Dallas Mavericks News

Mavs' Nowitzki No. 4 Overall In West In All-Star Balloting

2009-12-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

Dallas Teammates Marion, Kidd and Terry Also Among Leaders

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: Carmelo Anthony (Den) 1,204,234; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 668,243; Pau Gasol (LAL) 565,414; Tim Duncan (SA) 564,728; Kevin Durant (OKC) 406,581; Trevor Ariza (Hou) 355,529; Luis Scola (Hou) 295,691; Shawn Marion (Dal) 268,853; Ron Artest (LAL) 197,689; Lamar Odom (LAL) 152,684; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 129,909.

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,380,383; Steve Nash (Pho) 546,064; Tracy McGrady (Hou) 541,190; Chris Paul (NO) 521,468; Jason Kidd (Dal) 372,225; Aaron Brooks (Hou) 298,892; Chauncey Billups (Den) 241,737; Deron Williams (Utah) 208,991; Jason Terry (Dal) 195,456; Brandon Roy (Por) 189,137; Manu Ginobili (SA) 171,624.

Centers: Amar'e Stoudemire (Pho) 950,737; Andrew Bynum (LAL) 588,471; Nene (Den) 199,667; Marc Gasol (Mem) 160,686; Greg Oden (Por) 108,147; Al Jefferson (Min) 98,669; Antonio McDyess (SA) 94,479; Marcus Camby (LAC) 86,719; Andris Biedrins (GS) 77,287; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 69,612; Emeka Okafor (NO) 61,823; Spencer Hawes (Sac) 20,646.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: LeBron James (Clev) 1,315,292; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 1,113,213; Chris Bosh (Tor) 553,230; Paul Pierce (Bos) 263,189; Josh Smith (Atl) 236,527; Andre Iguodala (Phi) 167,799; Danny Granger (Ind) 165,543; Michael Beasley (Mia) 132,794; Hedo Turkoglu (Tor) 95,329; Rashard Lewis (Orl) 95,328; Caron Butler (Was) 83,317.

Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 1,314,215; Allen Iverson (Phi) 635,084; Vince Carter (Orl) 554,779; Ray Allen (Bos) 385,744; Gilbert Arenas (Was) 355,544; Derrick Rose (Chi) 305,029; Joe Johnson (Atl) 227,896; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 203,252; Jose Calderon (Tor) 115,071; Mike Bibby (Atl) 106,830.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 1,252,786; Shaquille O'Neal (Cle) 455,239; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 121,253; Al Horford (Atl) 118,802; Brook Lopez (NJ) 105,157; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 87,876; Jermaine O'Neal (Mia) 81,262; Rasheed Wallace (Bos) 66,307; Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 40,057; Samuel Dalembert (Phi) 35,714; Tyson Chandler (Cha) 31,470; Brad Miller (Chi) 29,369.

Mavs Win Despite Nowitzki's 10 Points

2009-12-15T06:35:00.000-08:00

J.J. Barea scored a season-high 23 points and Dirk Nowitzki scored four of his season-low 10 points in the final 59 seconds, sending the Dallas Mavericks to a 94-90 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night.

Barea scored 19 points in the first half, helping Dallas build an early 21-point lead. Then New Orleans coach Jeff Bower benched all his starters except Chris Paul and the Hornets got aggressive on both ends of the court. They tied it at 60 and kept clawing back, even after the Mavericks were back ahead 90-83 when Nowitzki made a 20-footer in the final minute.

But Paul and Darius Songaila made things interesting to the end. It took Nowitzki's left-handed layup off an inbounds pass and two free throws by Jason Terry with 12.9 seconds left to seal Dallas' fourth straight victory and New Orleans' second straight loss.

Paul had 20 points, 16 assists and five steals. Songaila tied a season high with 12 points while playing only the fourth quarter.

Nowitzki came in fifth in the NBA at 27.3 points per game and was averaging 31.5 over his last four. But David West and the Hornets seem to have him figured out; Nowitzki's previous low of 12 points came in an overtime loss to New Orleans in early November.

Click Here to see the full article.

Mavs injury update

2009-11-19T07:42:00.000-08:00

Dampier update: Erick Dampier was in street clothes, but at least he was back on the bench with his teammates.

Dampier, who was hospitalized Sunday when he became ill in pregame warm-ups, has been going through a battery of tests and the Mavericks still are waiting on results about what went wrong with the center.

He will sit out until doctors figure out the problem. Dampier seemed fine and Maverick officials said he was in good spirits.

More injuries: Shawn Marion sat out against San Antonio, and he may also sit Sunday against Sacramento because of the sprained left ankle he suffered in the first quarter Monday at Milwaukee.

If Marion takes off Friday, the Mavericks do not play again until Tuesday. source: Dallas News

Dallas Mavericks beat Spurs in OT 99-94

2009-11-19T07:30:00.000-08:00

Dirk Nowitzki made play after play, frustrating the San Antonio Spurs and Tim Duncan as he did.

And then he went to the offensive end.

Nowitzki had 41 points, including 11 of the Mavericks' 15 points in overtime as he led them to a hard-earned 99-94 victory over the Spurs on Wednesday night at American Airlines Center.

But what people wanted to talk about most was his defense on Duncan.

Nowitzki was asked to guard the Spurs' low-post master during the final minutes of overtime, and he forced Duncan to miss close-range shots on three consecutive possessions, which allowed the Mavericks to pull away to a 97-91 lead and hang on for their fourth consecutive victory since losing to the Spurs last week in San Antonio.

Duncan didn't score and had one rebound in overtime. Nowitzki had 11 points, three rebounds, hit three of four shots and all four of his free throws.

And still, playing straight up against Duncan got everybody's attention.

"We tried to switch it up all night, and that's what you have to do against a great player is mix it up," Nowitzki said. "I had him at the end and we were actually lucky on the one put-back. The other jump hooks he missed, those were big defensive possessions for us."

Afterward, Jason Kidd was teasing Nowitzki about getting first-team votes on the NBA's all-defensive team.

It certainly isn't nearly the joke it would have been a few years ago.

"That's what I like, that he's doing it on the defensive end," Kidd said. "He's been playing great defense all year."

Of course, those 41 points don't hurt, either.

The Mavericks played without Shawn Marion, Erick Dampier and Josh Howard, but Drew Gooden again filled in with his third consecutive double-double and Kidd, J.J. Barea and Kris Humphries all had solid showings.

The Spurs had lost Manu Ginobili (left groin strain) in the first quarter and had Tony Parker sit out completely with a sprained left ankle.

Nowitzki had helped force overtime with a put-back late in the fourth quarter. Then, with the Spurs up, 91-89, in the extra period, Nowitzki converted a three-point play, with chants of "MVP, MVP" raining down from the stands. Moments later, Jason Terry's jumper made it a three-point lead and, after Duncan missed and Nowitzki rebounded (his 12th of the game), he sealed it with a 3-pointer with 1:15 to go for a 97-91 lead.

A late 3-pointer by the Spurs meant nothing.

At the end of regulation, Terry, who struggled offensively most of the night, came up with a steal and two free throws with 2:29 to go, putting the Mavericks ahead 80-78. After the Spurs tied it, Gooden faked Duncan, then got to the rim for a layup that was goal-tended by Antonio McDyess.

That two-point lead stood up until Duncan made two free throws with 30.1 seconds left to make it 82-82.

The Mavericks worked the ball to Terry, who missed a jumper. But Nowitzki charged in from the perimeter and got an uncontested tip-in.

After a timeout, the Spurs worked it to Duncan, who delivered like a star should with a short jump hook over Humphries, who was playing because Gooden had fouled out moments earlier.

Now introducing: While the injuries and illnesses keep taking away players, the Mavericks were happy to get a key contributor back Wednesday night.

Tim Thomas wasted no time showing what he can bring.

At the end of the third quarter, Thomas grabbed an offensive rebound for a put-back. Then, on the following possession, he earned big points with the crowd when he hustled for a loose ball and flipped in a 15-foot shot as fans went wild. That it came after the buzzer didn't matter. It still was the kind of play that ingratiates a player to the home crowd.

Especially when they haven't seen him play before.

Thomas was just glad to finally get in on the fun of the Mavericks' early season success.

"It's always tough when you're watching the guys go to war every night and you're trying to get back in the mix," Thomas said. "It's just one of those things where I never had an injury or a surgery before. I didn't really know what to expect. I've just been working my tail off to get back."

It'll take some time to knock off the rust. But Thomas already has shown he's capable of being a force. source: Dallas News

Watch Live NBA Game - Dallas Mavericks vs Milwaukee Bucks

2009-11-16T07:27:00.000-08:00

Free Live NBA streaming. Watch the Dallas Mavericks game versus Milwaukee Bucks.

Dallas Mavericks vs Milwaukee Bucks 8pm ET.

Mavericks rookie Roddy Beaubois provides spark against Detroit

2009-11-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

When working out Roddy Beaubois before the draft, the Dallas Mavericks went to great lengths to make sure they’d get him late in the first round.

Worried that another team might become infatuated with the young point guard from the French Indies, they suggested he allow competitors to think that he couldn’t speak much English, even though he’s better at the language than some Americans.

When you see games like Sunday’s, you know why the Mavericks were paranoid. He was big in tilting momentum in the third quarter, hitting all six of his shots for a season-best 14 points.

