Possible MLE Targets

[Stranger]

I made a list of possible targets for our mid-level exception (or part of it). Putting aside trade possibilities for now, who do you find interesting?

Sasha Pavlovic (restricted)
Anderson Varejao (restricted)
Flip Murray
Mickael Pietrus (restricted)
Matt Barnes
Quinton Ross
James Posey
Ruben Patterson
Corliss Williamson
PJ Brown
Earl Boykins
Andray Blatche
Jarvis Hayes
Chris Webber

You can find the complete list of free-agents here.

Edited to add/remove a few names.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

I would like to have Antonio McDyess as a backup for Dirk, but I think he likes to play for the Pistons and will get a new offer from them.

[Flacolaco]

Mucho props to Stranger(have you ever given yourself a stranger?) for starting a useful offseason thread that has nothing to do with the impossible (i.e. trading up in the draft, trading for kobe, or trading for some big name in general. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN)

Oh and if they played for the Cavs, I don't want them. Everybody saw what those spares did in the Finals.

[dalmations202]

Not on your list, and the one I think would be the best idea..... PJ Brown.

[Stranger]

Originally Posted by dalmations202

Not on your list, and the one I think would be the best idea..... PJ Brown.

Good point: I added him to the list.

[bcrav4]

Who would have potentially the biggest impact? My guess, Bonzi Wells.

[skylive321]

I believe he mavs are definitely looking at these free agents rather than the popular rumors of a big name trade. Let's face it guys, i'm an MFFL as well but it just isnt gonna happen. You have to be smart about the tweaking you do to a team that won 67 games and so they lost to golden state in the first round. big deal. they beat the spurs who i believe won the finals, 3-1 in their season matchups including that spectacular game that took place just before the playoffs started. Mark cuban is not going to risk another Steve Nash blunder. That being said, signing Desmond Mason would obviously be the right choice. he avg 14pts, 5 rebounds and about 2 assists. but the guy would be a steal.

[bernardos70]

PJ Brown? Seriously? Give me a break....... What can he do that Diop and Damp can't? I think Mason is more likely, but Bonzi indeed would be the biggest impact player. Whether that impact would be positive or negative however, remains to be seen.

[dalmations202]

Originally Posted by bernardos70

PJ Brown? Seriously? Give me a break....... What can he do that Diop and Damp can't? I think Mason is more likely, but Bonzi indeed would be the biggest impact player. Whether that impact would be positive or negative however, remains to be seen.

PJ Brown can score in the paint, and hit the 15'. He has some offensive game to keep others honest. He is also an energy type player with lots of experience.

Is he older than dirt, yes -- almost as old as I am.

Is he a role player now, yes, but he can still defend fairly well, and get you 20 min a night if needed. He can play both the PF and C position as needed -- here is your Dirk backup.

Wells doesn't see this team, and Mason isn't known for his D or his shooting percentage.

If the Mavs get either RLewis or Kirilenko -- which moves JHo to SG ---- then PJ Brown is as good as it gets for the MLE.

I like McDyess better, but I don't see him moving from Detroit if all you are offering is a backup role, and the MLE.

[peruna11]

Quinton Ross is a player that I continue to pull for. Dallas native and would be very inexpensive. The only thing is that the Clipper can pick up their option on him, and I've been reading round the net to see if any news has surface but haven't found anything.

I think the the mavs would benefit because they lack a true defensive minded player. He would bring tough nose defense to this team that jet, buck, and ager don't bring. He has shown the ability to frustrate players so much in to getting T's and even drawing ejections. The good thing is that he isn't a dirty player. Don't let his offense stats fool you.... He is a good scorer when he looks for shots. Its kind of hard to find your shot when you have Cassell, Maggette, and Mobley jacking up a lot of shots. He has a nice midrange game and has ability to take it to the basket and draw fouls. Was WAC player of the year his Sr. season at SMU and put up about 20 points a game.

[pickupyonuts]

kapono.

[Janett_Reno]

The guys on your list i like and thanks for listing this.

1.PJ Brown, wished for him before he went to Chicago and he killed us with that Gordon guard they have, when we played them in Chicago. He is old and i wondered if h could still play? The answer was yes as he was good against us and Detroit. He has size, he scores and is very tough on defense also. Downside, he is old but he would be mixed in with already our good players. He did gripe at Chicago because he wanted more playing time.

