Mavs firing air balls in free agency

[ZueriMav]

I don't know whether it's already been posted. Taken from DFW.com I especially love the quotes of Nelly at the end of the article where he again points to the Dirk's draft. Again and again for the next thousand years.........

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Posted on Fri, Jul. 18, 2003 story[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]UB_DESC
Mavs firing air balls in free agency
By Jim Reeves
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

It has become apparent that while NBA free agents might truly enjoy all those comforts of home that Mark Cuban has installed in the Mavs' locker room -- the personal TV sets, the top-of-the-line sound systems, the gourmet postgame buffets -- two things still take precedence when it's time to decide where they'll play: money and winning.

The Mavs have struck out on both counts this summer.

Because of salary-cap restrictions -- hello, Raef LaFrentz and Shawn Bradley -- they're short on cash, and they have yet to prove they can win an NBA title.

Thus, for the second straight summer, their free-agent bag is empty and may very well stay that way.

While president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and owner Mark Cuban have tried to downplay it, the Lakers changed the landscape in the West early in this free-agency season when they added two Hall of Famers for a grand total of $6.4 million. That may have affected Jason Kidd's decision to spurn San Antonio and stay in New Jersey, which in turn had a domino effect on Alonzo Mourning, who signed with the Nets.

"It's been our priority to add some bulk and physicality to the frontline," said Nelson, who spent Thursday making and fielding phone calls. "At this point, I'd say the realistic prognosis is that that would be addressed through a trade versus anything else.

"Most of the quality guys are off the board for understandable reasons. There are still some real good names out there, but to get someone of quality, it's probably going to take something a little bit more."

Just as they did last summer, when they fiddled around waiting on a decision from Seattle's Rashard Lewis for two months, the Mavs found themselves with all their eggs in Mourning's basket. Whether Cuban's complaints that he was misled by Mourning's agent are valid or not, the bottom line is the same. Once again, they failed to get their man.

The Lakers, if they can juggle all the egos, are improved. San Antonio has replaced David Robinson with Minnesota's Rasho Nesterovic and could be even better for it. The Timberwolves signed former Clippers No. 1 pick Michael Olowokandi, a player the Mavs would have been happy to land. The Kings kept Keon Clark and, with a healthy Chris Webber, will be a championship contender again next season.

The Mavs, by doing nothing, have gone backward in the West.

The fact is, Cuban signed his 7-foot, $70 million center last summer. His name is LaFrentz, but he's clearly not the answer to the Mavs' deficiencies in interior defense and rebounding.

Indiana's All-Star center Brad Miller? The Mavs are still in the hunt, but this is a difficult sell. This is Miller's chance at a huge payday, and he's not going to settle for the Mavs' $4.9 million mid-level exception when he might command $9 million a year on the open market.

A sign-and-trade might be possible, but with Denver or Utah prepared to write a check somewhere between $8 million and $11 million a year, it's a long shot at best.

Robert Horry? Sure, just what the Mavs need, a 3-point shooter who can't find the basket anymore. Forget it.

Scottie Pippen would be a nice addition, but he's not going to sign for the veteran's exception ($1.5 million), and he doesn't address the rebounding or inside defense issues either.

The fact is, the Mavs keep coming in second. Players keep saying it came down to the Mavs or Somebody Else, and they're choosing to sign with Somebody Else.

Maybe the national bashing the Mavs took during the playoffs has had a negative effect. Maybe their "soft boys" national image -- deserved or not -- is working against them. More likely it's even more basic than that.

Players understand that they can come to Dallas, win a lot of games and be comfortable, but they may not be convinced that they can come here and win a championship until they see it happen. They've seen the Lakers do it. They've seen the Spurs do it.

"If we did things around here for perceptual reasons, there wouldn't be a No. 41 named [Dirk] Nowitzki on the team," Nelson pointed out defensively, but accurately. "I'll tell you what we're not going to do. We're not going to do something that in two or three years we're going to regret and strap ourselves with an albatross situation.

"We're not going to get forced or pressured into making a bad move because of perception."

No need to do that again. Unfortunately, those albatrosses are already here and play center for the Mavericks.


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[Usually Lurkin]

uh, let's see:
the free agents have chosen money and winning instead of dallas?
The two cases are Kandi and Mourning?
Are either making more than they would have in Dallas?
Does either player have a better chance (with the Wolves and Nets) at a championship than they would in Dallas?

We should have Miller instead of LaFrentz?
LaFrentz at 7mil is an airball? But Miller at 9mil is going to what, put us past the lakers?
Miller would give us 2 more rebounds and 2 less blocks.

