No Nellie led to Daniels' departure - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

kriD · 07-07-2006, 07:32 AM

No Nellie led to Daniels' departure

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

At one time, the Mavericks thought they had a keeper in Marquis Daniels.

The slithery 6-6 guard who was never drafted had finished the 2003-04 season with an 11-game burst in which he averaged 20.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.09 steals.

Don Nelson believed he had a player who could score 20 points any night. And when he didn't, Daniels would dish out plentiful assists while posting up smaller guards.

Nellie probably still feels that way.

But the man calling the Mavericks' shots these days is not as big a fan of posting up point guards.

Coach Avery Johnson is a huge proponent of toughness, mentally and physically. Ball movement and player movement take precedent over isolations.

And Daniels is certain that the coaching change 16 months ago was the catalyst for his departure from the Mavericks. As his opportunities on the court dwindled, he saw his days with the Mavericks numbered, too.

"I got to do a lot of different things on the floor under Nellie," Daniels said Thursday, making his first public comments after his trade to the Indiana Pacers for Austin Croshere was agreed to. "When Avery came in, things changed. I didn't get a chance to do as much out on the floor.

"Obviously, Nellie helped me get to the situation I'm at now. There are no hard feelings on my part. I'm just looking forward to moving on."

Daniels' trade will become official Wednesday, when the moratorium on player movement is lifted. The Mavericks also are hopeful they will reel in at least one or more free agents – Mike James, Reggie Evans, Flip Murray and Darius Songaila are possibilities – when the smoke clears from the ongoing negotiating period.

But Thursday was a time for Daniels to reflect on his whirlwind tenure with the Mavericks. When he was signed to a one-year contract as a rookie free agent in 2003, not much was expected. The Mavericks had drafted Josh Howard, who played a similar role.

By the end of his rookie season, it was Daniels who had become the promise of the future. He was rewarded with a six-year contract (five guaranteed years) that was worth more than $36 million. The Mavericks admitted at the time they could not afford to lose Daniels after Steve Nash had bolted in free agency.

The next year, Howard became a key contributor and Daniels suffered through injuries and illnesses. Then came the coaching change. And Johnson's style simply did not mesh with Daniels'.

"It's behind me," said Daniels, who averaged 10.2 points this past regular season but only 3.4 during the playoffs. "It's been behind me. I'm very excited about going up to Indiana. Everything works out for a reason. I wouldn't change anything. I had a great time in Dallas."

What he will miss is the people, particularly Howard, who is one of his closest friends.

"That will never change," Daniels said. "We've been talking. I told him this was probably going to happen. We've both grown from it, and we'll always be tight."

Briefly: The Mavericks are in a holding pattern on the free-agent front until Mike James makes a decision, which could happen Friday. Minnesota is the newest entrant, but it still appears the Houston Rockets have the inside track to James, who has been meeting with agent Bill Duffy and team officials at the Vegas Summer League. ... Austin Croshere did not return phone messages left for him via Indiana Pacers' officials. ... First-round draft selection Maurice Ager led the way with 17 points as the Mavericks lost to the Denver Nuggets, 113-85, in their Vegas Summer League opener. The Mavs face the Boston Celtics at 2 p.m. Saturday.

kriD · 07-07-2006, 07:33 AM

Daniels became a Mavs spare part

By Gil LeBreton
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

The Mavericks have agreed to a deal that would send guard Marquis Daniels to the Indiana Pacers.

He'll probably get a tattoo to mark the occasion. If he has room.

Oh, it wasn't Daniels' uber-random body art that bothered me. Rather, it was the way that his confidence disintegrated once Don Nelson was no longer the Mavs' head coach.

No longer having Nellie to overlook his nest, Daniels seemed to be chronically hurt. His shooting weaknesses were painfully exposed.

The worst part about being traded, we were reminded this week, might be having the terms of your bad contract reprinted in the newspapers. If you read that Daniels' original, Nellie-induced deal called for six years at $36.8 million and didn't tsk-tsk, you're not a good Mavericks fan.