His perfectly timed pass to Shawn Marion for a fast-break jam was enough to make Jason Kidd jealous. It was the highlight of the opening eight minutes of the second half, when Dallas turned a six-point deficit into a 58-57 lead.

"I’m really impressed with our rookie," Dirk Nowitzki said. "Every time he starts, he gives us scoring at the beginning of the game and the third quarter." — Eddie Sefko source: Star telegram

Dallas Mavericks survive Pistons, Dampier scare

2009-11-16T07:16:00.000-08:00

The Dallas Mavericks survived a scary situation Sunday evening that had nothing to do with a heartfelt 95-90 win over the Detroit Pistons.

When Erick Dampier left the pregame warm-ups because he wasn't feeling right, nobody was quite sure what was happening. Minutes later, with emergency medical personnel working on Dampier, he was whisked by ambulance from the Palace of Auburn Hills to a Pontiac, Mich., hospital.

By the end of the game, the Mavericks had gotten news that Dampier's symptoms had subsided. No team personnel divulged what those symptoms were, but an NBA official said that doctors had ruled out any serious health issues, including H1N1.

Dampier apparently was lightheaded when he left the arena, but was feeling much better at the hospital, giving the team a huge sigh of relief.

"First of all, our thoughts and prayers are with Damp," said Dirk Nowitzki, who led a lukewarm Mavericks offense with 25 points. "That's tough to see, right in the warm-ups and all of the sudden he walked out and he's in the hospital."

Drew Gooden wasn't even aware he'd been put into the starting lineup until he heard the announcer call his name.

He stepped in admirably with his first double-double of the season (11 points, 11 rebounds). All five starters scored in double figures as the Mavericks survived 55 points from Piston guards Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum.

But it was tough to focus on the win, which upped the Mavericks to 2-1 on this trip that ends tonight at Milwaukee. Athletic trainer Casey Smith stayed behind as Dampier was kept at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital for observation. Dampier will meet the team back in Dallas, coach Rick Carlisle said.

The loss of Dampier threw a spotlight on Gooden, who still is recovering from a strained muscle near his rib cage.

"It's about time and opportunity," Gooden said. "If you give a lot of guys on this team time, they're going to produce. I was just happy it was my night to step up in Damp's absence."

The Mavericks trailed by six at halftime, but Roddy Beaubois and Nowitzki scored or assisted on 26 of the Mavericks' 31 points as they went up 71-66 after three quarters.

Then, it was about survival. Three times, Bynum drew Detroit within three in the final two minutes. The first two times, Nowitzki nailed midrange jumpers. Nowitzki was 5-of-15 from the field in the third quarter, but hit six of his final 12 shots.

Up 93-90, Jason Terry missed a 3-pointer with 6.9 left, giving the Pistons a final shot. But Ben Gordon missed badly on a 3 when Jason Kidd couldn't get to Gordon fast enough to foul him.

Where to draw the line?Mark Cuban has all the respect in the world for Michael Jordan, but he's not sure retiring No. 23 league-wide is a great idea.

"It's a slippery slope," Cuban said Sunday. "What about Bill Russell and George Mikan and Wilt Chamberlain?"

LeBron James first floated the idea of every team retiring Jordan's number.

"If all the players around the league got together and did that, it would say a lot about their appreciation of the history of our game," Carlisle said. source: Dallas News

Watch Live NBA Games - 10/28/09

2009-10-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

First game of the season 2009-10 for Dallas Mavericks. Watch it Live here for free!

8:30 PM ET Washington Wizards vs Dallas Mavericks

Other Live NBA Games

7:30 PM ET Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers
10:00 PM ET Houston Rockets vs Portland Blazers
10:00 PM ET Los Angeles Clippers vs Los Angeles Lakers

Josh Howard not yet ready for opening day

2009-10-27T08:09:00.000-07:00

On the eve of the season opener, the Dallas Mavericks don't know when Josh Howard will be ready for game action.

Howard, who underwent operations on his left ankle and wrist on May 22, wasn't cleared for any contact work until Oct. 14. He has yet to complete a full practice and will not dress out for Tuesday's opener against the Washington Wizards.

While there is still some soreness in the wrist, the ankle is preventing Howard from playing. He had minor reconstructive surgery on the ankle, which had bothered him since his senior season at Wake Forest in 2002-03.

The Mavericks are exercising patience with Howard. The priority is getting him completely healthy, not rushing him back into the lineup.

"It could be awhile," coach Rick Carlisle said. "It could be weeks. I don't know. I don't know. We'll find a way without him, but we know we're better with him. When he comes back, we'll have to be ready to integrate him very quickly."

The Mavericks went 17-13 in games Howard missed last season. They were 33-19 with him in the lineup. source: ESPN

Dallas Mavericks appear more talented but so does the West

2009-10-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

When Mark Cuban says the team that the Dallas Maverickswill put on the floor for tonight's opener against the Wizards is more talented than his Finals squad, and Jason Terry calls the chemistry the best since he's been in Dallas, the question seems obvious:

Are ticket sales really that flat?

Anytime someone makes unsolicited comparisons with the best team in franchise history, you should be a little dubious about their intent.

But upon further review, the claims may not be a blatant attempt at hucksterism after all.

Might not be a whiplash effect from Gerald Green's 11 starts last year, either.

Good news: The Mavs really do appear more talented than the bunch that blew the '06 Finals. Deeper and more diverse, they're much better suited to the style of the coach.

Bad news: Everyone else is better, too, and it's a larger field of contenders.

And then there's this: The Mavs' odds are all tied up in the health of Shawn Marionand Josh Howard, already a prickly issue.

For all who doubted what Marion could bring the Mavs at 31 – and it was a pretty vocal contingent, at that – he's simply the best complement the Mavs have had to Dirk Nowitzki at forward: athletic, good rebounder, good defender, creates his own shot. Basically, he's a bigger, better, more consistent Josh Howard.

The issue with players on the descending arc of their prime isn't always skill set. Most can still bring it. They just can't do it for 82 games. Or 70 or 60. The last two seasons were the first since his rookie season in Phoenix that Marion failed to play in at least 79 games. He gets here, and the first thing he does after descending from the rafters is blow a tire.

He's all patched up for now, anyway. In all fairness, it's not like he has to play 79 games anymore. If he gives the Mavs 60 healthy starts, it's all good.

Of course, there remains the issue of Howard's health.

"It could be awhile," is how Rick Carlisle put it Monday. "Could be weeks.

"Could be . . ."

Hello, bench.

Fortunately for Carlisle, he has more and better options this season with a starter down. The Mavs' bench is bigger, more athletic and can shoot it better, too.

Did I mention that Devean George started 16 games last season?

When Carlisle calls on a player now, he'll rarely have to ask him to do something he's not equipped for. This is where Avery Johnson got into trouble. He demanded defensive commitment from a roster that wasn't so inclined, and he got results for awhile. Long enough to drag the Mavs to the Finals, anyway.

But under duress, players eventually revert to their true nature. Gregg Popovich gets defense from his Spurs because that's who they are. Carlisle may have enough of the type now to get a stop when he needs it.

The team is a better fit in other ways, too.

Carlisle learned last season that he needed to give Jason Kidd the keys, resulting in a jumpstart that helped the Mavs to 50 wins. But Kidd needed more than just his coach's confidence if the Mavs are to improve on that total. He needed teammates who could play his tempo.

My solution was Tyson Chandler, beneficiary of more than an occasional alley oop from Chris Paul. Cuban came up with Marion, who has no more health issues than Chandler and gives the club more options.

The new addition certainly has blended right in.

"We're all on the same page," Marion said. "We're a family, on and off the court.

"We're family, all love."

And then as if to demonstrate his point, he surveyed the reporters encircling him.

"How y'all doing? Anybody want a big hug?"

A long and interesting season will do just fine, Shawn. We're not the touchy-feely types. source: Dallas News

Dallas Mavericks preview: What you need to know

2009-10-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

A quick-hit look at the Mavs:

If you can’t beat ’em …

The Mavericks spent most of this decade locking horns with the Phoenix Suns and Shawn Marion. Both teams won their share of games and playoff series.

Now, Marion is with the Mavericks after the trade with Toronto. And there’s no such thing as any lingering rivalry between Marion and the Mavericks. It’s more like respect, plus a great sigh of relief that the Mavericks get to play with Marion and not against him.

"He’s a guy that our guys have great respect for because they’ve been through the wars with him as an opponent," coach Rick Carlisle said. "When you hear our guys talk about guys that have been difficult to play against, and were difference-makers in the West, Shawn’s one of the guys they talk about."

Of all the Mavericks, Jason Terry probably has one of the friendliest rivalries with Marion.

"Shawn was the ninth pick, I was the 10th pick in that draft [1999]," Terry says. "We fight about that all the time. But he’s fun and I look forward to playing with him every day."

Vital to a title

You hear coaches say it all the time, that every player has a role and unless everyone performs his role and puts the result of the team above his own agenda, it won’t work. That’s what the Mavericks’ coaching staff is trying to emphasize. It’s truly 15 strong — or at least 14 strong when you consider that Shawne Williams probably won’t make the opening-night roster. So here’s why everybody’s important, and we’re taking this in alphabetical order to make sure that there’s no perception that one player is above another.

G J.J. Barea: Great with Kidd, but who isn’t? Needs to score on drives and jumpers.

