So, what's the plan?

[Murphy3]

Obviously, we all know the Mavs took it up the rear. And yeah, losing Chandler probably set things in motion to where the Mavs weren't going to be able to sign D.Williams simply because there wasn't enough talent on the team to entice him to Big D.

So, what now? What are your suggestions other than the franchise collectively getting on their knees and ending it all with a shotgun blow to the head?

There are a few different ways to go about this. I am going to assume that the Mavs plan to go forward with Dirk Nowitzki on this team for the next few years (Dirk, another 1-3 years at an All-Star level and you're more than welcome to stay and be a Tim Duncan type player)

So, to get the ball rolling, what in the hell do the Mavs do with the remainder of this free agency class, throughout next season, and into the next off-season?

Surely the Mavs hopefully have a plan. What is it?

And obviously, I started this thread because the "life after deron" thread is more of a funeral procession than anything else. I was hoping for more constructive type dialogue.. thoughts .. ideas. Something to hopefully bring a little life back to the Mavs community.

[xrobx]

[The Crippler]

I don't think they have a plan.

[Murphy3]

Well, humor me and formulate a plan for them. I'm sure Cuban's looking at the message boards right now trying to find answers...

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Just have realistic expectations and go young. Never going to groom the young guys if they don't get consistent minutes to mature. Cunningham and Roddy will be very fun to watch. Crowder and James look like they have a lot of promise. Wright has already made himself a regular season rotation player. The alternative is vets for 1-2 year contracts which didn't work last season. It did, however, work though with a young Brandon Wright. The young guys want to prove themselves. Bring in a Gerald Green-type for cheap. Anthony Randolph would make a lot of sense right now. I'd much rather watch some young and fun basketball then some old vets who can't get up and down the court because they know they probably won't be here the next season. Plus, you have to be young now because of the likelihood of meeting OKC in the playoffs. They'll run you off the court if you don't have fresh legs. Seems like the perfect season for it.

[oilfieldtrash]

Keep Dirk, tank the season and get a top 5 pick (low minutes for Dirk, fake injury), next year land the big fish. If we can't land the big fish then you trade Dirk and don't subject him to lottery ball again.

[Murphy3]

The one area in which the Mavs might be able to improve quickly is by bringing in some young talent that just hasn't had time to develop.. might have been in the league awhile because they left college after their freshman year..

In all honesty, that's gotta play a major role in my opinion. So who will the Mavs target besides Randolph?

[LonghornDub]

Shut it down; let's go home.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

Shut it down; let's go home.

Joking? Serious? A little of both?

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Joking? Serious? A little of both?

I'm joking, but there is a serious element to it in that I'm sports-crying myself to sleep every night.

[stuportremens]

I guess they didn't have a real backup plan. They bet all on one card and lost.

When they let Chandler walk, I thought they had something like a 100% guarantee that Deron was going to sign with the Mavs - otherwise it would've been too much of a gamble.The only rational explanation is that during last years championship run, when Deron was sneaking around the Mavs locker room, Mark & Donnie somehow got convinced that Deron was 100% going to sign with the Mavs.

Then they let Tyson walk, which would've been totally and absolutely unreasonable if they believed in something like a "50% chance to sign Deron", after all 100% Tyson would've been 1000% better than a 50% chance at Deron, especially without a good recovery option on the free agent market. Maybe they also believed that they had a chance at getting Dwight, but unless they were completely drunk on championship champagne they must have realized that they wouldn't get Dwight without also getting Deron and being able to sell something like a "Big 3, championship guaranteed"-story to him.

Then, Deron decided to stay with the Nets and the Mavs were completely and irrevocably fscked. End of story.

[SeriousSummer]

I agree with DevinHarrisWillStart. Bring as many young players with potential as possible and hope that one or two of them turn out to be legitimate NBA players. Try to trade Marion and Haywood at the trade deadline in order to get more even more room under the salary cap.

Then hope that Dirk plus one or two young talents plus whatever you can get for Marion (might have valus as a defensive player for someone looking to play Miami or Oklahoma) and Haywood (chiefly valuable because you can amnesty him in the summer and spread out the salary cap hit over a number of years) plus a high draft choice is enough to sign a big time free agent.

