Dirk: "There is always someone better in the league who you could be traded for"

[Winwall]

Found this interview on a german site: link

I translated it from german to english. I hope you understand it [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

================================================== ========================


Sport1: Mr. Nowitzki, what were your thoughts when the San Antonio Spurs were holding the NBA trophy ?

Dirk Nowitzki: The Spurs were my favorite team during the whole season. The way San Antonio was playing against Phoinx in the semi finals was superior. Even when Tim Duncan was injured they played good basketball. That’s why they deserve the victory.

Sport1: Seeing how Phonix played and how Steve Nash played – did you regret that Nash wasn’t playing for Dallas anymore?

Nowitzki: Of course. You can see it as a mistake to let him go, retrospectively. With Steve we would have had better chances. He played a great season. The whole team around him was fitting. Except a point guard everything was present before he went to the Suns – and when Steve arrived they had the complete package. The way they were playing was very impressive.

Sport1: Together with Steve Nash and Michael Finley you were the „Big Three“ in Dallas. Nash is gone, Finley could be gone. Is this the beginning of a new era in Dallas?

Nowitzki: I believe that since Steve left, a new era has started a little bit. He was my best friend. If Mike leaves also, a new era will start for sure. We were the core in Dallas for a long time. It’s a pitty, because we all were close friends. That hurts.

Sport1: Whats going to happen without those two in Dallas?

Nowitzki: We still have a strong team. Our owner Mark Cuban is very ambitious and wants us to win the championship. We will continue. We will see if we get reinforcements. I think we have a strong team. We just have to play smarter and better when it matters. Then we’ll be among the top teams.

Sport1: Avery Johnson has become your new coach. What is he doing differntly - compared to Don Nelson?

Nowitzki: He uses a different system. With Nellie we played “Run and Gun”, moving the ball up the court fast and finishing fast. Not a lot of defense. Avery does the opposite. He wants to use more defense. Defense is the first thing we do in training. He has a different view on basketball. And it’s very successful. At the end of the season we were winning ten, eleven games in a row. I think he will be a very good coach for us in the future. But that are two different styles of basketball colliding. A change in the middle of the season was unfortunate.

Sport1: Do you like Johnson’s system?

Nowitzki: Nellie was my coach for 7 years. Almost everything was about offense and only a few things about defense. We all have to adapt. I think we adjusted to what Avery wants. That’s why we played good as a team. Only in the playoffs it wasn’t enough. I hope we can change that next season.

Sport1: The NBA is a business, Mark Cuban is a businessman. The title is the goal. Are you scared of being traded someday?

Nowitzki: “Scared” is a little bit exaggerated. But everybody in the NBA has to live with this possiblilty. Nobody has a safe workplace. There is always someone better in the league who you could be traded for. But that’s why everybody is paid very well, to live with this risk. Of course I would like to stay in Dallas, but if it should happen, I have to live with it. Then I’ll have to go to the new team, get used to it and continue my career. However you’ve got to wait to see if it would even happen.

Sport1: You said yourself that this summer after the playoff disappointment will be decisive for your development. How close to a title is Dallas? Is this team strong enough, compared to the Spurs, Pistons, Heat or Suns?

Nowitzki: I think that we need a backup under the basket. Dampier was helping a lot but he often was in foul trouble during the playoffs. Then there wasn’t enough help from the bench. I think we need another athletic player under the basket. Then we’ll be among the top teams.


Sport1: And what’s lacking?

Nowitzki: We need to play together. We couldn’t adjust to each other due to the injuries during the season. Then the playoffs started and things weren’t going like we planned to.

Sport1: Would you still pick the Mavericks next season?

Nowitzki: Of course. I do it every year. We have been close every year, but could’t make it to the end.
Sometime it will be our year.

[dirt_dobber]

Thanks for the contribution Winwall

I think this quote by #41 should be the entire emphasis is the offseason/free agent goal

Nowitzki: I think that we need a backup under the basket. Dampier was helping a lot but he often was in foul trouble during the playoffs. Then there wasn’t enough help from the bench. I think we need another athletic player under the basket. Then we’ll be among the top teams.

I think Josh Powell is very athletic and could play a Henderson type role.

.

[dude1394]

Thanks winwall.. .I get these google alerts with dirk but trying to run them through a web tranlator loses quite a bit. Dirk is also telling the mavs...QUIT PLAYING ME AT CENTER YOU MORONS!!!

[V2M]

Originally posted by: dude1394
Thanks winwall.. .I get these google alerts with dirk but trying to run them through a web tranlator loses quite a bit. Dirk is also telling the mavs...QUIT PLAYING ME AT CENTER YOU MORONS!!!

Exactly. And he seems to do that so many times in so many different ways and yet every year, whoever be the players OR the coaches, he inevitably finds himself playing significant minutes at Center.

[dirno2000]

Avery doesn't want him playing center either. He sent Dirk home for the summer with instructions to improve his post game and lateral movement so he can log some time at SF.