In the end, Marquis Daniels was more than overpriced. He was largely unnecessary, a fat check that coach Avery Johnson seemed to have little interest in cashing.

It says something about Daniels' raw talent that the Pacers apparently are willing to add another $19 million to their payroll. But as with Michael Finley, if the coach is not going to give quality minutes to a player, why let the player sit, wondering, maybe grumbling, on the bench?

Austin Croshere? A cheaper, maybe even healthier version of Keith Van Horn. He'll get the few minutes when Dirk Nowitzki has to go to the bench.

But Daniels never seemed to impress Johnson enough to merit anything more than token minutes. Nellie saw him as multi-talented -- the old "point-forward" fascination --but Avery needs role players. Specialists.

Daniels had his chances. Didn't Johnson go to Las Vegas last year, mostly to work with Marquis in the summer league?

If Daniels was going to impress Johnson, he lost much of that opportunity by missing 42 games over the past two seasons. It's probably not fair, but coaches are coaches, and Daniels always seemed to be mending from something.

As a scapegoat for the Mavericks' flameout in the NBA Finals, though, Daniels doesn't suffice. The collective fizzle was audible. Daniels' best moments in the post-season, ironically, came in Game 6, when he led a third-quarter surge that got the Mavericks back into the game.

But at $26.5 million -- the amount remaining on Marquis' $36.8-million contract -- that's an expensive panic button. The deal with the Pacers simply makes too much sense.

Daniels wasn't the first player that Nellie overpaid (see BRADLEY, Shawn), but he might have been the most curious. Teams ceased respecting his outside shooting ability, or lack thereof.

And when Adrian Griffin was plugged into the starting lineup and deemed capable, Daniels was mostly out of a gig.

I promised myself that I wouldn't turn this impending trade into a harangue against NBA tattoos, and thus I'll keep my middle-aged mouth shut. Daniels, however, will leave with the franchise record for body ink pushed to Ruthian heights.

He has 27 tattoos. I suppose 15 or so wasn't enough.

One of them was supposed to be Daniels' initials written in Chinese. But as The New York Times reporter Cindy Chang wrote a few weeks ago, after consulting someone who knew the language, the inked characters that Daniels wears actually read, "healthy woman roof."

Don't misunderstand. Nobody here is blaming Daniels or his tattoos for the Mavericks' collapse against the Miami Heat. On the contrary, Johnson and team owner Mark Cuban appear to be looking forward.

Drafting Maurice Ager from Michigan State was one step. Avery seemed more excited on draft day about seeing Ager play than he seemed about Daniels in months.

And while Croshere doesn't come cheap on a per-season basis, he has only one year remaining on his contract. The Mavericks, you may have noticed recently, are no longer in luxury tax jail.

It's time to move along. To retool for next season.

Might as well do it with players whom the head coach wants to play.

kriD · 07-07-2006, 07:33 AM

MAVERICKS NOTES

Daniels excited about chance to play with Pacers

By DWAIN PRICE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS - Instead of hanging his head because the Mavericks gave up on him after three seasons, Marquis Daniels is doing the opposite.

Traded Wednesday by the Mavs to Indiana for Austin Croshere, Daniels is eager to join a Pacers team that could use his backcourt versatility.

"I'm so happy right now," Daniels said. "This is a new situation, I'm happy and I'm looking forward to going ahead and taking advantage of it."

Daniels flourished under former Mavs coach Don Nelson but fell out of favor with coach Avery Johnson, who took over for Nelson with 18 games remaining in the 2004-05 season. Even when Daniels had one of his finest moments -- scoring 12 points in 18 minutes to help keep the Mavs close in their Game 6 loss to Miami in the NBA Finals -- he knew that it would likely be his last game with Dallas.

"I wasn't surprised I was traded," Daniels said. "And I have no regrets. It's part of the business.

"I don't have anything against the Mavs' organization. I loved every minute I was here."

After going undrafted in 2003, Daniels signed a one-year free-agent contract with the Mavs. He then impressed the Mavs enough as a rookie to earn a six-year, $36.8 million contract.

"Everything's been good," Daniels said. "I love the Mavs fans because they've been good to me for the last three years."

Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, the trade won't be official until Wednesday.

"I'm just ready to get started with my new life," Daniels said. "I'm very happy."

Still waiting on James

Toronto Raptors free-agent guard Mike James apparently will wait until next week to decide on a new team.

Mavs officials met with James and his agent, Bill Duffy, in Las Vegas on Thursday. James and Duffy also met with Houston Rockets representatives, and are slated to meet Minnesota Timberwolves officials. The Mavs and Rockets have each offered James a three-year contract, but he wants a five-year deal.

Mavs lose opener

Rookie Maurice Ager scored a team-high 17 points as the Mavs opened play in the Toshiba Vegas Summer League with a 113-85 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Las Vegas. The Mavs also got 16 points from Anthony Grundy. Dallas plays Boston at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Parker not returning

Mavs owner Mark Cuban said he won't renew the contract of assistant coach Charlie Parker. The last holdover from the Jim Cleamons coaching era, Parker had been with the Mavs since 1996.

Dtownsfinest · 07-08-2006, 01:07 AM

Quote:

The slithery 6-6 guard who was never drafted had finished the 2003-04 season with an 11-game burst in which he averaged 20.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.09 steals.

Sighhh.......This hurts the most. I hope Daniels flourishes in Indiana. One of the good guys in this league.

Quote:

"I got to do a lot of different things on the floor under Nellie," Daniels said Thursday, making his first public comments after his trade to the Indiana Pacers for Austin Croshere was agreed to. "When Avery came in, things changed. I didn't get a chance to do as much out on the floor.

No comment.

bernardos70 · 07-08-2006, 01:49 AM

These articles piss me off even more about this trade. Damn it. Especially that last quote by Dtown.

I don't think anyone really thought Daniels was going to stay, but did he not see what this guy is capable of? Play to his strengths, get your 20ppg player. I hate stubborness, especially when it's dumb stubborness.

DtownMavs · 07-08-2006, 03:49 AM

kinda sad reading those articles

quis, have fun and good luck

Mavfan + Ravenfan · 07-08-2006, 08:51 AM

We could/should have gotten more, at least a second round pick or cash or something.

MavsFanFinley · 07-08-2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

"I got to do a lot of different things on the floor under Nellie," Daniels said Thursday, making his first public comments after his trade to the Indiana Pacers for Austin Croshere was agreed to. "When Avery came in, things changed. I didn't get a chance to do as much out on the floor.

I'm shocked.

fluid.forty.one · 07-08-2006, 01:46 PM

Why are you shocked, it was obvious.

MavsFanFinley · 07-08-2006, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

Why are you shocked, it was obvious.

Sorry, that was sarcasm on my part. Not only did we know it was coming, it's obvious if you're not an AJ player you're out of here.

Dtownsfinest · 07-08-2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MavsFanFinley

Sorry, that was sarcasm on my part. Not only did we know it was coming, it's obvious if you're not an AJ player you're out of here.

Hahahhh no kiddin'. If everyone saw how the Finley departure went down I think you had to have saw this Daniels trade coming.

Quote:

I don't think anyone really thought Daniels was going to stay, but did he not see what this guy is capable of? Play to his strengths, get your 20ppg player. I hate stubborness, especially when it's dumb stubborness.

I heard some great points made on the radio on Friday and one point brought up that I didn't really think about is when the Mavericks in Game 6 were getting a huge lift from Daniels. I mean he was the only guy out there really playing worth a damn yet he still got yanked by AJ for Devin Harris. I agree with the articles that yea Daniels was a Nellie guy however I have a hard time believing a guy who averaged 20/6/5/2(When's the last time a player been this all around for the Mavs? Damn.) can't be a AJ player. What exactly is a AJ player? I'm starting to believe that a AJ player is just a veteran. A guy AJ knows will contribute. There was no reason for Daniels not to be this teams starter last season. We sign a guy off the streets and he comes in and starts? I like Griff like the next guy but the fact that a guy off the couch got pt over Daniels says a lot about how AJ felt about Marquis. Not sure what it was.