Random Mavs News & Articles

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by Underdog

@JohnnyNBA: "Dwights people reached out to Dallas to see if they would be interested in a max deal this summer. Dallas said no."

LOL. FU Dwight!

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by Underdog

@JohnnyNBA: "Dwights people reached out to Dallas to see if they would be interested in a max deal this summer. Dallas said no."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...ency/79788700/

Here is a little more about it. Parsons talks about Howard a little bit too.

[BPo001]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14...andler-parsons

[bunkmoreland]

http://hardwoodparoxysm.com/2016/02/...m_medium=email

[BPo001]

Shams Charania: Phoenix has claimed guard John Jenkins off waivers, league sources tell The Vertical. Jenkins is on a three-year contract.
– via Twitter ShamsCharania

[Bryan_Wilson]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Shams Charania: Phoenix has claimed guard John Jenkins off waivers, league sources tell The Vertical. Jenkins is on a three-year contract.
– via Twitter ShamsCharania

Simba-

Shoutout to my Vet @JohnnyCashVU23 Words can't explain how much your work ethic and NBA mind has helped me so far in my career! All love! ✊🏽

https://twitter.com/JusAnderson1/sta...30493272375297

[Bryan_Wilson]

Former Mav Ricky Ledo has taken a big step forward this year by focusing on his shooting.

http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2016...n-nba-d-league
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...ledori01d.html

He's gone up to 46% fg and 39%3pt both significantly higher than his prior 2 years in the D league. Obviously it's d league but everyone knew he was a long term project with how raw he was. It's cool to see he's improving, he may get another shot at a NBA team next year. He's still only 23 and with his size I'd be shocked if a team didn't look at him.

[BPo001]

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dall...mavs-won-title

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

Former Mav Ricky Ledo has taken a big step forward this year by focusing on his shooting.

http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2016...n-nba-d-league
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...ledori01d.html

He's gone up to 46% fg and 39%3pt both significantly higher than his prior 2 years in the D league. Obviously it's d league but everyone knew he was a long term project with how raw he was. It's cool to see he's improving, he may get another shot at a NBA team next year. He's still only 23 and with his size I'd be shocked if a team didn't look at him.

I wouldn't mind another look if he gets efficient. He was just so raw. I loved his confidence, but confidence +37% shooting isn't going to get it done.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

Former Mav Ricky Ledo has taken a big step forward this year by focusing on his shooting.

http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2016...n-nba-d-league
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...ledori01d.html

He's gone up to 46% fg and 39%3pt both significantly higher than his prior 2 years in the D league. Obviously it's d league but everyone knew he was a long term project with how raw he was. It's cool to see he's improving, he may get another shot at a NBA team next year. He's still only 23 and with his size I'd be shocked if a team didn't look at him.

Does NYK still hold rights on him? What's his contract situation like?

[Bryan_Wilson]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Does NYK still hold rights on him? What's his contract situation like?

Nope, they waived him this last July. So I guess he could catch on with any team in the Summer League nex year and hope for a camp invite.

[BPo001]

Question: What is the likelihood the Mavs sign Dwight Howard, Al Horford or Hassan Whiteside in the off-season? Eddie Sefko: I can assure you it won’t be Dwight Howard. Hassan Whiteside has off-court issues, according to many people. Al Horford is a personal favorite for a long time. I’d love to see him as a Maverick. I think he would fit great with Dirk and Parsons. But then again, how many Gators can you have on one team?
– via Dallas Morning News

Free Agency, Dwight Howard, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets

[Underdog]

@tim_cato: Interesting conversation happening behind me: Rick Carlisle and Kevin Martin. Probably nothing, but interesting.

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by Underdog

@tim_cato: Interesting conversation happening behind me: Rick Carlisle and Kevin Martin. Probably nothing, but interesting.

Reel him in, Rick. We got minutes for you, KMart!