I don't see much out there in the way of proven veterans that either can provide enough help to compete next year or with enough left in the tank for a couple more years.

[Bayliss]

It's sad how Dirk's two catchphrases sum up the Mavs philosophy:

Take Dat Wit Chew

Shut it down Let's go home

[rabbitproof]

Originally Posted by Bayliss

It's sad how Dirk's two catchphrases sum up the Mavs philosophy:

Take Dat Wit Chew

Shut it down Let's go home

Aw that is funny but it hurts!

[alby]

Nerlins Noel.

[markus1234]

MFFL should prepare for mediocrity. That's the plan.

Great players have plenty of better alternatives in the years to come. Too bad Cuban does not realize it. With Dirk and Tyson on the team it would be a whole different story.

The only thing Cuban can do now is trying to build a young team around Dirk, which plays fun basketball but does not win many games. Michael Finley (pre Dirk) Mavs come into mind...and then he can hope to find the next Dirk and go from there.

[oilfieldtrash]

I think we need a veteran guard. Someone serviceable that can show Cunningham the ropes and also to keep us from losing 100 to 80 every night.

[alby]

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

I think we need a veteran guard. Someone serviceable that can show Cunningham the ropes and also to keep us from losing 100 to 80 every night.

IMO, Delonte can be that guy.

[xrobx]

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

I think we need a veteran guard. Someone serviceable that can show Cunningham the ropes and also to keep us from losing 100 to 80 every night.

I agree with you that we should sign Allen Iverson. Brilliant idea. Let's just hope he's still down for a comeback.

[dalmations202]

Just a thought.

**Trade Marion to Minnesota for Martell Webster and JJB. (not sure it would happen but..)
Sign Derrick Fisher as the back up PG and vet influence two year loaded deal team option second year.
Sign Kaman. Sign Camby with a contract like Fisher.
Resign West.
Amnesty Haywood.
(use all the salary cap you have to overload short term contracts)

JJB - knows Carlisle, etc. Fisher - vet and has some mojo
West - for his d and Roddy and Jones
Webster and VC
Dirk, and Wright
Camby and Kaman

Try to pick up the most defensive minded SF out there ... maybe AK47 or some such
See what you have in the rooks

Not likely to win it all, but JJB is a waterbug. If Camby can defend the rim, and you can get a very defensive minded SF to defend the rim -- maybe you have enough D to offset the PG size issue.

Camby and Kaman both provide more inside presence than Dallas has had in eons.

VC can provide some offense at times.

Martell gives you a little more youth at the SF to stay with the Durants and LBJ's.
AK47 should give a little D to go with them.

AND all of this shouldn't totally kill your ability to get DH next year as Fisher, Webster, VC, Camby, AK47, and Wright would all expire.

JJB, Kaman, West would be on the team longer.

[jthig32]

I don't think it's the whole plan, but I think part of the plan is to add some high upside short term guys that haven't reached their full potential, with the hope that they start to put it together with the Mavs and give them some decent young ammo for a trade.

Basically, I think they want to find more Brandan Wrights, so that if a team puts a superstar on the market (like Dwight), the Mavs can offer a ton of salary relief, AND also offer some intriguing young players.

[spreedom]

If we can get them both on 2 or 3 year deals, I'd love to add OJ Mayo and Ramon Sessions. Both guys could be big-time players if they get consistent, starter minutes.

[jthig32]

OJ Mayo's been asking for more than MLE money. It's incredibly unlikely that he's coming here unless he comes WAY down on his asking price.

[spreedom]

Originally Posted by jthig32

OJ Mayo's been asking for more than MLE money. It's incredibly unlikely that he's coming here unless he comes WAY down on his asking price.

But I can still dream...

[saclare]

I like the load up on young players approach. If I'm looking at putting together a young, but competitive team. I'm a little intrigued by guy like Sessions, Randolph, Brooks, Lee, etc. I would like to see Mahinmi back on a 2 year contract or so but I don't see Cuban amnestying Haywood to make it happen and another team will probably overpay. If not, I could see perhaps Barnard James being left out.

