin Garnett.

"Karl Malone went a long way in getting the Laker deal done," Mavs center Raef LaFrentz said. "But the bottom line is Karl took the $1.5 million exception, and he probably said it's time for him to get his [championship] ring. So he felt like that was the best opportunity for him at this time."

The Mavs, too, have had their players do some recruiting over the years, but with mixed results.

Michael Finley helped lure Juwan Howard to the Mavs from Washington. Howard even bought a new home -- and still has it -- across the street from Finley in an exclusive multi-million dollar gated community in Plano.

But before Howard could get all his boxes unpacked, the Mavs packaged him with Tim Hardaway (also recruited by Finley) and Donnell Harvey a deal with Denver that netted LaFrentz, Nick Van Exel, Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Avery Johnson.

Here's the kicker: Finley, Howard and Hardaway are all homeboys from Chicago, and Finley was privately unhappy that he was used to help get the players to Dallas, only to have them traded away so quickly.

'Zo bailed

Why did Alonzo Mourning bail out on the Mavs when his agent was telling Mark Cuban that he was almost surely coming to Dallas?

Maybe he talked to his old Miami Heat teammate, Tim Hardaway, who has done nothing but rip coach Don Nelson and the Mavs since they dumped him in a trade with Denver.

Or maybe he talked to his old Georgetown buddy, Patrick Ewing, who was very unhappy when Nellie tried to turn him into a face-the-basket jump-shooter when he coached the Knicks for 59 games in 1995-96.

Or maybe Jason Kidd just convinced 'Zo that he had a better chance of winning a title in New Jersey than trying to fight through LA, Sacramento and San Antonio in the West.

Speaking of Nellie, it's become abundantly clear that he's the general manager in name and paycheck only. Cuban and Donnie Nelson have been making all the decisions and doing the wheeling-and-dealing while Nellie kicks back in Maui.

[mavsfanforever]

Cuban and Donnie Nelson have been making all the decisions and doing the wheeling-and-dealing while Nellie kicks back in Maui.

I think Nellie should be actively involved in all the recruiting instead of sitting in Maui. Also Findog, Dirk should talk to some of these free agents and assure them that this is a great place to play. No player really enjoys talking to Cuban or Donnie.

[MavsFanFinley]

Here's the kicker: Finley, Howard and Hardaway are all homeboys from Chicago, and Finley was privately unhappy that he was used to help get the players to Dallas, only to have them traded away so quickly.

I think this says a lot.

[Murphy3]

well, the mavs should be unhappy that fin's "homeboys" turned out to spare everyone to death here in dallas

[MavsFanFinley]

It's evident that players around the league have caught on to Cuban and his trading ways. However, it's sad that players within the organization will not take part in recruiting after having been burned by the owner.

No one likes to be used.

[Murphy3]

i can understand fin's feelings being hurt.
but, neither howard or hardaway remotely lived up to expectations. Just because finley helped recruit the players doesn't mean that they should get a free ride.. the mavs are just fortunate that they were able to move a couple of players that didn't produce at a satisfactory level.

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: Murphy3
i can understand fin's feelings being hurt.
but, neither howard or hardaway remotely lived up to expectations. Just because finley helped recruit the players doesn't mean that they should get a free ride.. the mavs are just fortunate that they were able to move a couple of players that didn't produce at a satisfactory level.

THis is not directed to you Murph but everywhere from radio to messages boards everyone complains about Fin not trying to recruit for the Mavs. Thsi shows that it is useless because no one wants to come here and then find out they get traded later on. Its unfortunate for the Mavs because if this is the way the league views them than the Mavs won't ever have a nice pickup out of the draft as long as Cub is here. I think its unfair though because I mean when you look back after Hardaway got traded he went straight to the free agency pool because he was cut. So that makes the trade look even more in favor for the Mavs. You had some big names come here from Juwan to Hardaway and while you see guys like Esch and Bradley stay on contract and stay with the Mavs it has to make players think twice before coming here.

[Murphy3]

I understand that FFM..but i would say that anyone that thinks that fin doesn't recruit enough for the mavs is misdirecting their displeasure towards the wrong person.

There is no way that the previous off season failings and the current off seasons failings are in any way a fault of Mike Fin.

[one long blue sock]

Howard and Cuban have remained good friends. Howard had gone to several games this past season, and said that he would have loved to come back to the Mavs.

I think Finley could have convinced him to come back again.

[dude1394]

I do not take reeves "opinion" at face value or fact. This whole article looks like normal reporting junk. No facts, no quotes, nothing but jim's opinion. Now jim is doing an editorial, but I see nothing in it that makes me think he has any more insight than I do.

Here's the kicker: Finley, Howard and Hardaway are all homeboys from Chicago, and Finley was privately unhappy that he was used to help get the players to Dallas, only to have them traded away so quickly.

Of course he was but so what, hardaway can't even play anymore. Howard as well just took the 4.9 million exception. As murphy says they were not good enough to stay on an elite team.

And below is some top notch reporting as well, no less than 3 suppositions, just thinking out loud. Why would I take his opinion about nellie at any more than thinking out loud as well.

Why did Alonzo Mourning bail out on the Mavs when his agent was telling Mark Cuban that he was almost surely coming to Dallas?

Maybe he talked to his old Miami Heat teammate, Tim Hardaway, who has done nothing but rip coach Don Nelson and the Mavs since they dumped him in a trade with Denver.

Or maybe he talked to his old Georgetown buddy, Patrick Ewing, who was very unhappy when Nellie tried to turn him into a face-the-basket jump-shooter when he coached the Knicks for 59 games in 1995-96.

Or maybe Jason Kidd just convinced 'Zo that he had a better chance of winning a title in New Jersey than trying to fight through LA, Sacramento and San Antonio in the West.