[Underdog]

Delonte West is getting help after hallucinating scare

[EricaLubarsky]

Martin officially bought out

[BPo001]

I thought I heard this on ESPN radio after that game, but couldn't confirm it. Let's hope it was a good chat!

Eddie Sefko: Minnesota’s Kevin Martin, bought out and eligible for playoffs with a new team, chatted with Rick Carlisle after Sunday’s Mavs’ win at AAC.
– via Twitter

[mac222b]

Count me among those that would like to see Martin here. Playing with vets could do wonders for his fg%s

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by mac222b

Count me among those that would like to see Martin here. Playing with vets could do wonders for his fg%s

I'm all for it. Adds size, experience, and scoring ability off the bench. Hopefully it would mean the end of the CV3 era in Dallas.

[Underdog]

‏@espn_macmahon: Mavericks reserve forward Jeremy Evans underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, the team announced. He averaged 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 30 games this season.

[BPo001]

Mark Followill: Deron Williams confirmed today at shootaround he’s been dealing w/ a sports hernia for about a month. Out tonight. Day-to-day going forward
– via Twitter MFollowill

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Mark Followill: Deron Williams confirmed today at shootaround he’s been dealing w/ a sports hernia for about a month. Out tonight. Day-to-day going forward
– via Twitter MFollowill

Is there an injury he hasn't had this season? Jeez.

[dirt_dobber]

funny story about Mavs rookie Justin Anderson

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dall...winning-streak

by Eddie Sefko - Dallas Morning News

LOS ANGELES - Wesley Matthews sees a bright future for rookie Justin Anderson - as long as he figures out how to control his one glaring weakness.

“He’s got to shut up a little bit more,” Matthews said of the recently promoted member of the Mavericks’ starting lineup. “He’s got people who care about him. He’s got all the physical tools you could ask for. Unfortunately, he doesn’t shut up.”

Anderson definitely is a talker. He is never afraid to say what’s on his mind on the practice floor, in the locker room or just about anywhere else. And his teammates tend to let him know when he gets a little too vocal.

“(Matthews) always tells me that,” Anderson said. “But he knows I’m not going to back down. I’m going to challenge those guys and I like to talk a lot. I’ve slowed it down some because they do this thing where if I keep talking, they wrestle me five against one and get me on the ground and I just have to surrender. So, I realized my lesson real quick.”

It’s all in good fun, of course. But what’s a pro sports team if there can’t be some harmless rookie hazing?

All of that ends, of course, when the games begin. And since getting in the starting lineup at Denver on March 28, Anderson has not lost. The Mavericks’ six-game winning streak matches their longest of the season.

During the streak, Anderson has averaged 9.2 points and 7.2 rebounds while playing about 28 minutes per game.

He’s given the Mavericks something to talk about, if nothing else, not to mention the fact that they are one win (or one Houston loss) from clinching a playoff berth.

The Mavericks have their eyes set on the No. 6 playoff seed and a first-round matchup with Oklahoma City largely because of the energy and production Anderson has provided.

“I’ve been staying in his ear, telling him not to worry about (things),” Raymond Felton said of Anderson’s rookie season that has included 27 games when he didn’t play.
“There’s a lot of guys who have been through this. I told him to just stay professional and you’ll get your moment. He got his opportunity and he’s doing great. I’m proud of him.”

Anderson admits there were times when he was jumping back and forth from the NBA Development League Texas Legends in Frisco to the Mavericks when he wasn’t sure he’d ever get a legitimate shot to contribute as a rookie.

Then he remembered one thing: he’s a rookie.

“Some days, you have (doubts),” he said. “But others, you look in the mirror and say: you’re a small-town kid from Montross, Virginia, you got to be thankful for every opportunity, just to be suited up was a huge deal to me. Or even in a suit on the bench. I always tried to stay optimistic and keep my eyes on the prize.

“It was tough times, but what’s a rookie year if you don’t have some ups and downs? So it’s good to look back and see my growth.”