G Roddy Beaubois: Has to grow up quickly and become a regular contributor.

G Matt Carroll: After lost season, will be counted on to knock down shots this year.

C Erick Dampier: Rebound, rebound, rebound. And when possible, rebound some more.

C/F Drew Gooden: Must knock down mid-range shots and hit the boards.

G Josh Howard: At shooting guard, he’ll have to get back to the slashing, scoring Josh.

F Kris Humphries: Backup has to give toughness and get offensive rebounds.

G Jason Kidd: The motor for the Mavs mobile, they’ll go nowhere without him starting it all.

F Shawn Marion: Has to do a little of everything, but can’t do it if he doesn’t stay healthy.

F Dirk Nowitzki: Simply has to keep being Dirk — and trust in his new helpers.

F James Singleton: Must find a role because he’s too good to linger on the bench.

G Quinton Ross: Premier defender must get his nose dirty on that end of the floor.

G Jason Terry: His punch off the bench and his leadership is essential.

F Tim Thomas: Once he gets healthy, he needs to spread the floor with his 3-point ability.

F Shawne Williams: Not expected to be around the team much longer.

How they were built

It borders on the amazing that the Mavericks have only two players on the roster whom they drafted, and one of those is Jason Kidd, who was selected in 1994, then was gone from the organization for 11 years before returning via trade. Here’s how the Mavericks were built:

Draft: Jason Kidd (’94) and Josh Howard (’03)

Draft night trades: Dirk Nowitzki (’99), Roddy Beaubois (’09)

Trades: Shawn Marion, Erick Dampier, Jason Terry, Matt Carroll, Kris Humphries, Shawne Williams

Free-agent signings: Quinton Ross, James Singleton, J.J. Barea, Drew Gooden, Tim Thomas

Glass kickers

The Mavericks have no excuses for not being one of the best rebounding teams in the league this season. They have four of the top 15 rebounders in the league among active players. The rundown:

Player	Team	Total
1. Shaquille O’Neal	Cavaliers	12,566
2. Dikembe Mutombo	Free agent	12,359
3. Kevin Garnett	Celtics	11,682
4. Tim Duncan	Spurs	10,547
5. Ben Wallace	Cavaliers	9,266
6. Marcus Camby	Clippers	7,426
7. Jason Kidd	Mavericks	7,408
8. Shawn Marion	Mavericks	7,384
9. Dirk Nowitzki	Mavericks	7,182
10. Rasheed Wallace	Celtics	6,996
11. Juwan Howard	Blazers	6,916
12. Antonio McDyess	Spurs	6,788
13. Elton Brand	Sixers	6,520
14. Kurt Thomas	Bucks	6,459
15. Erick Dampier	Mavericks	6,403

What doesn’t he lead?

If Dirk Nowitzki doesn’t already lead in a Mavericks career statistical category, chances are he will before long. Some of the categories he leads, and a few that he’s closing in on fast:

Nowitzki leads:

Category	Total	Second	Total
Points	19,084	Rolando Blackman	16,643
Rebounds	7,982	James Donaldson	4,589
FG-FGA	6,628-14,038	Blackman	6,487-13,061
3-pointers	1,080	Michael Finley	870
Minutes	30,692	Blackman	29,684
Fouls	2,178	Brad Davis	2,040

Nowitzki moving up:

Category	Leader	Total	Nowitzki	Rank
Games	Brad Davis	883	839	Fourth
Blocked shots	Shawn Bradley	1,250	857	Second
Disqualifications	Shawn Bradley	37	20	Fifth
Assists	Derek Harper	5,111	2,247	Seventh
Steals	Derek Harper	1,551	776	Second
FT pct.	Steve Nash	.898	.872	Second

Then and now

Who the Mavericks are missing from last season’s team, and the players who are expected to fill the void (statistics are from last season):

Gone	Stats	Addition	Stats
Brandon Bass	8.5 pts., 4.5 rebs.	Drew Gooden	11.9 pts., 7.1 rebs.
Antoine Wright	7.3 pts., 2.1 rebs.	Shawn Marion	12.9 pts., 8.5 rebs.
Jerry Stackhouse	4.2 pts., 1.7 rebs.	Tim Thomas	8.5 pts., 3.1 rebs.
Ryan Hollins	3.2 pts., 2.2 rebs.	Kris Humphries	3.9 pts., 2.4 rebs.
Devean George	3.4 pts., 1.8 rebs.	Quinton Ross	3.9 pts., 1.9 rebs.
Gerald Green	5.2 pts., 1.4 rebs.	Roddy Beaubois	Rookie

source: Star Telegram

Dallas Mavericks’ Jason Kidd is still stepping up

2009-10-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

If you were building the perfect basketball player, using parts from various NBA stars, you would do well to start with Jason Kidd’s brain.

You can get the legs and a few other body parts elsewhere. Even Kidd acknowledges that. But he’s quick to add that there’s no substitute for basketball smarts.

"I’d rather lose a step and know what I know," Kidd said, "than have that step back and not know anything."

There is plenty to back up that statement. The numbers, the career and the fact that he’s regarded as perhaps the best leader in the game all speak to the success the Mavericks point guard has had in a remarkable 15-year run that he wants everybody to know isn’t over yet.

In fact, this will be a special year for Kidd, no matter what. And it will be big for other reasons than the ones you might suspect.

Everybody knows Kidd will go down in NBA history as a player who loves to give the ball away. Before he’s done, he will have passed the ball better than anyone except John Stockton.

Of less renown, but just as important to his legacy, is that Kidd also is a player who loves to take the ball away.

Kidd, with a full year in Rick Carlisle’s system and a career’s worth of knowledge to guide him, is in rare company. He’ll likely pass Mark Jackson for No. 2 on the all-time NBA assists list early this season and has a chance to finish his career No. 2 in steals, too.

With his 10th theft this season, he’ll pass Clyde Drexler for No. 6. Barring injury, he should be up to No. 4 by the end of the season.

Not bad for a 36-year-old guy who everybody says doesn’t have the quickness he once did.

What he does have left is still pretty unique.

"He has a special sense for defensive anticipation," Carlisle said. "Guys that have that unusual trait get a lot of steals without a lot of missed steal opportunities that leave a defense vulnerable.

"And he’s got a very good assist-to-turnover ratio, which is difficult for a guy who plays the game at a fast pace and makes as many passes as he does. Plus, the strength of Kidd’s will is infectious."

Kidd’s fortitude was on display in, of all places, Pittsburgh last week. When Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki found out they weren’t playing in the preseason game against Cleveland, they went to the arena three hours early to get in a rigorous workout.

Shooting and wind sprints ensued for more than 90 minutes.

And people wonder why they are a pair of first-ballot Hall of Famers.

Kidd attributes his success in the steals department to several things. He also believes his abilities are similar to the all-time steals leader, which is also Stockton, a player for whom Kidd has great reverence.

"Just being around the ball," Kidd said regarding his steals acumen. "Seeing the floor and knowing what other players are likely to do is important. Look back at Stock’s career. At both ends of the court, he was involved in just about every play. I don’t think he gets enough credit for his career. People talk about championships and we all want to win them. But some of the guys who don’t still have some of the best careers.

"Stock put those numbers so far out there, I don’t know if anybody will ever touch them."

Nobody is threatening. Not even Kidd. But it’s interesting that his steals per game since arriving with the Mavericks a year and a half ago have gone up (2.05 per game) over those from his last five seasons with New Jersey, when he never reached the two-steals-per-game plateau (1.54 per game).

Clearly, the legs still work well enough to get the job done. And even if he’s lost a step as he goes through his mid-30s (he’ll turn 37 in March), the hands are still as quick as the brain cells.

And that more than makes up for that lost step. source: Star Telegram

Mavericks might ditch traditional center in lineup

2009-09-29T09:54:00.002-07:00

After so many years of trying to do it the old-fashioned way with their centers, the Mavericks seem ready to ditch tradition.

Faster, smaller, more athletic centers have become the norm in the NBA, with the number of true back-to-the-basket pivot players such as Yao Ming and Shaquille O’Neal dwindling.

So the Mavericks pursued 6-foot-10, 250-pound Drew Gooden this summer and reeled in the free agent who entered the NBA in 2002 as a small forward.

The obvious question: Where does this leave Erick Dampier? The early answer is: on the bench.

When Gooden, Shawn Marion and the other new Mavericks had an introductory news conference Monday, president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson was talking about the incoming talent and running through the starting lineup when he added: "you’ve got a runner like no other in Drew Gooden that can get up and down the court with the best of them [as a center] … and then you got Erick Dampier coming off the bench and giving you that role that you need."

Dampier started 80 games last season and has started 309 of 369 games in five seasons in Dallas. Dampier helped the Mavs to the NBA Finals in 2006 and has been functional as a defender and rebounder.

Nelson amended his comment after the news conference, saying that Gooden’s presence gives the Mavericks options to go big against bigger teams with Dampier and smaller against teams that don’t play a traditional center.

Dampier, 34, said he’s going to approach training camp, which opens Monday, the same way he does every year.

"I’m not going to jump to conclusions," he said. "I have an open mind and if they’re saying it [the starting job] is up for grabs, we’ll both work hard for it and see who wins."

Gooden, who turned 28 on Thursday, doesn’t view himself as a full-time center.

