"We're Done" by Fisher

[Joey]

'We're Done'
Can Mavs Go High By Buying Low?

By Mike Fisher -- DallasBasketball.com
Buy low. Sell high. And "we're done.''
The Mavs are bullish on those Wall Street chestnuts, putting both into play with the acquisition of Doug Christie and DeSagana Diop. Both players were "bought low,'' acquired on the cheap because their career stock has dipped into all-time valleys. "Selling high''? Yes, as always, the Mavs are again peddling away, this time with another new philosophy. And "we're done''? That's Mark Cuban, closing for business the Mavs' offseason alteration shop.
"We feel adding Doug Christie to our team is giving us the best chance to win a championship," coach Avery Johnson said. "We feel with his skill level, it best fits with where we're trying to go."
And where exactly is that?


Towards an era in which openly talking of "championships'' is the norm. Former coach Don Nelson loved to play that poor-mouthing "We-couldn't-beat-the-Pismo-Beach-Panthers'' vaudeville routine. Embryonic coach Johnson, frankly, is too guileless for such postering. It gets forgotten as the Mavs allow themselves to be portrayed as being in "rebuilding mode,'' but this is a 58-win team, an elite team. They need to keep building, not rebuild. And the noises they're making seem to crush the idea of pursuing someone like Paul Pierce, the sort of headline-grabber that has always been sugar cubes to these Mavs.
Said Johnson: When we went back and evaluated it, it didn't make any sense to blow this team up and have Dirk come back and not recognize any of his teammates. From what I've seen and the teams I've been on, that formula doesn't work. We like the formula we're implementing, and we're sticking with it."

Towards a concept that focuses on supplementing Dirk Nowitzki's greatness with team defense and ball movement and distribution. Christie's career assist numbers parallel the departed Michael Finley's, so there is no statistical evidence to prove what the eye can tell you: the 6-6 Christie handles the ball, moves the ball, makes decisions and sets up teammates in a way Fin did not. In short, Christie is a second guard.
Christie's presence as a starter seems dubious only because he's 35; otherwise, on the defensive end it's easy to envision the four-time All-NBA defender handling everyone from Tracy McGrady to Steve Nash, and we're betting he won't be as befuddled by pick-and-roll choices as were last year's Mavs. You do remember the playoff pick-and-rolls that abused Dallas both physically and mentally, don't you? And on the offensive end? The ball doesn't have to go through Nowitzki because Christie can help it go to him. And to scoring point guard Jason Terry, who grew up in Seattle idolizing hometown hero Christie.
Will Christie score at Fin's level? No. Will his abilities in other areas of the game help the Mavs keep scoring? Yes, that's the hope. And check out the domino theory here: Off the ball, Terry, to pick one example, can now be a catch-and-shoot super-marksman to replace Finley, with Christie available to supply "second-guard'' skills that Finley could not.
Christie played diplomat on the subject. "I'm not filling Finley's shoes, because I don't think anybody can do that," he said.
But then he echoed AJ's eye-on-the-prize mindset: "Hopefully, by the end of my time here, you guys will be speaking the same about me -- except with some jewelry."