2.McDyess, i really like his play but Detroit won't let him get away. Many teams will go after him and many will PJ Brown also.

3.Andres Nocioni, tough guy, scores and you knock him down, he gets up and comes right back at you and is instant offense. The Bulls have so many young and good players, who stays and who goes? They are trying to either get Garnett or Gasol. Kobe says he would like to go to Chicago. Would Garnett play there? He should want to. So what happens to Andres Nocioni, Gordon, Deng, PJ Brown?

4. Matt Carroll, i had forgot about this guy from UCLA untill he looked like Michael Jordan against us in the playoffs. Is this a one time deal? Is this guy good or not? Looked great against us. Now they say many teams want him on what he done to us. I am going t watch this guy and see if that was a fluke or is he really that good?

5. Steve Blake, i like him as an ast guard. He looks to pass the ball. He has sort of went from a nothing and nobody untill teams want him. If he could improve his outside shot, it would be better. He drives pretty good and passes good.

6. Jason Kapono, another guy that was a nobody and now a few teams are interested. He is sitting good in Miami because teams must guard Shaq and Wade and this leaves Kapono open and he can shoot. He is streaky at times but if you need offense and a shooter outside to come in, he will and isn't scarred to shoot.

Guys like Varejao, Oberto are good but we do not need that type player. Oberto we could but the Spurs will lock him up. Patterson has talent but a time bomb. Posey is a good defensive player and sometimes is good shooting 3's and offense but his offense comes and goes as he is noted for defense. I like him.

I also like Desmond Mason. I forgot and left him out but yes he would make my top 3. He would be my 3rd choice.

You are on track because these and this are the type players we could possibly pick up and maybe will get one like this. This is where we have to get good and even players off our bench. I wish we had an inside scorrer that could relieve our centers and could relieve Dirk. Then i feel we need a shooter outside that isn't small. Now it stands we have Stack and he is on or off. Nothing in between and i like Stack but we need more. Then i wouldn't mind a point guard with size that was an ast man also. One for off the bench, 2nd or 3rd string but a good one.

[jacktruth]

Originally Posted by Janett_Reno

The guys on your list i like and thanks for listing this.

4. Matt Carroll, i had forgot about this guy from UCLA untill he looked like Michael Jordan against us in the playoffs. Is this a one time deal? Is this guy good or not? Looked great against us. Now they say many teams want him on what he done to us. I am going t watch this guy and see if that was a fluke or is he really that good?

Confusing with Matt Barnes.

[Dirkgreatness]

DESMOND MASON!!! We need to get more athletic.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Free agency preview: a look at point guards
By Matt Carter | June 22nd, 2007

The point guard position is arguably one of the most important in the NBA, and the Mavericks, including coach Avery Johnson, have made it no secret they would like a pass-first point guard with leadership skills. Unless Jason Terry, JJ Barea or Devin Harris start to develop a better passing game immediately, accomplishing this goal may have to come via trades, the draft, or free agency. I’ve already talked extensively about trade scenarios, but free agency would be the preferred choice considering the Mavericks wouldn’t be losing any talent in the process.

Today I’ll look at four potential free agents at the point guard position, and see whether or not it is possible to recruit these players. Remember, the Mavericks are over the salary cap and the only way to sign a free agent outside of a sign-and-trade would be by using the mid-level exception valued at slightly about $5 million.

1. Earl Boykins

Boykins is a strong choice for a backup point guard, that is if the Mavs are looking for someone with quickness and scoring ability. Boykins is a veteran with nine years of NBA experience, spending time with the Cavaliers, Clippers, Warriors, Nuggets, and most recently the Milwaukee Bucks. He obviously would bring another scorer to Dallas, and would at least compete defensively.

However, I see very little chance of Boykins actually ending up in a Mavericks uniform. Though there is always a need for scoring, his passing skills (high career-high in assists is only 4.4 a game) and small 5’5’’ frame make him difficult to justify signing. Plus, getting him to come here for just the MLE would be difficult and he’s really not worth trading anyone for. We have younger prospects in Barea and Harris, to the point where Boykins doesn’t really bring anything new to the team.

2. Steve Blake

Outside of bearing a similarity to Slim Shady, Blake would actually be able to bring some skills to the Mavericks if he was signed. Blake’s not necessarily a big-time scorer, but he does possess the ability to extend the defense and shoot over the top of a zone. He is an above-average passer, averaging 5 a game with Denver last season, and also is a very solid on-the-ball defender. Plus, at age 27 and 6’3’’ he is nine inches taller than Boykins and 4 years younger.

