Cleveland Center DeSagana Diop available - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

zanahale · 12-02-2003, 11:21 AM

Cleveland is shopping this guy (as well as Chris Mihm)...big body who can play defense and block shots...raw but we could develop him and maybe get him for next to nothing...only 21 years old!...what do you guys think...with our current situation with lack of real centers, we could use an extra body in case Bradley's bronchitis gets worse...lol

here is the article:
http://www.nypost.com/sports/43348.htm

Here is some scouting reports on him
http://www.nbadraft.net/profiles/saganadiop.htm

http://www.hoopshype.com/players/desagana_diop.htm

madape · 12-02-2003, 11:27 AM

This is a vescey column, so take it with a grain of salt. Of course the Mavs would be interested in Diop, much more so than they would Mihm. Diop is a big, strong shotblocker with a huge upside. The organization has been in his life since he was discovered by Maverick super-scout Amadou fall as a young teenager in Senegal. He visited Reunion at least once while still in high school. You can bet that if the man was really being shopped by the Cavs, the Mavericks would be burning up the phone lines to get him.

EricaLubarsky · 12-02-2003, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: madape
This is a vescey column, so take it with a grain of salt. Of course the Mavs would be interested in Diop, much more so than they would Mihm. Diop is a big, strong shotblocker with a huge upside. The organization has been in his life since he was discovered by Maverick super-scout Amadou fall as a young teenager in Senegal. He visited Reunion at least once while still in high school. You can bet that if the man was really being shopped by the Cavs, the Mavericks would be burning up the phone lines to get him.

the ape is correct

sike · 12-02-2003, 12:00 PM

so what would it take???

how great would it be for the Mavs to find a young big man talent!? in the same mold as J. Oneal or Z. Randolf....we dont need a star like these two, but its been some time since they had a big man with a buzz around him....other than the buzz of flies that are constantly swarming around Fortson...Someone with the same positive energy that Josh Howard brings....yeah, that would be nice.....

LRB · 12-02-2003, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: madape
This is a vescey column, so take it with a grain of salt.

Well I would say that all a Vescy column is good for is lining your cat's litter box, but it's not even that. Because once you have the litter box lined, you find that you need to empty it because it's now full of crap.

kg_veteran · 12-02-2003, 12:28 PM

I think the Mavs would have more interest in Mihm. He's more skilled than Diop, more productive, and is much less of a project.

sike · 12-02-2003, 12:33 PM

does Mihm in any why help this team in the Playoffs?..HOW does he change the face of this team...or improve it in a way that will lead to more Ws?.....I've said before if Delk is all you have to give, then surely do it,(his minutes are gone to Howard anyway) but is that reality?

Dirkenstien · 12-02-2003, 12:36 PM

I like this guy a lot...if we cant acquire Mihm then I surely would not mind acquiring Diop. The thing is what could we give up? Clevelend is already fairly deep in all positions and I'm not sure we could offer much. A trade with cleveland may require a third team but perhaps Najera and another could be enough to steal Mihm or Diop away. Or maybe even both [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

kg_veteran · 12-02-2003, 12:39 PM

How does Mihm help? He's another big body (7', 265 lbs) who can rebound, block shots, and defend the post. He's very active and productive in his 18 mpg for the Cavs:

Ranks #5 in the NBA in Offensive Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(6.4)
Ranks #11 in the NBA in Defensive Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(10.1)
Ranks #5 in the NBA in Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(16.5)
Ranks #7 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking Per 48 Minutes(31.02)

He's a big, lively, skilled player who shoots a high percentage and isn't a liability on either end of the court. Not too shabby for a bench player. Especially one who is 24 years old and should only continue to get better.

LRB · 12-02-2003, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: kg_veteran
How does Mihm help? He's another big body (7', 265 lbs) who can rebound, block shots, and defend the post. He's very active and productive in his 18 mpg for the Cavs:

Ranks #5 in the NBA in Offensive Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(6.4)
Ranks #11 in the NBA in Defensive Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(10.1)
Ranks #5 in the NBA in Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(16.5)
Ranks #7 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking Per 48 Minutes(31.02)

He's a big, lively, skilled player who shoots a high percentage and isn't a liability on either end of the court. Not too shabby for a bench player. Especially one who is 24 years old and should only continue to get better.

Great points KG. The choice between Mihm and Diop to me is choosing one that can best help you know, or the one who has the greatest potential to help you later. I give Diop the biggest potential, but that's a two way sword. He has a bigger potential to be a great player and a bigger potential to be a complete flop. But the long and short of it is that we're desperately trying to win a championship THIS year, and Mihm gives us the best chance to do that.