To say the least, Anderson never acted like he had any sense of entitlement after being drafted 21st last June.

Instead, he’s earned things slow and steady, which is exactly the way coach Rick Carlisle likes it.

“He’s rebounding well, he’s defending well on the ball and his shot-making was there (Friday vs. Memphis),” Carlisle said. “He’s staying with the process.”

As Matthews said: “He’s playing off pure adrenaline. He’s staying within himself and making plays that are there. And he’s slowing himself down. He’s made some big energy plays for us and he’s going to have to continue to do that.”

And as for the chatter? Matthews said it’s something they stay on Anderson about.
But as long as his actions on the court speak louder than his words, they can live with it.

[EricaLubarsky]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tDaqeVH4B_w

[Bryan_Wilson]

Originally Posted by dirt_dobber

funny story about Mavs rookie Justin Anderson

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dall...winning-streak

Ah didn't see you posted this already. I posted in another thread, good find.

[Underdog]

5 ridiculous stats that define a crazy Mavericks season5 ridiculous stats that define a crazy Mavericks season

1. Zaza Pachulia leads the team in free throw attempts
2. Raymond Felton has played the most games and third most minutes
3. Wesley Matthews, coming off a torn Achilles tendon, led the Mavericks in minutes played
4. Dirk Nowitzki lead the team in blocks
5. David Lee finished the season with an absurd PER rating of 24.2

[DevinHarriswillstart]

I hope Lee is a Maverick for a long time.

[Underdog]

@MFollowill: Before this NBA season, only 3 teams had ever avg 28+ 3ptA/game for a season. 7 teams will in 2015-16 (GS, HOU, CLE, CHA, DAL, POR & ATL)

[Bryan_Wilson]

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/maver...arlisles-trust

"I don't know where coach got the bad name for the rookies and all of that," Anderson told ESPN.com a couple days after he made a game-saving block in the final seconds of the Mavs' series-tying upset in Oklahoma City. "He always boosts my confidence, telling me, ‘You're doing a great job doing this and that.' He's been phenomenal for me."

[Underdog]

So Justin Anderson doesn't buy into the notion that Carlisle hates rookies? Even goes on to praise him for his work? What an idiot -- does he even know how to internet?

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/maver...arlisles-trust

Great to hear, but the only way he'll truly have his confidence boosted is by getting consistent minutes.

[Bryan_Wilson]

Originally Posted by Underdog

So Justin Anderson doesn't buy into the notion that Carlisle hates rookies? Even goes on to praise him for his work? What an idiot -- does he even know how to internet?

He needs to read more espn comments and twitter replies.

[bunkmoreland]

http://friendlybounce.com/2016/04/22...m_medium=email

On Dirk's humor and humility

[Thebo]

Originally Posted by Underdog

So Justin Anderson doesn't buy into the notion that Carlisle hates rookies? Even goes on to praise him for his work? What an idiot -- does he even know how to internet?

What else can he say? Anything bad and no more minutes. By praise he may actually earn more minutes.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Thebo

What else can he say? Anything bad and no more minutes. By praise he may actually earn more minutes.

Give me a break, as if Rick Carlisle chooses his lineups based on who kisses his ass the most...

[Underdog]

@anthonyVslater: This back-and-forth between Rick Carlisle and Berry Tramel, on the Thunder's instigation, was great:

[Bryan_Wilson]

Originally Posted by Underdog

@anthonyVslater: This back-and-forth between Rick Carlisle and Berry Tramel, on the Thunder's instigation, was great:

Lmao, exactly who was interviewing who?

[Skywalker]

It's Time For The Mavericks To Choose Between The Present And The Future

"What are you doing? Why are you waiting?"

The speaker was Danny Ainge, then a veteran NBA shooting guard and longtime member of the Boston Celtics. The year was 1988. The man Ainge was addressing, Boston personnel czar Red Auerbach, had an opportunity to make a bold move that might have dramatically altered the history of the franchise.