Out of the free agent point guards available Blake is the best possibility for the Mavs, simply because he could come at a reasonably low price and contribute as a backup to Devin Harris. If Jason Terry remains on the roster it would force him almost permanently to a 2 guard position, but that may not be a bad thing due to JET’s scoring touch. The Mavs may be able to net Blake for the MLE, and if not there could be a sign-and-trade orchestrated involving draft picks. It is all but official that Jerry Stackhouse is staying in Dallas, but if he were dealt this is one scenario I could see a trade happening.

3. Smush Parker

Smush can’t be feeling too good about himself right now. He has a funny name, and he also isn’t getting much recognition around the NBA. He averaged 11 points a game in his last two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his falling out with coach Phil Jackson along with some reported behavioral issues fail to make him the most desirable guy for teams out there. It has already been made official that Parker will not return to LA next season.

If the Mavs were in dire need of a spot-up shooter I would say to give Parker a chance; but with his history and with Terry and Harris already on the roster, I really wouldn’t give him much of a chance. He likely learned the act of being a drama queen well from Kobe Bryant, and there also hasn’t been any proof that he can operate well outside the triangle offense.

4. Royal Ivey

Ivey spent the first three seasons of his career with the Atlanta Hawks, and didn’t necessarily do much to impress team scouts. His scoring average in 2006-07 dropped from 3.6 per game to only 3. For a point guard in his third year, that’s not a good sign at a promising future for the guard out of Texas.

More than likely Ivey could be acquired easily by the Mavs, but the fact that he failed to get playing time in Atlanta makes it likely he wouldn’t get any in Dallas.

Conclusion

Out of these four guards, Steve Blake easily seems like the most viable option. Outside of him, I can only see a new point guard arriving through the draft or a trade.

http://mvn.com/nba-mavericks/

[jacktruth]

Originally Posted by Dirkgreatness

DESMOND MASON!!! When need to get more athletic.

After mulling this over, this is where I am at. He's got a lot of talent, and I think he has an edge on him for big games. We can really use that.

[Janett_Reno]

Thanks Dirkgreatness, i had forgot about Boykins and he isn't bad but just to small and he will get more money. I agree with what he says about Blake. I like Blakes size, he always tries, and he is always looking to pass the ball and then he either drives or shoots. I like him.

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by peruna11

Quinton Ross is a player that I continue to pull for. Dallas native and would be very inexpensive. The only thing is that the Clipper can pick up their option on him, and I've been reading round the net to see if any news has surface but haven't found anything.

I think the the mavs would benefit because they lack a true defensive minded player. He would bring tough nose defense to this team that jet, buck, and ager don't bring. He has shown the ability to frustrate players so much in to getting T's and even drawing ejections. The good thing is that he isn't a dirty player. Don't let his offense stats fool you.... He is a good scorer when he looks for shots. Its kind of hard to find your shot when you have Cassell, Maggette, and Mobley jacking up a lot of shots. He has a nice midrange game and has ability to take it to the basket and draw fouls. Was WAC player of the year his Sr. season at SMU and put up about 20 points a game.

Yeah I like Ross too...I think the one blurb I read was they probably were going to pick up the option because he's cheap and actually provides what they expect out of him. Maybe you can use the TE for him or something.

[Tokey41]

Low post scoring - Chris Mihm? (not on the list)

Playmaking point guard - Steve Blake?

Mihm's much younger than Brown and solves the problem of offense at the 5 as well as a backup for Dirk. Two holes filled with one MLE signed player.

[Janett_Reno]

Tokey41, i do like Chris Mihm. He seems to have good moves around the basket and i think teams need to let Mihm score more. Go into him more. I know games he has fouled and not done as good but he is young and i think the guy has some talent. You are also right with him filling in at 4 or 5 and if he is in with Dampier or Diop sometimes, we will have some good rebounders in with howard also.

I like both choices of Blake and Mihm. I feel this is what we have to be looking at and legit players we could possibly get and fill in. Guys like Garnett, J O'Neil, Gasol would be impossible for us to get unless it was a huge big trade and busting our team up.

So the big name players for us is the names that was listed at the top and guys like Mihm. Then fill in's for the bench instead of guys like Willis, Croshere, Barea, and will DJ and George be here. I know some will and some won't but those are positions we must fill and get better at also.