Towards a formula that allows for some continuity. There is now one player remaining from the Mavs' Western Conference finalist of just two seasons ago. (He happens to be the right "one,'' but still. ...) Christie replaces Fin. The backup center won't be Alan Henderson or Shawn Bradley, but likely Diop. And that's it. Hardly "Extreme Makeover" Mavs Edition,'' as we've seen on a regular basis in the past.
"The idea is to be smarter than other teams, not always spending more money," said Mavs owner Mark Cuban. "Where before it was always about trading up, trading up, trading up and if that didn't work, try the next thing, now we're going to try to let Avery develop his system."
In short, added Cuban, "We're done.''
The Mavs' two pickups here come "cheap'' in the sense that their stock is low; think of the Nick Van Exel model, a star-caliber player acquired by the Mavs as a throw-in in the Raef LaFrentz trade because the league was so down on him. The Doug Christie of just a year ago would never have been fit into a portion of the MLE; he was, after all, a featured player on the contending Kings before being traded to Orlando for a 17-ppg guy in Cuttino Mobley. With the Magic, Christie battled injuries and an emotional funk, the result of having to depart his beloved Kings.
Diop isn't getting much respect around here. We suppose when one of your stats from '04-05 is that you shot just five free throws all season. ... and missed 'em all, respect is an uphill climb. But the 7-0, 290-pound center also fits into the "buy low'' concept. Understand, we would have prefered a proven commodity as a backup center; we have a feeling we're going to regret not landing Dikembe Mutombo. (In fact, we'll always wonder what the 05-06 Mavs would've looked like with Deke and Robert Horry instead of Diop and Doug.) But the Mavs were keen on Stephen Hunter, the Sun-turned-Sixer whose stock is suddenly high because of one modestly successful series in the playoffs. And we don't see a vast difference between four-year journeyman Hunter and four-year journeyman Diop. Hunter's been a waiver-wire staple while Diop was the eighth overall pick in his draft. Diop is more bulky, Hunter more rangy. Diop experienced a short stretch in his career when he looked decent. Hunter looked decent at an extremely fortuitous time: right before his free agency. Statistically, one stinks a little more than the other. Otherwise, their careers are both notably. ... un-notable.
An important note of perspective on Diop: As much as you may not have liked Shawn Bradley or Alan Henderson or even Calvin Booth, Diop's history says he's going to have to accelerate his game to even help the Mavs as much as those guys did. We're not concerned that Diop remains a project; nothing wrong with employing a trio of experimental 7-footers as Dallas does with Diop, Mbenga and P-Pod. But there might be something wrong with expecting one of them to immediately become a real live pro like a Henderson.
There are plenty of punchlines with both these new fellas. Christie's omnipresent and maybe omnipotent wife Jackie ("She's my queen,'' Doug said) makes for weird sidebars. DeSagana Diop has all kids of "De''s and "Di''s in his name -- and they're all silent. ('Gana's last name is pronounced "Jop,'' something straight outta the funny pages.)
But the "buy low'' thing is real. So you get one-time star Christie at a career low point after what he calls "a blip'' of a time in Orlando. You get one-time hot commodity Diop at a career low point after washing out of Cleveland.
And you get the Mavs, like always, high-selling the heck out of all of it



----------------------------


Maybe I'm nieve, but I am excited about the way the Mavs are pumping up this squad.

[dalmations202]

And you get the Mavs, like always, high-selling the heck out of all of it

And Chris Ansty will revolutionize the way that center is played in the NBA... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Well its like, what else are we gonna do. Say that Christie and Diop suck? I liked the comparison between Hunter and Diop. Neither Hunter or Dalembert will ever be able to defend the bulky centers in this league, because of their wirey frames. I prefer our bulky centers who clog up the lane.

[Joey]

Originally posted by: dalmations202

And Chris Ansty will revolutionize the way that center is played in the NBA... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

He didn't?

[vjz]

Well, we are trying something different. The high profile moves haven't worked, will these work...? I just hope we don't end up becoming the Texas Rangers.

[dalmations202]

Well, we are trying something different. The high profile moves haven't worked, will these work...? I just hope we don't end up becoming the Texas Rangers.

exactly

Isn't their a happy medium? ? Get a NEED -- high profile and/or great deal, but not make wholesale changes, and not disregard the "farm system".?

[Captain Disaster]

If Avery will USE Diop and Mbenga (and their fouls) then maybe we will be ok, but something tells me that everything could fall apart after Dampier & Dirk get injured: Damp because can you really believe that he can play a whole injury-free season? and Dirk, because he will get injured from having to play the center position. We probably should've picked up one more big ala Booth: Van Horn is NOT a 5.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally posted by: Captain Disaster We probably should've picked up one more big ala Booth: Van Horn is NOT a 5.

Ugh, I am so glad we did not pick up Booth again. Honestly, I really don't think Diop can help us any less than Booth did.

[Dirkenstien]

We are still shopping TAW and his salary along with Bradley's retiring contract could very well bring in another key piece ala Ratliff

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally posted by: Dirkenstien
We are still shopping TAW and his salary along with Bradley's retiring contract could very well bring in another key piece ala Ratliff

I think TAW will be released. I just don't see Cuban taking on a contract like Ratliff's. I think we'll start the season with Diop and DJ. If the season goes on, and it looks like those guys are a liability, then I think we'll see a trade before the deadline.

[Drbio]

Why release him if you think a trade is available. The guys contract is very tradeable as evidence by the Spurs offer of Rasho. I am fairly confident the MAvs wont just let him go as long as insurance is in play.