A pair of trade offers were on the table, giving Auerbach and the Celtics a chance to take apart their dynastic core and rebuild around a new group of rising stars. For Larry Bird, then 32 and on the decline, Auerbach was offered a solid three-man trade package from Indiana featuring Chuck Person, Herb Williams, and Steve Stipanovich. For Kevin McHale, 31, the offer came from Dallas—Detlef Schrempf and Sam Perkins.

The opportunity to reboot the franchise was both tantalizing and terrifying. On one hand, this was a chance to unload two aging star players and rebuild around a new core that was just entering its prime. On the other hand, Bird and McHale were the Celtics, and the two future Hall of Famers, along with Robert Parish, had led Boston to five Eastern Conference titles and three NBA titles in the previous eight years. They had dropped off slightly by the time the trade offers came in, but dealing them away would still mean dismantling a historic team. Any qualms Auerbach had were understandable. Ainge, even though Bird and McHale were his peers, had no trouble seeing past them.

"I was like, 'Are you kidding?'" Ainge told the Boston Globe many years later. His views on basketball personnel decisions were rigid and unflinching. To him, both then and now, there was no room for sentiment in the high-stakes NBA—you simply pursued the best assets, feelings be damned, and pushed forward. By this logic, it was easy for Ainge to urge his boss to unload two stars on the wrong side of 30. That they were generational players and Boston icons was inconsequential.

More than a quarter century later, Ainge now sits behind Auerbach's desk in in Boston. His basketball worldview hasn't changed much. His approach today can still be characterized as unsentimental and rational to a fault. Not everyone in the modern NBA shares his outlook, however, and this is a conflict that does not look likely to work itself out anytime soon. Which brings us to Dirk Nowitzki.

There aren't a lot of similarities between Nowitzki and Larry Bird. Various pundits have compared the two from time to time; the bases for these comparisons, historically, have ranged from the superficial to the plainly wrong. Both Bird and Nowitzki are shaggy white men who shoot basketballs extraordinarily well and have won a number of NBA championships not less than one or greater than three. Beyond that, there's nothing much tying the two together. There is one comparison between the two men that's genuinely interesting, though, and it's less about the players themselves than the circumstances around them.

In Boston, Auerbach and the Celtics let their once-great franchise wither as Bird fell from grace; the legendary forward retired as a Celtic, after years of injury-shortened seasons, in the summer of 1992. The team won precisely two playoff games during the nine-year period that followed. While it's still early in the process, there is reason to wonder whether a similar malaise lies ahead in Dallas.

Just as Auerbach refused to pull the trigger on dealing Bird some 30 years ago, Mavs owner Mark Cuban and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson seem intent on owning the twilight of Dirk's career, and they have tried to make the most of it by building and rebuilding their roster again and again in a series of one-year quick fixes, all in the desperate hope of fielding one last contender before their iconic leader moves on. As a result, the team has been trapped in a sort of respectable stasis—fully capable of stealing a game from a younger and more talented Oklahoma City Thunder team in the first round, but not much more than that.

That's honorable, in its way, but it's hard to see much of a future in it. That emphasis on an honorable present seems, almost, to be the point. But the future is coming, because it always is, and the Mavericks will have some questions to answer. What are their values? What are their goals? What can they accomplish, and whom would it benefit?

File this one under "life comes at you fast"—it's now been five years since the spring of 2011, when the Mavericks made a miracle run to the NBA Finals and toppled LeBron James and the Heat to win it all. During those five years, the Mavs have made the playoffs four times but never advanced past the first round. Their postseason record between 2012 and now is 5-16. Nowitzki, who was 32 when he captured Finals MVP honors, is now 37. Those miracle Mavs were an aging team without a clear path forward; they still are.

