Is Nellie even involved in recruitment?

[Simon2]

They way the Mavs are pursuing FAs, it seems like this is all Cuban. I feel that this year will be just the same as the last, the Mavs go after a free agent that seems very unlikely. They end up with nothing. It seems like the Mavs are making another mistake this year. Why don't they go after Malone? At least get him out of LA? If I were the Mavs, I would be pissed at Zo right now. If you don't want to join the Mavs, then so be it. Time to go after Malone.

[Dooby]

INSOLENCE!!! DAMN YOU!!!

[Razor]

because we dont want malone.

[Chiwas]

At least this year the Mavs are going after several options.

And yes, I think Mark Cuban is doing the job but I doubt that without the Nelson's advice.

Nelson and Cuban made some mistakes last summer, as you mention, but I think this time they are going to close the FA's signings quick.

However, I still doubt about the quality of the bargains.

[mavsfanforever]

I think Nellie did have a lot to say regarding recruitment of Josh Howard. But other than that I do not see him too much involved. Donnie and Cubes are doing everything.

[Ummmmm Ok]

I am pretty sure that Don Nelson and Cuban have already written a list of the names he wanted Cuban to go after. I am thinking that Cuban said he wanted to be the one to go after them so he can flash the money at them.

[Mandyahl]

plus cuban just has that boyish charm that will just attract the free agents here, ya know. [img]i/expressions/moon.gif[/img]

seriously, i am sure nelson knows what is going on and cuban just meets with the players face to face as the salesman.

[FilthyFinMavs]

Well you know what if Mavs don't acquire Mourning, Campbell, Miller or PJ Brown then you can complain but those are the only guys that feel what the Mavs lack. If they go after those guys and miss there was just nothing the Mavs could do. And alot of those guys above might take more than the exception.

[Simon2]

Originally posted by: Dooby
INSOLENCE!!! DAMN YOU!!!

lol!

[Hitman]

Originally posted by: FilthyFinMavs
Well you know what if Mavs don't acquire Mourning, Campbell, Miller or PJ Brown then you can complain but those are the only guys that feel what the Mavs lack. If they go after those guys and miss there was just nothing the Mavs could do. And alot of those guys above might take more than the exception.

No team is offering any of those guys more than the exception. There are only a few teams that can offer more than the exception, and they are the going for youth. None of those guys is worth more than 5 million per year in todays NBA.

[Chicago JK]

I believe Nellie is over in Maui "watching film" Oops...I didn't want to open those cans of worms again....sorry. Ha ha.

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: Hitman

No team is offering any of those guys more than the exception. There are only a few teams that can offer more than the exception, and they are the going for youth. None of those guys is worth more than 5 million per year in todays NBA.

Well Brad Miller is currently getting more than 5 mill a year so I doubt he signs something lower then that like the exception. I'd imagine that a guy hlike PJ Brown or a Brad Miller could get more than the exception from a team who has cap space and doesn't have enoguh to acqure a max type player.

[MFFL]

Everything is fine. We have the greatest GM to never win a championship AND the greatest coach to never win a championship. Everything is fine I tell you.

[Chicago JK]

I agree with Fish. Nellie can spend a month in Maui after this initial wave of free agents are signed. AFter then stay over there until training camp. Right now we need him here. Yeah yeah yeah....I know they have telephones in Hawaii....but

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By Mike Fisher – DallasBasketball.com
“Come back, Nellie! Come back!’‘

Don Nelson, an admirer of old Western films, will no doubt understand the parallel: In “Shane,’‘ the enigmatic hero helps tame the difficult West, befriends a family in trouble, fights off the black hats, and then departs, despite the “Come back!’‘ calls of the Kidd. ... I mean, the kid.

There are differences, though: Alan Ladd’s Shane didn’t have a stake in that land, wasn’t the head of that household, hadn’t fathered that young’un and hadn’t slept with that Missus. (Though he was about to, which is why a movie of that era almost had to force him to ride off into the sunset.)