The thing that puzzles me is that everything I've heard from Donnie, Mark, Avery and Dirk indicates that our number one need is a back up center, yet our top FA target appears to have been Robert Horry. I haven't heard anything about us being in the running for Stephen Hunter, ZaZa Pachulia or even Stromile Swift.

[Pirate]

No one has said center (in the mold of Dampier) - they have said "athletic big man" til our ears have gotten bloody from hearing it so many times. Horry would have been that backup big man. They have also said they want to add guys with playoff experience who can help them get to the next level, so I bet that eliminates the Hunters and Pachulias and Swifts and so on. You have to think someone like Brian Grant would be the one on their radar.

[dirno2000]

But if the goal is to keep Dirk from having to play center when Damp is in foul trouble or even injured, Horry is not the answer. Dirk is better equipped to play center then he is.

Brian Grant fills the playoff experience requirement but he wasn't the most athletic guy 10 years ago and watching him run up and down the court for the Lakers was painful. Because he’s such a warrior, he's always been matched up with bigger players and I think it's worn him down. I don’t see him as much of an upgrade over Henderson. I like the idea of bringing in a vet with playoff experience but I don't want to sacrifice talent to do it.

[Speedy]

Originally posted by: Pirate
No one has said center (in the mold of Dampier) - they have said "athletic big man" til our ears have gotten bloody from hearing it so many times. Horry would have been that backup big man. They have also said they want to add guys with playoff experience who can help them get to the next level, so I bet that eliminates the Hunters and Pachulias and Swifts and so on. You have to think someone like Brian Grant would be the one on their radar.

In that case is KVB gone? I don't know their exact weight and height, but Horry and Van Horn appear very similar in size as well as athletic ability.

[V2M]

At the beginning of the season, we had 5 Centers and yet come playoffs, Dirk spent significant time at 5. And the coach was not Nellie, this time.
So why should Dirk OR the fans believe this time would be any different? I know, I'll believe it when I see it.

Btw, I also don't like the idea of Dirk playing at SF except for a couple of situational minutes that may arise such as when Josh is resting and Dirk, KVH and Damp are on the frontline. Dirk's natural spot is 4 and that's where he's proven to be the most effective. He's our best player and we need to keep him at his most-preferred spot and rotate everyone around him until we find the best combination. Moving Dirk around is not the most optimal way to develop chemistry.

In fact, for the starters, I'd say Damp at 5, Dirk at 4, Josh at 3, Terry at 1 should be set in stone for this year. Depending on who we have left, it should be either Fin or Daniels at 2. KVH & Stack should play the backup combo at 3/4 and 2/3 respectively. Let Harris be the pure backup at 1 and let's sign a pure backup at 5 and we should be set with our playoff rotation.

[Lebanese_Fan]

There is only 1 cheap player left we can get that fits what dirk wants, steven hunter.

Unless we go insane and get sammy or tyson in a crazy improbable sign and trade. With the mavs, everything is possible. That is why we love them.

[chumdawg]

Originally posted by: V2M
Btw, I also don't like the idea of Dirk playing at SF except for a couple of situational minutes that may arise such as when Josh is resting and Dirk, KVH and Damp are on the frontline. Dirk's natural spot is 4 and that's where he's proven to be the most effective. .

You know, V2M, I think this is an interesting question. I know that positions can be blurred sometimes, but when you think about what a 4 traditionally is, is that really Dirk's "natural" position? God knows Nellie was never bound by traditional roles. For a lot of his career, especially early on, wasn't Dirk playing more like a 3? In a 4's body, naturally.

I don't know... But in these last playoffs, Dirk didn't to me look very "natural" when he was playing with his back to the basket on offense.

It doesn't get as much discussion as it probably should, but I think the most critical element of the Mavs' success (or lack thereof) will be how Dirk develops playing for a new coach who has a different vision of what Dirk should be doing on the court. We all love Dirk--as well we should--and I think we tend to take it for granted that he'll be able to do anything on the basketball court. But maybe he's not Superman. Maybe he doesn't play like an All-Pro when he tries to play like Tim Duncan. I hate to think it may be the case--and I'm not saying I expect it to be--but it's possible.

I think Dirk is what he is because of who he's been. If he's asked to become someone else, I don't think there are any guarantees.

[dude1394]

Originally posted by: V2M
At the beginning of the season, we had 5 Centers and yet come playoffs, Dirk spent significant time at 5. And the coach was not Nellie, this time.
So why should Dirk OR the fans believe this time would be any different? I know, I'll believe it when I see it.

I think that is the point he's trying to make to the front office. With dirk becoming more of a leader, maybe he'll tell avery to pound sand if he puts him in at center. That would be funny.

Avery tells him to go in for damp and dirk flips him off. Hah... .Can you imagine the crap that would get heaped on him for that?