[dirno2000]

I doubt he'll be traded...he only has trade value if we're willing to take back a long term contract.

He'll be cut by the start of the season to make the roster limit.

One more thing, Theo Ratliff makes almost twice as much as TAW...that trade doesn't work unless we send something with him.

[Drbio]

RealGM says Bradley/TAW for Ratliff works. So....do you believe that Cuban makes the deal based on his new babble about trades making basketball sense or do you think they hold TAW and let insurance pay (Cubans actions say he will go this route) and pursue a buyout of Bradley?

[chumdawg]

I read in the DMN that they were working on a retirement package for Bradley that would give him about half of his remaining contract dollars. I've maintained all along that something like this was in the works, based on the comments I read earlier about neither side believing he would play out the full contract.

So bear in mind that Bradley's buyout reduces the payroll, and the luxury tax. For that matter, Esch may have agreed to something similar. When we add up the payroll based on contract numbers, we don't necessarily have all the information.

But on TAW, surely his highest value would be at the trade deadline, not now in the offseason. It would be a big gamble to keep him on for that, and cut a Marshall or someone.

But then again, it was the exact same gamble in seasons past, and we took it then. Now that we have a full roster, though, I don't think it's happening this year. (Unless there is a trade that reduces the roster, that is. Which I think is also very unlikely.)

[alby]

just cut him already and leave the frenchie alone, i hear thats the way he likes it..

[birdsanctuary]

This new buy low shoot high strategy is interesting, it does tend to fit the Detroit, SA, Indiana model.... One an other note, I see Miami doing what the Mavs tried to do two years ago by stockpiling talent. It didn't work in Dallas, and I believe it won't work in Miami. Fin goes to Detroit.... Detroit, Indy Eastern Finals... like that's a shocker.

[jthig32]

[i]Originally posted by: chumdawg[/iFor that matter, Esch may have agreed to something similar.

I'm pretty sure Esch is off our cap regardless. He retired due to injury a year ago, and the new CBA reduced the time before coming off the books in that situation to one year. So unless I'm mistaken, Esch is off our books regardless.

[jayC]

Taw for PJ would at least get you a defensive minded pf. The best frontcourt players in the NBA are at pf. Daniels for Cato.

[The Miles]

TAW + Bradley + Quis-nos for Penny is something that I could see Zeke doing.

Mavs save buckets of cash and get out of, IMO, a bad Quis deal. He might be someone, I like him and am not talking trash, but his contract could either be a big time bargain (if he turns into someone ala Josh but for SGs) or it could be horrific (he could be DeShawn Stevenson folks, let's be real here).

I think I take the Penny type of trade and run with it, let the Knicks pay off all three of the Mavs lone remaining bad deals, well 2 + Quis, that is the risk.

[Joey]

Penny's old!

[EricaLubarsky]

if I understand what Miles is talking about, he is really framing the trade to A) save money, B) let us take back that horrible Daniels signing and C) clear a roster spot

[snoop]

But on TAW, surely his highest value would be at the trade deadline, not now in the offseason. It would be a big gamble to keep him on for that, and cut a Marshall or someone.


your right, but the same thing was said about walker last year and he went in the offseason.

[alby]

haha nice sig EL =]

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: birdsanctuary
This new buy low shoot high strategy is interesting, it does tend to fit the Detroit, SA, Indiana model.... One an other note, I see Miami doing what the Mavs tried to do two years ago by stockpiling talent. It didn't work in Dallas, and I believe it won't work in Miami. Fin goes to Detroit.... Detroit, Indy Eastern Finals... like that's a shocker.

Shaq playing alongside Jamison, Finley, Walker, Dirk and Nash? You don't think that would've worked? That's what it comes down to here. Center play. We had none. That's one thing Miami has and they have the best.

[Pirate]

"I read in the DMN that they were working on a retirement package for Bradley that would give him about half of his remaining contract dollars. I've maintained all along that something like this was in the works, based on the comments I read earlier about neither side believing he would play out the full contract. So bear in mind that Bradley's buyout reduces the payroll, and the luxury tax. For that matter, Esch may have agreed to something similar. "


The rules just dont work that way, from what I have read. When a player retires, they get all their money because their contracts are fully guaranteed - although it may be spread out over a longer term. And spreading it out apparently has no effect on the cap or on luxury tax.

[kg_veteran]

Pirate - Not if they agree to a buyout.