It's tough to pinpoint a single glaring reason for Dallas' stagnation, but a number of smaller ones are obvious enough. The team's aggressive approach to free agency has yet to yield a major prize—in recent years, their main signees have been either young and fraught with injury risk (Wesley Matthews, Chandler Parsons) or older, if somewhat effective, short-term fixes (Deron Williams, Zaza Pachulia). Dirk, who is still pretty great, has been the one constant. Everyone around him have been interchangeable and unremarkable. Free agency has masked the Mavericks' symptoms, but not cured their wasting disease. The draft, meanwhile, has been largely fruitless. It has been over a decade since a Mavs pick made a real impact.

There's no one correct way for a franchise to cope with the decline of a cornerstone player. However, a look at recent NBA history reveals a few templates. In Boston, Ainge opted for the quick rebuild in 2013 when he dealt Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn for a gift basket of draft picks. In San Antonio, the R.C. Buford/Gregg Popovich brain trust has engineered a sturdy bridge from the Tim Duncan Era to the Kawhi Leonard Administration, acquiring Leonard at the 2011 draft and then adding another star with LaMarcus Aldridge's signing last summer. The Lakers present the cautionary worst-case scenario, as they spent several years and tens of millions of dollars enabling Kobe Bryant throughout his protracted decline and warped the team's culture wildly out of whack in the process.

What is the Mavs' post-Dirk plan? This is not a rhetorical question, and it's not one I can answer. In an ideal world, they would pursue the Spurs' approach, and that appeared to be what they were after when they made a run at DeAndre Jordan last summer. That didn't work, though—so now what?

Cuban's and Nelson's priorities depend on their loyalties. If they're loyal to Dirk, it's a no-brainer to continue with their current strategy and run it back for another year or three; their star has made it clear he wants to keep fighting, and the team remains good enough to get him another four to seven playoff games each year. On Tuesday, the morning after the Mavs' elimination at the hands of the aforementioned Thunder, Nowitzki told ESPN that he's not retiring, and that "as long as we go for it and compete, then I'll be a Mav." Again, this is admirable and brave and typically Dirk, but just the same, all those clichés about Father Time being undefeated are clichés because they're true. For this incarnation of the Mavs, the end of the road is near.

If Dallas' leadership is loyal to its fans and wants to field the best team possible, not just now but in, say, 2020, the question gets tougher. It might be time for the Mavericks, even if it offends their best player's sensibilities, to stop with the stall tactics and begin developing a new core in earnest. That doesn't mean kicking Dirk to the curb right away, necessarily, but it does mean putting a renewed emphasis on young talent. It would mean actually using draft picks to draft players. It would also entail not making mistakes like trading an emerging home-grown contributor such as Jae Crowder—to Ainge's Celtics, fittingly enough—for a four-month rental of Rajon Rondo. It's difficult to take the long view when your iconic player has only a short time left, but that's the challenge the Mavericks are facing.

Or, to put it more succinctly: "What are you doing? Why are you waiting?"

Dirk Nowitzki has had an amazing career, and it's not over yet. But if the Mavs really want to honor their franchise player, they'll do more than watch him decline, or deal him away to win a second ring as a supporting player on another team. They'll work to find a better balance between respecting Nowitzki and preparing for what's next. That's easier said than done, but the easy route—trusting gravity, and chasing the seventh seed for as long as Dirk is game—only defers the difficult part. Dallas' season just ended, but now seems like a good time to get to work.

https://sports.vice.com/en_us/articl...nd-the-future/

[Underdog]

@espn_macmahon: Mavs guard Devin Harris underwent surgeries on his left great toe and left thumb Tuesday morning, the team announced. The operations were performed by separate doctors at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. The toe injury bothered Harris for much of the season, and he played in the playoffs with his thumb heavily taped.

[Underdog]

ESPN's Future Power Rankings: Mavs come in at #22

For reasons... Again.

Can't wait to see the Mavs shove that ranking down ESPN's throat... Again.