PG - (Sessions or Brooks) / West
SG - Carter / Roddy / Cunningham
SF - Marion / Crowder / (Randolph)
PF - Dirk / (Randolph) / Wright
C - Haywood / Mahinmi / Wright / James*

*see above - one has to go, just depends on other moves. Either way, I want Mahinmi here if possible.

[BGMaverick9]

As for the bigs: we discussed it with Followill last night on MOR. The feeling is they see Wright as a more favorable option at the five instead of the four. Find it a little hard to believe Ian is going to get what he's looking for in terms of price from Dallas, especially if it's MLE money.

[markus1234]

Wright got exposed the more he played. Just sayin.

In the OKC series one could see what separates young players with "potential" from young players with real "talent". It was painful to watch, to say the least.

[Bayliss]

OJ Mayo's been asking for more than MLE money. It's incredibly unlikely that he's coming here unless he comes WAY down on his asking price.

Well IMO he will have to do that because the money won't be there.

Lakers--already got Hill and Nash... don't have room
Knicks--Lin + all their others, no money
Nets--not a chance
Boston--not a chance with Terry/Green/Bass/etc
Philly--just signed Young + amnestied Brand to make room for Young
Minny--just got Roy and wanted Batum

Aren't a lot of takers that have money for him.

[Kidd Karma]

Grow with the young guys, if there's a salary along with a solid #1 pick, stay flexible enough to make the trade. Keep knocking on Orlando's door.

[JeffViggiano]

what???sessions??he was terrible in this play off...he is the worse pg that we could sign.

brooks isn't a nba player.

i prefer roddy and cunnigham over them.

[spreedom]

Originally Posted by JeffViggiano

what???sessions??he was terrible in this play off...he is the worse pg that we could sign.

brooks isn't a nba player.
i prefer roddy and cunnigham over them.

Umm, what? So much stupidity in that post.

[jthig32]

I wonder if the Mavs consider putting in an amnesty claim on Brand. Probably not, because they wouldn't want to lose all of their exceptions. But Brand's a pretty nice player to get for one year, and still have Bird rights on for next season for a SnT.

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I wonder if the Mavs consider putting in an amnesty claim on Brand. Probably not, because they wouldn't want to lose all of their exceptions. But Brand's a pretty nice player to get for one year, and still have Bird rights on for next season for a SnT.

According to Stein, they're gonna. See LAD thread.

I'm not sure I see the point, but whatever.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

According to Stein, they're gonna. See LAD thread.

I'm not sure I see the point, but whatever.

Well, ignoring fit, he's easily the best player you're going to get for a cheap, one year deal.

And he retains Bird rights, so he'd be a valuable trade asset. I need to look into the rules on trading players you claim, though. I think there's a restriction.

Edit: He couldn't be traded during the season. So less valuable as a trade asset, but still could be traded as part of a SnT next offseason.

[spreedom]

Amnesty waiver wire question: can teams go over the soft cap or into exceptions with their bids? Or can a team with $10M available always outbid a team with $2M in space?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by spreedom

Amnesty waiver wire question: can teams go over the soft cap or into exceptions with their bids? Or can a team with $10M available always outbid a team with $2M in space?

You have to use cap space. Can't use exceptions.

[Jon Avalon]

I'll take Lou Williams, OJ Mayo and claim Elton brand. Hell if you can even get Camby as well do it.

Not exactly a home run off season but that's not too shabby.

[jleefilled]

Originally Posted by Jon Avalon

I'll take Lou Williams, OJ Mayo and claim Elton brand. Hell if you can even get Camby as well do it.

Not exactly a home run off season but that's not too shabby.

I'd be happy to see Mayo on the Mavs. I think he might be able to fill in the number 2 scorer role for the Mavs sufficiently.

[Murphy3]

I've always liked Brand much more than most...

[conjurer]

Massively shopping on bath salts to tide over the next 3-5 years until the Mavs are good again.

On a serious note: stick to the decision MBT/the market has made: tank and rebuild from scratch -- aka the Spurs scheme.