"I came into this league as a small forward," he said. "Now, I spent last year starting [at center] for Chicago. At this point in my career, I’ve played against pretty much everybody, and I think I can adjust."

Dampier added that the versatility Gooden provides should help, even if it means a different role for him in a contract season.

"Other teams are playing small at the five [center], so it depends on what the matchup calls for," Dampier said. "We’ve had a core for the last four or five years and we’ve had a tremendous run, getting to the Finals, and we know what it’s like to get there.

"We’re not the youngest group in the league anymore, but we’re just as good as anybody else." source: Star Telegram

Mavs have a backup center plan

2009-09-29T09:54:00.001-07:00

The idea is to bring in longtime backup center Jake Voskuhl in to training camp for the Mavericks, mostly as an insurance policy.

Voskuhl won't have a guaranteed contract, but the big man who came out of high school near Houston and has spent nine years in the NBA, including last season with Toronto, for whom he played 38 games.

The 6-11 Voskuhl is one of several players the Mavericks expect to bring into camp on non-guaranteed contracts. source: Star Telegram

Keeping Howard healthy a priority for Dallas Mavericks

2009-09-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

Josh Howard was bouncing around the practice court at American Airlines Center on Monday, moving quickly from photo station to photo station.

He might not be doing as much moving around when practices and exhibition games start, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said.

Cuban said the Mavericks plan to be very conservative while bringing the 6-7 swingman back from off-season ankle surgery.

"It'll be our choice," Cuban said. "We're just not going to take the chance. I don't really see us pushing him in the preseason at all. Just bring him along slowly. He'll play, but he'll be limited."

The Mavericks are planning to start Howard in the backcourt alongside Jason Kidd, with Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki at forwards.

Cuban said he is not overly concerned about getting Howard and Marion on the court together during the preseason.

"They're not 22," he said. "They know how to play."

Nowitzki added that getting Howard healthy is the biggest priority.

"We were really good last year with him in the lineup," Nowitzki said.

Howard missed 30 games last year, mostly because of ankle and wrist problems.

Taking the high road: Nowitzki knew precious little about the woman he dated for more than a year and was engaged to, the Mavericks' superstar said during media day.

But he also said he is not interested in dredging up the past now that it appears the situation has been put to rest – although the possibility of legal ramifications exists.

When asked about what he knew of Taylor's past, Nowitzki said: "Not a lot, really. I don't want to really get into all that. There's been a lot of dirt and mud thrown around. But I don't like to get into all that stuff – what did she say, what did he say. I like to think of myself as a gentleman. I always have, and I'm not going to get into all that. I consider it over and I'm moving on."

But when asked if he thought the Cristal Taylor issue was over legally, he added: "I've got to talk to my lawyer about that." source: Dallas News

Dallas Shopping Jawai, Williams?

2009-09-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

Sources told ESPN.com that the Mavericks are actively pursuing two-for-one trades in hopes of easing the roster logjam before training camp starts Sept. 28, with center Nathan Jawai and swingman Shawne Williams among those being made available.

But completing such deals, especially this close to camp, is difficult, with many teams having largely completed their offseason business and several teams around the league planning to carry only 13 or 14 players in the midst of a depressed economy.

Even without another trade, Dallas' roster number will to drop to 16 through the release of veteran swingman Greg Buckner, who was acquired from Memphis in the four-team deal that netted Marion in July.

Buckner became eligible to be traded again last week, but Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has said publicly that Buckner will be let go to try to find another job before camp -- instead of launching his third stint with Dallas.

"Given our depth at that position, coupled with the number of guaranteed contracts, there is simply no room on our roster," Nelson said. source: Hoopsworld

Greg Ostertag in Dallas?

2009-09-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

Duncanville native and former Utah Jazz center Greg Ostertag said Monday that he would love to make an NBA comeback after three seasons in retirement and Dallas is his dream destination.

The Mavericks' obvious hole on the roster? A backup center to Erick Dampier.

"Everyone knows how bad I've wanted to play in Dallas," Ostertag said. "I grew up there. They were my favorite team growing up. I'd play there in a second. ... That would be the ultimate way to end my career."

President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said the 7-2, 36-year-old Ostertag is on the Mavericks' radar, but with the roster situation, some things would have to happen for them to make a serious run at him. The team is always open to trading and could pursue some two-for-one or even three-for-one deals that might open a roster spot. source: Hoopshype

Mavericks Waive Greg Buckner

2009-09-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Mavericks also have waived Greg Buckner, a move that is not surprising.

Owner Mark Cuban said that Buckner, as a courtesy for his professionalism in two previous stints with the Mavericks, would be waived in time to find another team if he could not be packaged in a trade.

The Mavericks cut him and his $4-million contract, but will only have to pay the guaranteed portion of the deal, about $1 million.

The roster now stands at 16. source: Dallas news

Mavs to keep forward Singleton

2009-09-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

Restricted free agent James Singleton has notified the Dallas Mavericks that he intends to accept the team's $1.03 million qualifying offer for next season.

"We are excited to bring James back into the fold for next season," said Donnie Nelson, the team's president of basketball operations. "His tireless work ethic and locker-room presence were a large part of our success last year."

The Mavericks have kept the offer on the table all summer despite the fact that Singleton, as of Monday, represents their 17th guaranteed contract for the 2009-10 season.

NBA teams are limited to carrying 15 players, and, thanks to the recent arrivals of Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas to flank Dirk Nowitzki, minutes would appear to be scarce in the Mavericks' frontcourt.

Singleton averaged 5.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 62 games with the Mavericks last season. The qualifying offer from the Mavericks is worth $175,000 more than the league minimum for a player with three seasons of service time ($855,189), so staying with Dallas was always the most likely outcome for the 6-foot-8 forward when it became apparent he would not be able to land a two-year deal elsewhere.

Singleton, though, is a virtual lock to be among the final 15, winning admirers in his first season under coach Rick Carlisle for his energy and production whenever he did get playing time. source: ESPN

Tim Thomas Injures Knee in Pickup Game

2009-09-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

The Mavericks learned that forward Tim Thomas suffered a knee injury of undetermined severity during a pickup game on the East Coast.

Apparently, the injury is at least a sprain, but could include some cartilage damage. A sprain would mean the 6-10 forward probably would be able to participate in at least part of training camp, which starts Sept. 28, if not all of it.

Cartilage damage would require perhaps four to eight weeks of recovery time. The Mavericks hope to know more when their doctors examine Thomas. source: Hoopsworld

In Dirk we trust on his long trip

2009-09-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

Since Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks had an agreement that he wouldn't play international ball this summer, he's making the most of the down time by going to South Africa as part of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program.

It's a great trip, one that Nowitzki will draw a lot of powerful experiences from, not to mention plenty of memories.

He might also be able to conduct some business while he's down there.

Guess who else is on the trip?

Chris Bosh.

What better time for Bosh and Dirk to hang out, spread goodwill, learn about the good and the bad of the greater Johannesburg area and, just maybe, talk about the possibilities of playing together in a year or less.

Both are free agents after this season and if Nowitzki opts out and then re-signs at a lower salary-cap number, the Mavericks might still be able to swing a deal for Bosh, although he is happy playing in Toronto. The Dallas native certainly would be open to talks about returning home.

So we're putting this one on Dirk. Chat up Bosh during this trip. You never know what kind of benefits it might reap down the line. source: Star Telegram

Mavs not happy Singleton has not signed yet

2009-09-03T17:36:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks would like to have James Singleton on their roster this season.

But the harsh reality is that a numbers crunch at Singleton's positions means that if the 6-8 forward returns, it will be to a situation that he knows will yield few opportunities for extensive playing time.

The Mavericks gave a qualifying offer to Singleton after last season. If he signs it, he'll be paid the minimum salary for a fourth-year pro and the $825,497 would be guaranteed.

If he renounces it, Singleton becomes a free agent. He said Thursday that offers from other teams equal to the veteran minimum have been received by his agent, Buddy Baker, and that he's weighing his options to find the best situation.

And it's still possible that might be with the Mavericks, Singleton said, even with the crowded situation at both forward spots.

"Their roster is pretty full right now," Singleton said. "It's about situations and where you fit in best. Several teams out there wanted to sign me to the same thing the Mavs want me to.

"If they think I'm holding out for more money, that's not what I'm doing. And if I do return, they know what I'm going to give them. Hopefully things will get squared away in the next week or two."

Singleton has put in a summer of serious work to build off last season, when he averaged 5.1 points and 4 rebounds in 62 games (six starts). But he quickly rattles off the names of Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Thomas, Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden, Josh Howard and Kris Humphries, all forwards.

Of course, having a year in coach Rick Carlisle's system is a selling point for the Mavericks. If Singleton moves on, he'll have to adjust to another style.

The Mavericks aren't particularly enthused that Singleton is taking his time in regard to accepting or rejecting the qualifying offer.

"The fact that he hasn't to this point has us a little upset," owner Mark Cuban said. "It means he is looking for any deal he can find, dragging us along rather than committing to us knowing that with the second year [as a Maverick] under his belt, he becomes an early-bird free agent next year.

"If he doesn't want to be here, we would rather he just revoke the qualifier and become a full free agent." source: Dallas News

Buckner on the way out

2009-09-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

Cuban said that swingman Greg Buckner won't be on the roster by the regular season.