**hey, look. I've almost learned how to use a typewriter. The Star-Telegram is asking me to write about the Mavs.**

[Rhylan]

I wish these idiots would take half a second to get familiar with how the salary cap works.

[kg_veteran]

It's a piece from a guy who really doesn't know basketball that well, but I found this comment to be dead-on:

Just as they did last summer, when they fiddled around waiting on a decision from Seattle's Rashard Lewis for two months, the Mavs found themselves with all their eggs in Mourning's basket. Whether Cuban's complaints that he was misled by Mourning's agent are valid or not, the bottom line is the same. Once again, they failed to get their man.

[madape]

Hello Raef LaFrentz and Shawn Bradley? Sorry Jim, we were already over the cap when both were signed. It should be more like "Hello Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley".

And what is the "veteran's excpetion"? Does he mean veteran minimum or small exception? Does he even know what a fool he sounds like?

[philb7777]

I agree, if the deal ain't perfect, stay put. One question though is why did they not go after Kandi? I would love Donnie to explain that. He might have really good reasons why they didn't bite, I would just like to hear them.

[Drbio]

Originally posted by: philb7777
I agree, if the deal ain't perfect, stay put. One question though is why did they not go after Kandi? I would love Donnie to explain that. He might have really good reasons why they didn't bite, I would just like to hear them.

Maybe they did but didn't publicize it. We just do not know. Plus, Donnie was quoted yesterday as saying the relationship that Duffy (Kandi's agent) has with McHale (former college roomies I think?) was a factor. I'm thinking McHale and Duffy had a verbal long before the signing date.

[jayC]

Cuban said that if they had just let howard walk off the mavs would have 7 million in cap space this year. So their really wasn't any great perogotive could they have gotten GP for 5 million and Malone for 2 million probably not as malone described he wanted to play with a dominant big man. Its really nick and raef vs. probably just brad miller. Id rather have nick and raef.

Malone would have already gone to the lakers. Mainly he wanted to play with a dominant big man. Can't blame him.
ZO would have been a great pick up if hes healthy. I agree the plus minuses work in our favor.
Kandiman 1st overall bust. He avgs 9.9 points and 7 rebounds per game on a bad LA team. Didn't Lafrentz avg 20 points and 7 boards with three blocks before he came here. Who has the bigger potential Raef 26 or Kandiman 28, even miller 28. Everyone at the five except Zo had no skins on the wall and is not worth spending 4.9 million which will be more like 9.8 million on one of those spares. THe sad fact of the matter is that the mavs probably wouldn't have won a title with malone or ZO would have helped but not a monumental jump. Dirk is going to have to improve , if we are going to go anywhere, he will have to prove he can be the best player in the league.

[one long blue sock]

Originally posted by: Usually Lurkin
uh, let's see:
the free agents have chosen money and winning instead of dallas?
The two cases are Kandi and Mourning?
Are either making more than they would have in Dallas?
Does either player have a better chance (with the Wolves and Nets) at a championship than they would in Dallas?

We should have Miller instead of LaFrentz?
LaFrentz at 7mil is an airball? But Miller at 9mil is going to what, put us past the lakers?
Miller would give us 2 more rebounds and 2 less blocks.

**hey, look. I've almost learned how to use a typewriter. The Star-Telegram is asking me to write about the Mavs.**

I agree on Miller, why would you give up one of the top four players to get a center that is just a little better then Raef. The only way i would trade with Indiana is if we got Ron Ron.

[foglemann]

jay, your reaf and Kandi stats are messed up. last year Kandi avg. 12 pts. and 9 rebounds. Reaf, his best year, was in 01-02, 13 pts. and 7 reb. Don't just put stats in your post without looking them up.
And if I had to chose, I would take Kandi.

[Murphy3]

although reeves is the last guy i want to get basketball info from, he is right in his main point:

the mavs are firing air balls in free agency..again..for the 5th straight year

[dude1394]

Originally posted by: Murphy3
although reeves is the last guy i want to get basketball info from, he is right in his main point:

the mavs are firing air balls in free agency..again..for the 5th straight year

I need a broken record emoticon.

[kg_veteran]

Originally posted by: dude1394

I need a broken record emoticon.

You do, because every time Murphy posts lately, the next post is you griping about a broken record.

[MFFL]

Originally posted by: kg_veteran

You do, because every time Murphy posts lately, the next post is you griping about a broken record.

That means that we need a different broken record to post for dude after he posts after murph. Then we would need another broken record, etc.

Lets just post broken record pics on the forum from now on. It saves time and energy.

[Drbio]