Mutombo to likely sign with the Knicks, Mavs to pass on him - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Tony tha Mavs fan · 10-06-2003, 10:16 AM

Dikembe fit to be a Knick

By MITCH LAWRENCE
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Jersey's loss could be gain for Knicks, who may add Dikembe Mutombo in days.

Don Chaney paid about as much attention to Dikembe Mutombo during the Nets' run to the Finals last season as Byron Scott did, but that figures to change in a matter of days.
The Knicks are keenly interested in signing the 7-2 Mutombo after he is expected to clear waivers Wednesday. According to league sources, they may have already worked out an agreement with his agent, David Falk.

"I can't comment on that," team president Scott Layden said yesterday after the Knicks' afternoon workout. "He's still property of the Nets."

But Mutombo, who took a buyout with the Nets on Saturday, will be waived today. That will pave the way for the Knicks to grab the shot-blocking specialist they have long-coveted, for part of the $4.9 million mid-level exception. One of the teams that was expected to make a major run for the 37-year old center — Dallas — has decided to take a pass. The Mavs think Mutombo is too slow for their up-tempo style.

But he could be perfect for the Knicks, who have the undersized Kurt Thomas starting in the middle. Coming off a second straight non-playoff season, the Knicks have been without a true center since they traded Patrick Ewing to Seattle three years ago. Last season, en route to 37 wins, they were dead last in several critical categories — overall rebounding, offensive rebounding and blocked shots — where Mutombo could bring immediate improvement.

"There's a lot of big people we'd like to have — we'd like to have Shaq," Allan Houston said. "(Mutombo) would be able to help a lot of teams. He's proven himself. He's been Defensive Player of the Year a few years."

The only player in NBA history to win the top-defender award four times, Mutombo comes off a season in which he sustained a serious wrist injury and clashed with Scott over his role. While the Nets made their second straight run to the Finals, Mutombo was not used in 10 of their first 14 playoff games. In the Finals against the Spurs' Tim Duncan and David Robinson, he played as many as 18 minutes in only three of the six games.

"I don't know what he has left," said Houston, who continues to sit out workouts as he recovers from offseason knee surgery. "He didn't play a lot last year. In the few minutes he got in the playoffs, it looked like he was out to prove something and he was effective."

Even if he gets only limited minutes, Mutombo's presence would allow Keith Van Horn to play the small-forward spot he's more suited for, and Thomas to move to his more natural position at power forward, where the Knicks also hope to have Antonio McDyess for the first time.

"I really didn't pay much attention to him in the playoffs," said Chaney, who admitted he barely watched any playoff games after his season ended in April. "But I think he still can contribute."

Drbio · 10-06-2003, 10:22 AM

Is this a NY sports writer saying that Dallas is going to take a pass? If so, it makes me think Dallas is going to take a look at him. Always go opposite of the NY sports writers to get closest to the truth.

Chicago JK · 10-06-2003, 10:22 AM

Thanks. Mitch may be right, but I take a wait and see approach to him.

He is probably just trying to be the first NY writer to break the news. Ny writers are good at educated guesses...they will wipe their false reports under the table if they are wrong. They can always break up the Kurt Thomas and Charlie Ward for Kevin Garnett discussions. that should sell some papers.

kg_veteran · 10-06-2003, 10:32 AM

After I posted a couple of times just a minute ago on this subject in the Mavs section, I was sick to hear this. Surely Lawrence is just exercising wishful thinking. The Mavs surely would look at Mutombo for the MLE, wouldn't they?

Drbio · 10-06-2003, 10:38 AM

I would hope so kg. I've seen nothing yet in the Dallas news on it.

Dooby · 10-06-2003, 10:57 AM

The NY Daily News has a more "ambiguous" story. Only that NY would talk to him. I can't believe Mutombo would go to the Knicks and basically forfeit the playoffs. I will also add that the Knicks already used part of their MLE.

Whether the Mavs have "decided to pass", I don't know. I can certainly see why.

dirno2000 · 10-06-2003, 11:27 AM

I don't know why he would say Dallas has passed unless he heard it from somewhere (maybe in an e-mail?). He wouldn't influence the decision by just throwing that out there.