But Don Nelson’s Nellie? He does have a stake, he is one of the heads of the household, and this is his baby. Especially with Jason Kidd, Jermaine O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning and Karl Malone having at least considering sod-bustin’ in Dallas, this is his baby. “Come back, Nellie! Come back!’‘

I’ve always believed that Don Nelson’s frequent retreats to his comfort-zone paradise in Maui were not necessary evils, but rather, part of his charm. Nellie’s recently discovered perspective on life has elevated wife, kids, grandkids, friends, golf and poker to a point where they have their rightful spots alongside basketball. That’s a beautiful thing.

I’ve always argued that what the NBA does to most coaches – causing them to appear to age eight years in the span of eight months – creates the need for rejuvenation. Batteries must be charged, and the fact that Nellie has the skillions of bank-book dollars needed to allow him to plug the charger in on his very own beach cannot be held against him.

I’ve always believed that once you and you wife have played tag-team wrestling with cancer that you should, absolutely, take time to stop and smell the pineapples.

But. ...

“Come back, Nellie! Come back!’‘

Don Nelson has the unique ability to morph into whatever you need him to be. I’ve been under the Nellie Spell for years, and can testify to his skills, at various times, as a Father Confessor, a Strict Disciplinarian, an Avuncular Drinking Buddy, a Best Friend, a Guidance Counselor. ... whatever you need him to be.

That’s why it is such good news that Nellie plans to return to Dallas from Maui – because Kidd, O’Neal, Mourning and Malone all NEED him to be something.

Now, maybe it’s too late. J.O is making noises about staying in Indy. Mourning is saying Miami “could get a ring here’‘ if they re-sign him and another FA. Gary Payton seems enamored with the Lakers, which means Malone might want to partner up with him – and with Shaq and Kobe.

Don’t get me wrong: When Nellie told me last week that the franchise was in good hands in his absence, that “they have telephones now in Hawaii, you know,’‘ he was right. Indeed, Mark Cuban is the NBA’s best salesman, and Donnie Nelson may be its best ambassador. You want to show off what the Mavs have to offer? Let Dirk and Steve take a recruit nightclubbing. Let Ro, Harp and Brad take him to the golf course. Let a certain unnamed Mav take him to his luxury high-rise apartment where certain unnamed player always seems to be surrounded by a bevy of off-duty female entertainers.

Heck, show ‘em the plans for that fancy Trinity River Project!

But when Mourning is ready to eat Texas barbecue, Nellie needs to be wearing the “Kiss The Cook’‘ apron. When Malone wants to talk hunting, farming, ranching, he needs to do so with the guy who grew up in farm country, who once drove a tractor across Wisconsin for charity. When O’Neal wants to talk X’s and O’s, he should do so with the coach who waited his whole life to supervise such a talented big man. And Kidd? Kidd and Nellie are both products and legends of late-‘80's Bay Area basketball. It has been written that their established connection makes a Kidd-to-Dallas visit unneeded.

Wrong!

That connection is why Kidd needs to come here, and why Nellie needs to be his host. Kidd and Nellie, in a secluded bar somewhere, exchanging tales of Mullin and Payton and Rick Berry!? Sweet! That sort of connection – driven by a 63-year-old Old Schooler who somehow easily bridges any generation gaps – could be the difference-maker, the tie-breaker, as free agents make their decisions.

It is short-sighted to think Malone’s decision is all about being closer to his native Louisiana, or to think that Kidd’s decision is all about being in 11-month-a-year golf weather. If the money is equal, and the chance of a teams’ contention is close, these decisions often come down to people, and the ties that bind them.

People like Alan Ladd’s Shane, a too-good-to-be-true fictional character.

People like Don Nelson’s Nellie, a too-good-a-recruiting-force-to-be-in-Maui real-life character.

So come back, Nellie! Come back!