Buckner's contract is only partially guaranteed, meaning he can be waived and the team that does so will owe him only half of his $4-million salary. Buckner's professional attitude in past tours with the Mavericks is working in his favor.

"Buck won't be here," Cuban said. "We will either make him part of a deal or free him up so he can get another job. It's not fair to him to just drag it along." source: Dallas News

Mark Cuban wants SEC to pay fees

2009-09-03T17:31:00.000-07:00

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants the Securities and Exchange Commission to pay his legal fees stemming from the agency's insider trading case against him.

In court filings, Cuban cites alleged misconduct by the agency and requests that it be sanctioned for its "bad faith."

The SEC sued Cuban, claiming he engaged in insider trading when he sold his stake in an Internet search engine company, Mamma.com Inc. A federal judge dismissed the case in July.

SEC spokesman John Nester said the agency looks forward to dealing with the motion "as we consider taking our insider trading case against Mr. Cuban up on appeal." sourc: ESPN

Monta Ellis to Dallas?

2009-08-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

Monta Ellis in Dallas? That I can see, if Dallas would send some short-term deals and if the Warriors would be happy taking a major talent hit just to dump Monta’s money.

For all the energy the Warriors have placed in telling us that Monta is their centerpiece and all the sweat issued to dispute my reports that he’s unhappy… well, I could very much see Don Nelson working hard to trade Ellis.

Nelson has Stephen Curry now. The new toy is always more fun than the old, ornery one.

And once Monta gets wind of it, as I’m sure he already has, the wheels will be in motion: When’s the Monta public trade request? Sept. 20? Oct. 1? Nov. 15?

Then what does Andris Biedrins–dangled as trade bait to Phoenix in the Stoudemire talks–think? I doubt he would’ve minded being traded to the Suns, actually, and once other options enter your mind…

* Players don’t want to be part of the Warriors’ mess. That’s undeniable.

From the top picks who opted not to work out for them (including Curry) to the top to middle free agents who never considered them to the random current Warrior (like C.J. Watson!) who wants the hell out, the trend is obvious.

Players and agents don’t understand what happened to Chris Mullin. They very much distrust Nelson, especially as he grows more and more erratic. They love that Rowell got snookered by Jackson, but still are disappointed Jackson went without an agent for the deal.

They listen to the things Al Harrington, Jamal Crawford, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, Marcus Williams and others say about this organization.

Anthony Randolph hears it, too. He experienced some of Nelson’s worst qualities last year, too.

Now he cannot be too thrilled that Nelson is taking credit for Randolph’s development–that wasn’t Nelson tough love, that was Nelson liking Rob Kurz better but having to play Randolph at the end of the season because everybody else was hurt.

* Will this be the final straw for Cohan? I think he is going to sell within a year or two. I’ve written that, and everything I’ve heard since backs that up.

I hear ticket sales are not picking up, and they were already down. I hear sponsorships are down.

Cash flow cannot be too good right now, especially with the team over the cap, committed to huge money into the future, and set to pay Nelson $12M over the next two years.

I hear the Amare Stoudemire near-trade was something that could’ve gotten people excited–or at least that was the belief–but the Devean George acquisition just doesn’t reach that level, ya think?

But it’s still up to Cohan. He didn’t sell to Larry Ellison a few months ago when they talked, mostly because Cohan apparently does not believe he has to sell the Warriors on a discount, despite the fact that it’s solely Cohan’s egregious behavior that has made the Warriors’ a discounted value. source: Mercury news

Mavericks interested in Boozer

2009-08-31T09:09:00.000-07:00

Add the Dallas Mavericks to the list of NBA teams that were — and perhaps still are — interested in acquiring trade-craving Carlos Boozer.

While you're at it, scratch South Africa off of Boozer's more immediate travel itinerary.

Though it's still unclear where exactly he'll end up this NBA season, Boozer won't be going to Johannesburg this week to participate in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program Wednesday through Sunday as was announced earlier this summer.

The Jazz power forward is a late scratch from the league's successful international outreach program, an NBA source involved with the camp said on Sunday.

No reason for Boozer's withdrawal from the event was given. It wasn't announced whether Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh — Boozer's 2008 Olympic teammates — will still attend the camps with other current and former NBA players. source: Desert News

Is Stephen Jackson Dallas-Bound?

2009-08-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

Two breaking stories are about to collide, meld together, and possibly entangle two franchises many outsiders thought unlikely to ever engage in transaction-talk business again.

Breaking Story No. 1: On Friday morning, I spoke with a source very close to the Golden State front office who tells me that Nellie is leading serious in-house conversation about proposing a trade to the Mavs that would move a rotation-caliber player from Golden State to Dallas in exchange for cap relief.

Breaking Story No. 2: On Friday evening, Dime magazine visited with the Warriors’ Stephen Jackson, who suggested rather matter-of-factly that Golden State management is aware of his desire “to go somewhere where I can go and win a championship. … either Cleveland, anywhere in Texas or out here … in New York.’’

Two breaking stories … leaking out within hours of one another.

Coincidence?

This is a multi-faceted story, not the least of which is the notion that Don Nelson’s team is gearing up to discuss business with Mark Cuban’s team. Stay with DallasBasketball.com in the coming days and we will break down that issue, as well as play “Amateur GM’’ with some very specific possibilities. Read more

Beaubois flashes skill, but Dallas Mavericks' rookie has much to learn

2009-08-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Mavericks' practice gym is mostly quiet, just a couple of players working at either end of the court.

While center Erick Dampier shoots short jump shots, rookie point guard Roddy Beaubois is working through a series of drills, passing after working off of a pick set by assistant coach Monte Mathis.

Unexpectedly, the ball flies out to the top of the lane after Beaubois flips a behind-the-back pass, drawing this commentary from Mathis:

"Now entering the game for Beaubois ... J.J. Barea."

Lesson learned.

"That's a turnover come training camp, and you get pulled out," Mathis said Tuesday. "He's got to learn that."

The fancy stuff might come later for Beaubois. For now, he's going through what has been affectionately termed "Mavs University" by owner Mark Cuban.

It is roughly one month until training camp opens Sept. 28. Many of the Mavericks – new and old – are making use of this time to relax, get the kids back to school or preschool, or take NBA-sponsored trips.

Dirk Nowitzki is headed to South Africa next week, and Jason Terry has been to China, both as part of the league's Basketball Without Borders initiative. The majority of players will be in Dallas by mid-September.

For Beaubois, the summer has been much more intense. After being taken with the 25th overall pick in the NBA draft, he went through the summer league and is into his second week of Mavs U, which will continue up until a few days before camp opens.

One of the key elements of the daily drills is film work, something new to him.

"We're watching a lot of my summer-league games," said Beaubois, a 21-year-old native of Guadeloupe. "I think it's good to see yourself because you can watch what you didn't do and what you're supposed to do. So it's good. It's the first time I've really watched myself. It's strange to watch yourself."

Beaubois has never had the benefit of serious film-watching to identify his weaknesses.

Not that physical mistakes are the problem. They aren't. Mathis, who has been assigned the duty of working daily with Beaubois, said the Mavericks have been pleased and impressed with his skill set. And having Jason Kidd and Barea in front of him won't hurt, either. It's not like he's coming to a lottery team with visions of having him start this season.

"He'll learn a lot," Mathis said. "And you know what, they're going to learn something from him, too. He's going to open eyes.

"And he'll close some eyes, also, sometimes. But he will open some with his talent and the things he's able to do."

That's what rookies do. They flash their talent, and they dribble the ball off their knee, sometimes on the same possession.

But at this point, Beaubois is learning the terminology of coach Rick Carlisle's system and trying to become more consistent. He's also been hitting the weights. He appears to have bulked up a bit under the watchful eye of strength coach Robert Hackett, although Beaubois won't say how much weight he has added to his wiry, 6-2 frame.

As a point guard, Beaubois is trying to learn to communicate on the court, too. That requires him to work on his English, which is improving but isn't where it needs to be.

It's all part of the learning process, which is what Mavs U is for. source: Dallas News

Another trade for the Mavs?

2009-08-20T23:51:00.000-07:00

According to a couple of league sources and I can't corroborate this with any of my most trusted Toronto folks, Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo's got another deal bubbling, one that would send guard Marcus Banks to the Dallas Mavericks for Matt Carroll, adding a little long-term salary but providing coach Jay Triano with a shooter that he could use deep on the bench.

I'm warned -- and therefore so are you -- that the proposed transaction remains in its relative infancy and if this summer's proven anything it's that nothing's done until it's done. But just as we suspected, Bryan is thinking of moving a salary for one that’s a bit longer but not that much more expensive in the long haul.

Carroll, a 6-6 guard who will be entering his seventh NBA season, has four years left on his contract, he’ll make $4.7 million this season, $4.3 million in 2010-11, $3.9 million in 2011-12 and $3.5 million in 2012-13.

It’s more money and years than Banks has left – he’ll get $4.53 million this year and $4.8 million in 2010-11 – but the way Colangelo has structured his roster financially over the next few years makes the extra cost on the Carroll deal not that large a burden.

What Carroll can bring is to be determined. He’s a good shooter – a career 40 per cent shooter from three-point range – but on a Raptors roster pretty stacked at the wing spots, he’ll be an emergency fallback for Triano.

Banks? Well, Banks never really worked out after being obtained in the Shawn Marion trade last season. He hardly played, was mediocre when he did and then got hurt and missed about the last month of the season.