Phx wanted PJ Brown untill all this Garnett stuff started because Garnett says he want's to play for the Suns. I imagine he want's a good point guard and a team he thinks can compete for a title. It will be interesting if the Suns pull off a big deal and a big time player.

[Stranger]

I edited the list to add a few names that came up--will continue to do so as people mention players I forgot about.

[The Crippler]

nocioni would be great here. slide josh to the 2, nocioni at the 3.

[bcrav4]

I also like Mihm as a FA option for a scoring post player. Here's a youtube clip for reference to what a healthy Chris Mihm can provide:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hixRBmCs-28

Granted this clip makes him look like Tim Duncan on offense.

[foglemann]

Travis Outlaw, full MLE, he's restricted. Nuff said.

[Janett_Reno]

How much would people think in here, it would take to get Mihm? Are other teams after him and was he hurt much this last year? It would be an offensive threat inside.

[nashtymavsfan13]

Mihm, Boykins, Nocioni, and Kapono would all be awesome additions.

[DubOverdose]

Nocioni, Oberto are the only ones I'd really pull for. I think Nocioni will get a good pay day, above MLE that is. Oberto won't, but he will be locked up by the Spurs.

[duboh7]

Originally Posted by Janett_Reno

How much would people think in here, it would take to get Mihm? Are other teams after him and was he hurt much this last year? It would be an offensive threat inside.

Mihm seems to be a bit under the radar, right now, because he missed last year.....as a guess I'd say about half the MLE or perhaps up to 3.5 M. I agree he would be a "different" backup for Dirk, plus he would be in the #5 rotation for a few minutes.

Edit: I just looked up Mihm's 06-07 salary, and he made 4.2M. I doubt LAL wants to pay him that much, now; but big men always seem to be in demand, so it may take that much to sign him.

[Janett_Reno]

I like him and people thought we was crazy signing Diop. They thought he was terrible and we took the chance and it has payed off. I feel Mihm coud also. With him hurt last year, the Mavs might get a deal with him. I think he played college in Tx and maybe he is from Tx and hopefully if we did make him an offer, this would sway him some comming back ths way.

[dirknashfinley4life]

What about Brevin Knight? I think he's a free agent, but I could be wrong. I think he is a decent passer and could be a good backup for Devin Harris.

[bernardos70]

Count me in on the Mihm to Dallas bandwagon. At least he doesn't have stone hands.

[Darth Ape]

Mavs need scoring off the bench. With no quality point guards, they need players who can create their own shot.

Give me... FLIP MURRAY

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by Darth Ape

Mavs need scoring off the bench. With no quality point guards, they need players who can create their own shot.

Give me... FLIP MURRAY

lol

[MascisMan]

On this list I like Corliss Williamson, Mo Williams, Steve Blake, Matt Carroll, Antonio McDyess and Jason Kapono. I also like Travis Outlaw on the cheapy

[skylive321]

corlis who? I mean i know who he is but are you kidding me.

[Mavsin08]

Anderson Varejao should be calling. They want Noah? Bring in Varejao, who brings you everything Noah brings just with a more limited offensive game, but you could still debate, he has more potential then Noah.

I also like the idea of Nocioni, a great defender who can guard any of the star SG/SF's in the league. Him and Howard with the slot positions would be really cool and a really nice and defensive set-up.

Maybe Morris Petterson and try to feather him up to be possibly our 6th man. Could take the place of a Buckner.

Also, anyone else intrigued by Oberto? I know he isn't pretty, but he now has championship experience, is very smart, and seems always to get the tip-ins. You could argue he could be a better player for us then Dampier is.

[alby]

I would love to have Nocioni here. We need players like him.

For example, if he was guarding JRich on a switch and JRich got around him, I can almost guarantee Nocioni would knock him out on his back when he tries to go up.

[Stranger]

I edited this list to keep up with recent developments.

[EricaLubarsky]

Add Francis
And i thought Varajao and Pavlovic both agreed to stay with Cleveland.

[Stranger]

Francis is up! I'm pretty sure Varejao and Pavlovic are still available, though. I just checked one of the Cleveland papers and they are suggesting that the Kapono signing will drive up Pavlovic's price, and that an unnamed team (they think it's the Grizzlies) has made a big offer to Varejao.