EricaLubarsky · 12-02-2003, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: kg_veteran
How does Mihm help? He's another big body (7', 265 lbs) who can rebound, block shots, and defend the post. He's very active and productive in his 18 mpg for the Cavs:

Ranks #5 in the NBA in Offensive Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(6.4)
Ranks #11 in the NBA in Defensive Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(10.1)
Ranks #5 in the NBA in Rebounds Per 48 Minutes(16.5)
Ranks #7 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking Per 48 Minutes(31.02)

He's a big, lively, skilled player who shoots a high percentage and isn't a liability on either end of the court. Not too shabby for a bench player. Especially one who is 24 years old and should only continue to get better.

Usually I blow off /48min stats because they are horribly inaccurate especially for players that play only a minute or two (players can play one minute of crap time, grab a board and average 48rebounds per), or for players that already play 35-40 (because it deceptively ups the production), but those stats are legitimate in this situation as Mihm plays regular minutes and as long as you remember that he will only pull down about 2 and a half off. boards a game (and not 6.4) then the stats are good.

Mihm's stats dont prove he is a monster rebounder, but they do prove that he produces effectively in his limited minutes and thats what you want from a player coming off the bench. You want a player who can be effective from a per minute perspective.

LRB · 12-02-2003, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Mihm's stats dont prove he is a monster rebounder, but they do prove that he produces effectively in his limited minutes and thats what you want from a player coming off the bench. You want a player who can be nearly as effective as your starter

Which is why it's much easier to get 2 or 3 spares who are very effective in limited minutes than to get one superstud star who is very effective in 40 minutes.

EricaLubarsky · 12-02-2003, 01:43 PM

Exactly LRB, exactly.

I dont mind "the three headed center" as long as more than one of them isnt undersized and/or out of position.

kg_veteran · 12-02-2003, 02:06 PM

Erica, I'd MUCH rather have a "three-headed center" of Bradley, Mihm, and Nowitzki than the alternatives currently available.

You could play Bradley and Mihm about 18-20 minutes each, with Dirk getting the last 8-12 minutes at the spot. Something like this:

Bradley 20 - Mihm 18 - Dirk 10
Dirk 28 - Jamison 20
Walker 35 - Jamison 13
Finley 33 - Howard 15
Nash 30 - Best 18

NOTE: I only grudgingly include Best in the rotation because I realize that he's not going anywhere, at least for now.

That's a really solid 9 man rotation that gives everybody the minutes they need and gives you a nice balance of everything.

EricaLubarsky · 12-02-2003, 02:12 PM

I actually have started liking Best of late- maybe its because Nash has had some incredibly bad games and Best has actually been more effective...

anyway- that lineup looks good to me. I do not want to see Nowitzki ever at center as he is the perfect mid-long range SF/PF and all the battling inside isnt good for the girly ankles of his. I want to reduce Nowitzki's minutes, but seeing Fortson out there against Western teams just makes me cringe.... IF we got Diop and Mihm- then I wouldnt mind sending Fortson to the IL and sending him to Nellie's Hawaiian beach house for the season.

LRB · 12-02-2003, 02:13 PM

KG even if Dirk didn't get the 10 minutes at Center and it was given to Eddie or the potato, we're still much better off than playing major minutes with a 6'8" center at best. But I'd rather see Dirk get the 10 minutes at the 5 spot.

And I either wish Best would go where his shot has gone or his shot would come to where he is. Either one works for me.

FilthyFinMavs · 12-02-2003, 05:16 PM

Take inconsideration that Diop is only 21 years old. If you think Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels are the future it wouldn't be to bad to take on a big man who is even younger then those guys. Which ever guys is easier to get I go after him. I'd try my best to avoid trading Walker, Fin, Nash, Dirk or Jamison when doing so. I'm not sure if the Cavs would want to benefit the Mavs that much.

LRB · 12-02-2003, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: FilthyFinMavs
Take inconsideration that Diop is only 21 years old. If you think Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels are the future it wouldn't be to bad to take on a big man who is even younger then those guys. Which ever guys is easier to get I go after him. I'd try my best to avoid trading Walker, Fin, Nash, Dirk or Jamison when doing so. I'm not sure if the Cavs would want to benefit the Mavs that much.

FFM the Mavs #1 priority should be to compete immediately for a championship. Anything that detracks from that needs to be put aside. We've got an excellent shot to win it all, but our experiences in the 80's should teach us that window to get it done can close extremely fast and for a very loooooooooong time. Yes if we can get Diop cheap and not hurt our current chances it would be nice to plan for the future. Otherwise, forget it. Let's win one now instead of always making moves to win in the future. The former can get us a championship. The Latter is not changed will assure that we'll never get one.