He didn’t take the team’s suggestion and play in the summer league last month – although he was in Las Vegas to meet with the staff and work out – and the GM’s been trying to deal him for months.

And in another strange twist to Banks’ career, he’ll be reunited with Marion one more time.

They were traded with each other from Phoenix to Miami in the Shaquille O’Neal trade and then moved in tandem from the Heat to the Raptors for Jermaine O’Neal.

Carroll’s bounced around for his entire career. He spent time with Portland and had a cup of coffee with San Antonio after leaving Notre Dame and then spent more than four seasons in Charlotte. He was traded from the Bobcats to the Mavericks at the deadline last season. source: The Star blog

Shaq stole TV show idea from Nash

2009-08-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

That's what The Arizona Republic says. It's all about Shaq's new ABC reality show Shaq Vs.

"Shortly after O'Neal was traded to the Suns in February 2008, Nash mentioned to his new teammate a reality show he was pursuing. It would feature the Suns point guard taking on professional athletes in their own sport.

The topic didn't come up again until early in the 2008-09 season, when O'Neal boarded the Suns bus and told the team he would be starring in a new reality show in which he would be taking on, you got it, professional athletes in their own sport.

"You mean the idea you stole from me?" one Suns representative said he heard Nash say.

Nash eventually sought out an entertainment lawyer, according to sources, which is why he now has an executive-producer credit and the compensation that comes with it."

Shaq took on Ben Roethlisberger in Tuesday's opener. Future shows will feature swimmer Michael Phelps, boxer Oscar De La Hoya and tennis star Serena Williams. source: Dallas News

Dallas Mavericks ask Barea to sit out tournament

2009-08-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

Dirk Nowitzki is not the only Mavericks player sitting out international competition this summer at the team's request. The team has asked guard J.J. Barea to not play for Puerto Rico when it hosts the FIBA America's tournament Aug. 26-Sept. 6.

Barea told El Nuevo Dia that he is "devastated" by the Mavericks' decision because he has never failed to represent his country in competition since he was 16.

Barea had left shoulder surgery May 28. FIBA rules give NBA teams the right to hold a player out if the player is injured or recovering from injury. source: Dallas News

Marion seeks to corral old playing form with Mavericks

2009-08-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

Shawn Marion understands the rep and why he's bounced around the last couple of years. Rather than try to explain or go on the offensive, he just shrugs. Why bother?

"I'm just ready to play ball," the prized pickup of the Mavericks' offseason said.

Marion wants nothing more than to resume an All-Star career after two uneven seasons. The Matrix has gone from being a cornerstone in Phoenix, his home for 8 1/2 years, to being valuable for reasons that had increasingly less to do with basketball.

His hefty max-level and soon-to-be-expiring contract, which topped out at nearly $18 million last season, became the ticket that punched moves to Miami to Toronto in the span of a year. Dallas is his third stop since Feb. 6, 2008. The moves haven't been without baggage.

Whispers of Marion's discontent clouded his final days with the Suns when it became obvious a contract extension wasn't in the works. His last season in Phoenix was the least productive of his career outside of his rookie campaign, and Marion was shipped to the Heat as the centerpiece of the deal that sent Shaquille O'Neal to the desert.

Rumors of Marion being a problem in the Phoenix locker room only grew. Many centered on his uneasiness with several high-profile teammates, including Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire, near the end.

"It's funny how they say stuff after you leave," Marion said. "So much of that stuff about our relationships, that stuff ain't true. I don't get into that. Everybody can say what they want to say. If someone doesn't want to say something directly to me, what can I do?"

Marion's numbers continued to fall in Miami, bottoming out at 12.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game last season before the trade to Toronto last season. They weren't much better (14.3 ppg and 8.3 rpg) in his 27 games with the Raptors. Marion bristles at the suggestion that the decline resulted from a deterioration of skill.

"If you take 10 shots away from someone who was scoring 20 points, I don't care who you are, you're not going to score the same," he said, exaggerating the drop but making his point. "It's not possible. You can break that down any way you want, but you can't score without getting the ball."

Marion had thrived throughout his career without being the featured act, but there were also plenty of shots to go around in Phoenix, especially during the Mike D'Antoni era. Playing second banana to Dwyane Wade in South Florida and Chris Bosh north of the border wasn't nearly as fruitful. Marion became expendable in Toronto when the Raptors signed Hedo Turkoglu.

The more structured sets with the Heat and Raptors didn't mesh with Marion's game. The self-confessed "rhythm player" found himself standing around in the corner waiting for the ball. His 3-point percentage last season plummeted to 18.9 percent (his lowest since his rookie season), as did his overall impact on the game. Once a 6-foot-7 wiry menace at both ends known for his versatility, Marion felt stagnant.

"People who analyze and look at stats don't look at touches," Marion said. "It's hard to be effective when you're not touching the ball for multiple possessions. Basketball is a rhythm game."

Touches shouldn't be a problem in Big D, where Marion is reunited with point guard Jason Kidd, whom he played with during his first two seasons in Phoenix. Coach Rick Carlisle has already promised that the Mavs will run as never before this season and added that Marion, more than anyone else, is the reason, likening the addition to "putting methane in the gas tank."

Marion, once a thorn in Dirk Nowitzki's side as a Sun, joins the former MVP in the frontcourt. Dallas' front office went into the offseason looking to upgrade around Nowitzki and Kidd, and Marion has been on owner Mark Cuban's radar for years. The surprise Turkoglu deal opened up a window for the Mavericks, who put together a sign-and-trade deal that guarantees Marion nearly $40 million (and piece of mind) for the next five years.

If the 31-year-old forward reverts to the form the Mavericks know all too well from their battles for most of the decade -- Marion averaged at least 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds from 2001-07 -- Dallas could be a surprise contender in the Western Conference after slipping the last couple of seasons.

Marion knows the feeling.

"We're going to go out there and play ball and jell and have fun with each other," the four-time All-Star said. "That's the biggest thing. On the court is going to be fun to watch and off the court will take care of itself. When you have 15 guys on the same page that's what it's all about, working for a championship." source: NBA.com

Nowitzki not mad at Mark Cuban

2009-08-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki revealed Friday that the decision not to play for his country's national team this summer stems from a mutual agreement he hatched years ago with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

Irked by press reports suggesting that Cuban barred him for representing Germany at next month's European Championships in Poland, Nowitzki told ESPN.com that his relationship with Cuban is "stronger than ever" and that he had promised his boss that he'd take a step away from international play if the Germans managed to qualify for the Olympics. That happened last summer when Nowitzki's team finally made it to Beijing after missing out in 2000 and 2004.

"I'm not mad at Cubes at all," Nowitzki said in a phone interview. "He's been great to me these last 10, 11 years. He always let me chase my dream. And we always agreed that if I made the Olympics, it would be [time] to take a break.

"This time he basically told me, 'I'd prefer if you not play.' He kind of left it up to me. I think if I would have really kept harping on it, then he wouldn't have tried to stop me. But I think it's the right decision.

"I'm happy I'm keeping my word to him, because he kept his word to me for the last 10, 11 years."

The NBA's agreement with FIBA -- basketball's international governing body -- stipulates that NBA teams cannot prevent their players from participating in international competition in the offseason as long as the players' respective national federations can afford the requisite insurance.

The exception to that rule is when a player is injured or still recovering from a documented injury, as evidenced earlier this week when the Mavericks did invoke their right to prevent reserve guard J.J. Barea from joining Puerto Rico's national team because Barea is still recovering from shoulder surgery in late May.

Another example is Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman, who was not ready to play for Germany this summer -- after his contributions as a newcomer last summer helped the Nowitzki-led Germans make their Olympic breakthrough -- because of a stubborn foot injury that limited Kaman to 31 games last season.

Without Kaman on the roster for the European Championships, Nowitzki ultimately agreed that the potential payoff from grinding through an extra month of practices and games with no NBA-level help were minimal at best. Having celebrated his 31st birthday in June -- after a difficult end to the 2008-09 season during which he had to play through the arrest of his fiancee in the midst of Dallas' second-round series with Denver -- Nowitzki is bound to benefit from the extra rest heading into his 12th NBA season.

Nowitzki, though, conceded that his first taste of the Olympics only stoked his patriotism further, prompting him to start musing about a return to international play in the summer of 2011 to try to help Germany qualify for the 2012 Games in London.

"I'm not retiring from the national team," Nowitzki said. "I have to see where my body is at and where my career is at, but the Olympics were so good that I wouldn't mind trying again for London."

Reminded that he first has a big decision to make in the summer of 2010, when he can bypass the final year of his contract to become a free agent, Nowitzki said: "You know that a lot of things can happen in this league in a year, but I'm not looking to opt out right now. I've still got a year to figure all that out. ... Everything [about the future] is still open, but like I've always said, I'm still looking at finishing my career in Dallas."

Referring in part to the July acquisition of Shawn Marion, Nowitzki added: "I like where we're at. I think we made some good moves this summer. Now we've just got to give it some time so we can grow together."

Cuban on Friday described Nowitzki's international break as a non-issue, saying that "Dirk and I are good with everything."

Yet in spite of his longtime backing of Nowitzki's national-team excursions, Cuban remains a very reluctant supporter of international tournaments in general, having railed for years against the risks absorbed by NBA teams when star players such as Nowitzki return to FIBA play, where more physical contact is frequently allowed by referees.