[dude1394]

Well chum he is going to HAVE to learn to play like tim duncan when mcgrady/marion are on him or houston/phoenix will be kicking our rear ends for the rest of dirks career. I still don't think anyone can take away dirk's outside games unless he puts on a lot of muscle.

Now full disclosure, I have posted that I think he will have to put on some more muscle and at that time he'll certainly play less of a running game. He'll always be able to shoot, that's god-given, but he'll be able to get position better...

[V2M]

Originally posted by: chumdawg

You know, V2M, I think this is an interesting question. I know that positions can be blurred sometimes, but when you think about what a 4 traditionally is, is that really Dirk's "natural" position? God knows Nellie was never bound by traditional roles. For a lot of his career, especially early on, wasn't Dirk playing more like a 3? In a 4's body, naturally.

I don't know... But in these last playoffs, Dirk didn't to me look very "natural" when he was playing with his back to the basket on offense.

It doesn't get as much discussion as it probably should, but I think the most critical element of the Mavs' success (or lack thereof) will be how Dirk develops playing for a new coach who has a different vision of what Dirk should be doing on the court. We all love Dirk--as well we should--and I think we tend to take it for granted that he'll be able to do anything on the basketball court. But maybe he's not Superman. Maybe he doesn't play like an All-Pro when he tries to play like Tim Duncan. I hate to think it may be the case--and I'm not saying I expect it to be--but it's possible.

I think Dirk is what he is because of who he's been. If he's asked to become someone else, I don't think there are any guarantees.

On Offense, Dirk should do what he's done last year. May be shoot a three or two more per game. He should also learn to punish the smaller SFs as well pass the ball out of double-teams better. Saying that, 27ppg is great and I don't mind a bit if he just repeats that.

On Defense is where my concern is. Guarding the stronger Centers under the basket puts him in foul-trouble and/or early fatigue. To avoid fouls, he many times chooses to wave the green flag to every penetration. Doesn't help the team a single bit. Likewise, I don't like it when he has to guard smaller & quicker SFs all around the court. I believe, he's most suited to guard the 4s.

[V2M]

Originally posted by: dude1394

I think that is the point he's trying to make to the front office. With dirk becoming more of a leader, maybe he'll tell avery to pound sand if he puts him in at center. That would be funny.

Avery tells him to go in for damp and dirk flips him off. Hah... .Can you imagine the crap that would get heaped on him for that?

If AJ is dumb enough to keep substituting Damp with Dirk at 5, I hope he gets shown up.

On a side note, it's funny how Nellie gets run out of town (me included!) for his love of small-ball and yet at the first sign of trouble, during the playoffs, AJ (who's supposedly the Anti-Nellie in his coaching methods) goes for small-ball. I just hope it's a one-time aberration and we see the AJ as advertised.

[SeriousSummer]

Dirk is a 3 on offense, and a 4 (or in some match ups a 5--he should always guard the other team's weakest big man) on defense. That means the perfect compliment to Dirk would be a small forward who was the reverse--a 3 on defense but a 4 on offense. In short, a quick powerful 3 that likes to post up. An Adrian Dantley or Mark Aguirre type, although they wouldn't need to be that good.

Howard is an excellent player, but I don't know if he's a good match with Dirk.

[HexNBA]

I haven't heard anything about us being in the running for Stephen Hunter, ZaZa Pachulia or even Stromile Swift.

it seems that when it comes to the mavs, the rumors that we hear about dont happen, and the things we dont hear about are just announced one day.

[Azn_Baller101]

Originally posted by: SeriousSummer
Dirk is a 3 on offense, and a 4 (or in some match ups a 5--he should always guard the other team's weakest big man) on defense. That means the perfect compliment to Dirk would be a small forward who was the reverse--a 3 on defense but a 4 on offense. In short, a quick powerful 3 that likes to post up. An Adrian Dantley or Mark Aguirre type, although they wouldn't need to be that good.

Howard is an excellent player, but I don't know if he's a good match with Dirk.

someone like Antawn Jamison?

[dirno2000]

it seems that when it comes to the mavs, the rumors that we hear about dont happen, and the things we dont hear about are just announced one day.

I'm hoping that this is the case and that the wheels are moving behind the scenes...the thing is, it's next to impossible to operate this way in the FA market because agents are leaking rumors trying to create a market for their clients. I guess the exception to that rule would be the major sign and trade so maybe that’s what we’re working on.

[Lebanese_Fan]

Originally posted by: SeriousSummer
Dirk is a 3 on offense, and a 4 (or in some match ups a 5--he should always guard the other team's weakest big man) on defense. That means the perfect compliment to Dirk would be a small forward who was the reverse--a 3 on defense but a 4 on offense. In short, a quick powerful 3 that likes to post up. An Adrian Dantley or Mark Aguirre type, although they wouldn't need to be that good.

Howard is an excellent player, but I don't know if he's a good match with Dirk.

The player you are looking for is rashad lewis because he is great post up player. As a plus, he can shoot the three. The prob is he is in seattle.