[Dooby]

Everything is fine. We have the greatest GM to never win a championship AND the greatest coach to never win a championship. Everything is fine I tell you.

I would kill for a screencap of Kevin Bacon shouting "All is well!" from Animan House. I have wanted to post it on this board a hundred times.

[Chiwas]

....but

This is the best "but" that I have read since the playoffs ended.

Mark wants it, but (another "but" related with the latter) does Nelson REALLY want, wish, dream of, desire, is eager, to win a championship? Better yet, does he believe in it?

Just a question, just a simple question.

[Mandyahl]

of course nellie wants to win a championship. he would not still be coaching if that weren't the case. he doesn't want to go down as the greatest coach to have never won a chamionship.

does he believe is another story.

[Drbio]

Originally posted by: Dooby

I would kill for a screencap of Kevin Bacon shouting "All is well!" from Animan House. I have wanted to post it on this board a hundred times.

Ask and ye shall receive.

REMAIN CALM!!!!!!!!! ALL IS WELL!!!!!!!!

[OutletPass]

Originally posted by Chicago JK

believe Nellie is over in Maui "watching film" Oops...I didn't want to open those cans of worms again....sorry. Ha ha.

Originally posted by MFFL

Everything is fine. We have the greatest GM to never win a championship AND the greatest coach to never win a championship. Everything is fine I tell you.

Love it, guys....keep it coming

Last year, in the offseason Mavskiki posted MANY times questioning our pursuit of Rashard and management as a whole. At the time, I didn't buy into it fully and our debate got pretty hot. But as time passed, I found myself coming around to his way of thinking. I PM'd him and told him so. So, I'll say it here in public, Kiki, you were right.

I'm hoping that Kiki will be proved wrong this offseason, for the sake of the team and all the fans...but DAMN...the Lakers are in the same "no cap room" dilemna that we are...and they go get GP and likely Malone....while we go after a guy with a serious kidney disease.

I was and am a critic of Nellie's first trip to Maui....for the life of me, I don't understand why he's not "on the road" pursuing the team's best interests....

Yeah, yeah...he's on the phone with Donnie and Mark...

If we don't pull an impact...there will be a lot of reasonable room for criticism...

David's defense just won't hold water. if Mitch Kupchak can get it done, why can't Nellie ?

[Drbio]

Seriously.....All is well. [img]i/expressions/moon.gif[/img]

[MFFL]

Originally posted by: OutletPass
Originally posted by Chicago JK

Originally posted by MFFL

Love it, guys....keep it coming

Last year, in the offseason Mavskiki posted MANY times questioning our pursuit of Rashard and management as a whole. At the time, I didn't buy into it fully and our debate got pretty hot. But as time passed, I found myself coming around to his way of thinking. I PM'd him and told him so. So, I'll say it here in public, Kiki, you were right.

I'm hoping that Kiki will be proved wrong this offseason, for the sake of the team and all the fans...but DAMN...the Lakers are in the same "no cap room" dilemna that we are...and they go get GP and likely Malone....while we go after a guy with a serious kidney disease.

I was and am a critic of Nellie's first trip to Maui....for the life of me, I don't understand why he's not "on the road" pursuing the team's best interests....

Yeah, yeah...he's on the phone with Donnie and Mark...

If we don't pull an impact...there will be a lot of reasonable room for criticism...

David's defense just won't hold water. if Mitch Kupchak can get it done, why can't Nellie ?

I wouldn't care if Nellie spent a MONTH in Maui once his job was done. Normally there is a couple of weeks gap between the end of our season and when the next years team is built. So a vacation right then was OK. But we went deep into the playoffs this year so his vacation directly impacted the draft and free agency. Why not take his vacation in August?

Or give up one of his jobs. If coaching wears him out so much that he needs a vacation from his GM duties then maybe he needs to reprioritize his life.

[Drbio]

It is unbelievable that Nellie is nowhere to be found right now in the thick of the free agent pursuits.


WTF?