Injuries suffered on international duty this month by San Antonio's Tony Parker (France) and the Los Angeles Lakers' Pau Gasol (Spain) have generated renewed concern about those risks. But Cuban's more recent frustration is tied to summer-league ball, after FIBA blocked players under contract with international clubs from participating in summer play in Orlando and Las Vegas without written consent from their overseas clubs.

Nick Calathes, selected No. 45 overall in June by Minnesota and dealt to the Mavericks on draft night, flew to Dallas in July to join the Mavericks summer-league squad, only to learn that the Greek club (Panathinaikos) he is contracted to play for in 2009-10 would not give him clearance. Calathes ultimately couldn't even practice with the Mavs.

"Dirk and I agreed last year after his Olympic run, which was his dream for Germany, that he would take a year off," Cuban said. "He has the option of returning after this year if that is what he wants to do. Hopefully, instead, the NBA will return the favor to FIBA in the use of our players that FIBA gave to us in summer league."

In announcing to the German media that Nowitzki would not be playing in Poland, federation president Ingo Weiss told reporters that "we accept this decision completely," describing his organization's relationship with the Mavericks as "excellent and reliable."

Nowitzki said he and Mavericks assistant athletic trainer Dionne Calhoun will instead travel to South Africa in early September with Orlando's Dwight Howard and other NBA players as part of the league's Basketball Without Borders program. source: ESPN

Agent: Mavs were in mix for Leon Powe

2009-08-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Mavs have already added two power forwards who will play some center this summer. They were apparently willing to also make room on the roster for Leon Powe, but the ex-Celtic banger opted to sign with Cleveland.

Agent Aaron Goodwin told the Associated Press that the Mavs, Lakers and Heat were among other teams to show interest in Powe, who won't be available until midseason after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee.

Powe a two-year deal for the league minimum. The second year is a team option. Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas signed one-year deals with the Mavs.

Had Powe signed a similar deal with the Mavs, it might have made it easier for the Mavs to deal Gooden during the window when his value is the highest. source: Dallas News

Mavericks announce preseason schedule

2009-08-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks will open their seven-game preseason schedule against the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic on Oct. 5 at American Airlines Center.

Memphis (Oct. 11), Detroit (Oct. 15) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (Oct. 17) also will visit the AAC for preseason games. The regular season tips off Oct. 27 vs. Washington.

The preseason schedule:

Oct. 5: vs. Orlando at AAC, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 9: at Washington, 6 p.m.
Oct. 11: vs. Memphis at AAC, 6 p.m.
Oct. 15: vs. Detroit at AAC, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 17: vs. Cleveland at AAC, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 20: vs. Cleveland (at Univ. of Pittsburgh), 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 23: at Houston, 7:30 p.m.

source: Dallas News

Ahmad Nivins - Mavs' second round pick to play in Spain

2009-08-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

Ahmad Nivins, the Mavericks' second round pick (56th overall) in this year's NBA Draft, has signed a contract to play in Spain this upcoming season.

He will play for Manresa in the ACB League, the same league that produced Ricky Rubio, the fifth overall pick in the draft (taken by Minnesota). The Mavericks retain the rights to Nivins.

Nivins, who played at St. Joseph's, was player of the year in the Atlantic 10 Conference his final season, averaging 19.2 points and 11.7 rebounds. source: Dallas News

Nowitzki won't play for Germany

2009-08-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

Germany will be without Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki at next month's European Championship in Poland.

The German basketball federation said Friday that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban would not allow Nowitzki to take part in the championship, even though the forward has played for Germany at several major international events before.

Federation president Ingo Weiss said there were no hard feelings, however, and that "we accept this decision completely."

Weiss said that "over the past 10 years, we've had an excellent and reliable partnership with Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks, who always made it possible for Dirk to play for the national team."

Nowitzki said he would have liked to play, "but I can understand Mark Cuban's position." source: ESPN

Mavs' backup plan not ideal, but it just might do the trick

2009-07-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

Let's put something right on the table, before any damage control or spin can make it seem otherwise: The Dallas Mavericks were hoodwinked this offseason.

The Mavericks were looking to fortify their frontcourt and thought they had a nice long-term plan with Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass. But they were taken by Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith, who played some possum and ended up with both players.

So the Mavericks went to Plan B, as Gortat and Bass became Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas. As alternatives go, not bad. It made them older and smaller, but it also was cheaper -- not that money is ever an issue for owner Mark Cuban.

Here's what the Mavericks have: A deep roster with lots of multi-position guys and specialists that allows them to play different ways, recalling the group that reached the 2006 Finals.

Here's what the Mavericks don't have: A true backup center, immediate salary cap flexibility, youth, developing players at the end of the bench.

Right now, it doesn't look like the Mavericks have added enough to truly challenge the Lakers. But championships aren't won in the summer. And Dallas certainly has added more than the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver, San Antonio, Portland and Houston -- the Western Conference teams it finished behind last season.

There's no use in lamenting the loss of Gortat. His size, skills and ceiling would have provided a terrific transition away from Erick Dampier, who gets in the way more than he gets it done. But Gortat is in Orlando.

However, keep this is mind: Shaquille O'Neal was traded out of the conference and Yao Ming is out for the season. Among West contenders, which team really has a legitimate fearsome center? Not the Lakers, with foul- and injury-prone Andrew Bynum. Not the Blazers, with Greg Oden still coming off the bench. The only true threat is the Spurs with Tim Duncan, who presents problems for every opponent.

Given Dampier's limitations and the relative lack of imposing size across the conference, it's easy to see the Mavericks playing plenty of small ball, a style where they have no shortage of options.

Power forward Dirk Nowitzki can slide up to center and open the paint. Gooden can defend the post, rebound and make 15-foot jumpers. Shawn Marion scores and rebounds from either forward slot. Thomas makes 3-pointers and can play both forward spots.

There's flexibility in the backcourt, too. Small forward Josh Howard will slide to shooting guard to make room for Marion but can easily slide back when Jason Terry comes off the bench as a scorer or Quinton Ross comes off the bench as a stopper. Jason Kidd can run the show or spot up off the ball when Jose Barea plays the point. And rookie Roddy Beaubois can press the pace to fast-forward for short stretches.

Former baseball manager Sparky Anderson used to have a plaque on his office wall with the phrase, "Ballplayers come in cans and not can'ts." He used it as a reminder of what a player can do rather than what he can't do. On his current roster, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle certainly has a lot of cans. You would be hard-pressed to come up with a team that goes 10 deep better than Dallas.

That hasn't come without a price, however. When the dust settles and camps open, the Mavericks again will be right near the top in total payroll and subjecting themselves to about $20 million in luxury tax, thanks to a lot of dead weight at the end of the bench.

The Mavs have 18 players under contract, including backup center Ryan Hollins, who received a qualifying offer, and reserve guard Greg Buckner, who has a $1 million buyout. Even if Dallas lets Hollins walk and buys out Buckner, it will still have 16 players.

And that doesn't include second-round pick Ahmad Nivins, a slim big who had his moments in the Las Vegas Summer League and would almost have to be signed as a replacement for Hollins.

At the end of the bench with no chance of any significant playing time are Nathan Jawai ($736K), Shawne Williams ($2.42M), Kris Humphries ($6.4M over two years) and Matt Carroll ($16.4M over four years). All arrived as extra
pieces in trades that Dallas always seems willing to take on.

With the longshot exception of Jawai, none of these guys is going to make a quantum leap. What you see is pretty much what you've got. And what you've got is more than $11 million in salaries for practice players, a tab that doubles because the Mavs are a tax team.

Worse is that this quartet is occupying roster spots that could have gone to Hollins, James Singleton and Gerald Green, players whom you can envision getting better and blossoming elsewhere.

And when your stud is 31, your point guard is 36 and six of your top eight are 30-something, player development shouldn't be overlooked.

It's obvious that after three straight years of increasing disappointment and tiresome tinkering, the Mavs were emboldened by last season's results. They decided to go for it and weren't going to let anyone -- including Otis Smith -- get in their way.

But while Plan B makes the Mavs contemporary contenders, it makes very few contingencies for a nucleus that right now qualifies as experienced but could quickly be labeled as old. Look how fast things changed in Detroit.

In that case, the Mavs will need another plan. source: ProBasketballNews.com

The deep dark feelings that exist between old rivals Tim Thomas and Dirk Nowitzki

2009-07-30T19:22:00.001-07:00

If you're thinking Dirk Nowitzki will have a problem with Dallas' recent signing of Tim Thomas because of the infamous kiss Thomas blew at Nowitzki during an on-court confrontation in the 2006 Western Conference finals, think again.

Nowitzki said he was disappointed to read from Germany that the Bulls pulled out of the original construction of the deal that landed Shawn Marion in Dallas and would have sent Thomas from the Bulls to the Mavericks. Nowitzki then was pleased to learn the Mavs were able to get Thomas anyway this week as a tall shooter off the bench for the veteran minimum of $1.3 million.

"That stuff is long gone," Nowitzki said this week. "We were in the bottom [six] in 3-point shooting and we needed to address that. I'm happy he's a Maverick."

The clash with Thomas isn't exactly a haunting memory. Nowitzki wound up scoring 50 points in that game, outscoring the Suns by himself in the fourth quarter (22-20) to put Dallas within one win of its eventual trip to the NBA Finals.