LRB · 10-06-2003, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: kg_veteran
After I posted a couple of times just a minute ago on this subject in the Mavs section, I was sick to hear this. Surely Lawrence is just exercising wishful thinking. The Mavs surely would look at Mutombo for the MLE, wouldn't they?

Probably more about Leastern conference centers not wanting to play in the Bigs (i.e. the western conference) where their inadequacies will be highlighted. See Alonzo Morning.

Murphy3 · 10-06-2003, 01:08 PM

i can't blame mourning. he chose to go to a pretty damn good team in New Jersey.

kg_veteran · 10-06-2003, 01:23 PM

Yeah. That way Mourning's weaknesses will only be highlighted about 8-10 times during the regular season and during the Finals. Of course, this is all probably a pointless discussion, since Mourning will be on the IR when the Finals come around.

dirno2000 · 10-06-2003, 01:33 PM

I don't blame him, but the way he handled the situation was sorry.

LRB · 10-06-2003, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: dirno2000
I don't blame him, but the way he handled the situation was sorry.

I blame him. Mourning's got no game and he's got no integrity. I'm just glad we don't got him.

dirno2000 · 10-06-2003, 02:09 PM

I agree with what you just said. I'm saying that I don't blame him for wanting to play for NJ considering his condition. They are a good team in an easier conference.

MavsFanFinley · 10-06-2003, 02:39 PM

Quote:

One of the teams that was expected to make a major run for the 37-year old center — Dallas — has decided to take a pass. The Mavs think Mutombo is too slow for their up-tempo style.

If this is true, how can the Mavs pass on him? They were all set to lay it all in Zo's hands, but won't trust Mutumbo with 10-15 minutes a night?

Too much money better be the only reason why the Mavs would pass on him.

FilthyFinMavs · 10-06-2003, 02:53 PM

I seriously doubt the Mavs think Danny Fortson can run with there uptempo style but Dikembe Mutombo can't. I don't think they have any intentions of running that uptempo style while Fortson is in the game and I don't thinkt hey would with Mutombo in there. From what I saw the guy was pretty good last season. I don't know why he was released to even play backup to Mourning.

Nash13 · 10-06-2003, 04:59 PM

Why shouldn't the Mavs go after him? We could use him in the playoffs like we used Nick Van Exel. The Mavs really don't need him in the regular season, but when we will eventually slow it down in the playoffs, he could be really helpful.

You can't really use his age as an exuse because ever contending team has an old center.

MavKikiNYC · 10-06-2003, 07:12 PM

Is Mutombo really slower than Bradley? Slower than Esch was? Not appreciably so.

Offensively, Mavs can have one of their 5 guys who sets picks and crashes the boards. Mutombo has played more high post the last couple of years than anything else, and he actually seems to have a little low post game left. That's more than we can say for Mantis or LaF to date.

Defensively, Mutombo is at a minimum 6 more fouls from a shot-blocking, board-cleaning presence. He would, at a minimum, add a 3rd dimension at center, and he could very well be called on to fill in early in the season until Mantis gets back on his feet.

Absolutley no downside to bringing him in for the MLE, if only Nellie will commit to using him.

MavsFanatik33 · 10-06-2003, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: LRB

Quote:

Originally posted by: dirno2000
I don't blame him, but the way he handled the situation was sorry.

I blame him. Mourning's got no game and he's got no integrity. I'm just glad we don't got him.

I completely agree. I think he just signed with NJ because he didn't want to have to deal with the western big men. Everyone knows the west is tougher and stronger, and more impotantly... the east doesn't have duncan,shaq,garnett, etc.

Murphy3 · 10-06-2003, 08:54 PM

mavskiki, i completely agree

EricaLubarsky · 10-06-2003, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: EricaLubarsky
this should probably be called :"where is Deke going now" and moved to the NBA section. Where is that darned guy going?

mavsman · 11-26-2003, 09:14 PM

Right now, Deke has 17 pts on 8-12 shooting and 9rbs at the half vs. Minnesota after going for a double-double in the Knicks' last game against the Celtics. Seems like he'd be the missing piece. On the other hand, who knows if we lack a piece at all?

Rod1975 · 11-27-2003, 05:14 AM

Funny how the two guys we went after (Mourning and Kandi) are non-factors, yet the guy we did'nt try to get (Deke) is doing well and winning games for NYK......[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]