Good for Stein. Good for Dirk. And good for Thomas that Stein and Dirk omit the part of the kissy/50-point story that includes Thomas screaming a word like “wussy’’ at Nowitzki. source: DB.com

Trade the whole team? Bobcats' Brown getting close

2009-07-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

The joke began circulating minutes after Michael Jordan hired Larry Brown: The demanding Hall of Fame coach will want to trade everybody on the Charlotte Bobcats' roster before opening night.

A little over a year later, Brown is more than halfway there.

Emeka Okafor became the latest ex-Bobcat under Brown - joining a growing list that includes Jason Richardson, Adam Morrison, Sean May, Jared Dudley and Matt Carroll. Tyson Chandler, acquired from New Orleans Tuesday for Okafor, becomes the 27th player to dot Charlotte's roster since the start of last season.

It's uncertain if the moves will be enough to make the Bobcats a playoff team in the improved Eastern Conference. But while Jordan and general manager Rod Higgins sign off on personnel moves, clearly Brown has been given plenty of power.

"The biggest thing when you're building a team and you don't necessarily have the depth of the more established teams, you've got to find guys that can play more than one position," Brown said. "That's what we're trying to do. If you look at our team, Boris Diaw can do that, Gerald Wallace can do that, Tyson can do that. I think the more guys that can be in that kind of situation the more flexibility you have."

No Bobcat has been sacred in Brown's record ninth NBA head coaching job. While the athletic Wallace has become a Brown favorite, he was nearly traded last summer. Top scorer Richardson and Dudley were dealt early last season for Diaw and Raja Bell. After two other in-season deals that sent poor Brown fits Morrison and Carroll packing, Brown turned to Okafor.

The expansion team's first draft pick brought consistency - he hasn't missed a game in two seasons and is good for a double-double nearly every night - but his flaws ate at Brown. While chiseled and in great shape, he's not a great athlete. He struggled against big centers and was a liability defending on the perimeter. He's not a good ballhandler, either.

For Brown, it was worth gambling that Chandler's history of toe and ankle problems won't limit him. Chandler is three inches taller and a better ballhandler. While he hasn't played much at power forward, Brown is adamant Chandler can fill in there, too.

"Some of the things Emeka does, maybe Tyson can't do in terms of being physically strong down low," Brown said. "But there are some things Tyson can do in terms of maybe getting out (defending) the pick-and-roll a little bit better, and being a little more mobile out on the perimeter that might be a plus."

Chandler, who has twice led the league in offensive rebounds, is eager to play for his fussy new boss.

"There are some coaches out there that I really feel highly about, and he's been one of them," Chandler said. "I think that he understands and knows how passionate I am about the game and winning and I know he is the same way."

Charlotte still has holes. Even if Chandler plays some power forward, there are few options behind Diaw after the injury-prone May signed with Sacramento. Higgins said talks with restricted free agent point guard Raymond Felton have "stalemated" after a meeting earlier this month in Las Vegas.

"Rod's statement is on point," Felton's agent, Kevin Bradbury, said Wednesday.

It's why the Bobcats, the lowest scoring team in the NBA last season, may not be through dealing.

"Teams that finished behind us, Washington and Toronto just to name a couple, have improved," Brown said. "Then the teams that finished ahead of us have gotten a whole lot better. So you've got to keep up."

The 68-year-old Brown's tinkering helped turn around New Jersey, San Antonio, Philadelphia and even the Los Angeles Clippers. He won an NBA title in Detroit and an NCAA title at Kansas.

Of course Brown's demands have created plenty of problems with players and management, too, highlighted by his ugly departure from New York in 2006.

It appears Brown is still getting along with Jordan, who has agreed to most of Brown's requests. That's created a roster that now includes only five players - Wallace, Felton, D.J. Augustin, Alexis Ajinca and Nazr Mohammed - who were in Cleveland for last season's opener.

"I think it's obvious when teams around you are improving," Brown said, "that you can't afford to stand pat." source: NBC Sports

The free agent who really wants to come to the Mavs

2009-07-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

Rashadsoze7 @DrewGooden whats goodie fam.... put in a good word.. haha remember our talk

Rashadsoze7 is Rashard McCants, with whom the Mavs have been in contact. Drew Gooden is supposedly Dallas-bound. This tweet certainly suggests that McCants thinks Gooden is landing with the Mavs, wants Gooden to “put in a good word’’ on behalf of the swingman and must’ve already asked that favor before.

And then “whats goodie fam’’ … you, Dear Reader, on your own trying to translate that one. source: DB.com

Warriors Acquire Guard-Forward Devean George

2009-07-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

The Golden State Warriors have acquired guard-forward Devean George and cash from the Toronto Raptors for guard Marco Belinelli.

The trade was announced on Thursday.

The Warriors, who drafted Davidson star Stephen Curry last month and have Monta Ellis slated as their point guard, like George's versatility to play more than one spot in coach Don Nelson's up-tempo offense.

The 31-year-old George, a 10-year NBA veteran who has played the last three seasons with the Mavericks, averaged 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 16.5 minutes for Dallas last season. source: Kron 4

Okafor headed to Hornets for Chandler

2009-07-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

The New Orleans Hornets have agreed in principle to a trade that will send center Tyson Chandler to the Charlotte Bobcats for Emeka Okafor, signaling an unexpected shift in thinking that suggests New Orleans does plan to try to keep up with the contenders and spenders in the Western Conference.

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that the deal was nearly consummated Friday and that talks had advanced to the point that the swap is on course to be submitted to the league office for approval Tuesday, barring any unforeseen snags.

Just days after star guard Chris Paul wondered aloud about the team's relative inactivity this offseason at the NBA's annual summer league in Las Vegas -- "I'm not sure if we're going to make any moves," Paul told ESPN.com's J.A. Adande -- New Orleans stunned numerous league observers by moving ahead with a deal that will bring them limited savings next season and force them to take on three extra years of eight-figure salary commitments to Okafor.

That represents a striking departure from the Hornets' recent cost-conscious efforts to move Chander.

The Hornets initially dealt Chandler to Oklahoma City days before the league's annual trading deadline in February for the then-expiring contracts of Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith, only for the Thunder to rescind the trade 24 hours later because of concerns about Chandler's long-standing toe problems.

The widespread belief around the league at the time and then during New Orleans' subsequent discussions with Phoenix about swapping Chandler for the expiring contract of Ben Wallace -- which Phoenix has since bought out -- held that New Orleans was only interested in shedding Chandler's contract in exchange for an expiring deal to create payroll relief.

Swapping Chandler (due to earn $11.7 next season) for Okafor ($10.6 million) will save the Hornets just over $1 million next season and cost them an extra $40-plus million over the final three years of Okafor's deal if the 26-year-old exercises his $14.5 million option for the 2013-14 season. Chandler has just one year left on his contract after this season at $12.6 million.

Although Chandler was a favorite of Paul's for his ability to run the floor and finish lobs, making a so-called "basketball trade" as opposed to a salary dump will come as a welcome surprise to Hornets fans and will undoubtedly be interpreted as a message from management to their point guard that it is intent on keeping a quality team around him.

Initial indications Monday were that no other players will be added to the deal. Sources with knowledge of the talks said this proposal featuring Chandler and Okafor as the main components has been pursued since late last week.

The Bobcats would be giving up their first-ever draft pick and the only starting center in franchise history for Chandler, who was restricted to just 45 games last season because of myriad foot injuries. Okafor averaged 13.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks last season in the first year of a new six-year, $72 million deal with the Bobcats.

Chandler averaged 8.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game last season. It remains to be seen whether Charlotte wanted him because coach Larry Brown, who has at times struggled to mask his frustrations with Okafor's offensive limitations, craves the mobility and athleticism Chandler can supply when he's healthy.

Another possibility, given the uncertainty surrounding Chandler's health after Oklahoma City rescinded the February trade, is that the move is financially motivated on the Bobcats' side. Reducing the team's long-term salary obligations would likely only enhance owner Bob Johnson's stated intention to sell the team.

Provided there are no complications with Chandler's physical in Charlotte, his arrival and Okafor's exit will leave swingman Gerald Wallace as the only holdover from the Bobcats' original roster in 2004-05. Okafor stands to be the fourth of Charlotte's seven lottery picks to leave town, joining Sean May (waived), Adam Morrison (traded last season to the Los Angeles Lakers) and Brandan Wright (traded to Golden State on draft day in 2007). Source: ESPN

New deal lets Nash eye end of career with Suns

2009-07-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

Steve Nash thought about leaving the Phoenix Suns after this season.

But after mulling other options, Nash realized there were no guarantees of winning an NBA championship elsewhere.

So he agreed to a two-year, $22 million contract extension that will keep the two-time MVP point guard under contract with the Suns through the 2011-2012 season.

"I definitely was weighing all my options," Nash said Monday on a conference call with reporters, his first public comments since signing the new deal. "I definitely looked out there to see what possibilities there were -- becoming a free agent next year, asking to be traded. But the truth is, I love the city, the organization. I really like my teammates and coach."

Nash said those considerations "greatly outweigh the opportunity to search for a title anywhere else. There's never any guarantees of that sort of thing anyway."

The 35-year-old Nash, entering his 13th NBA season, had one year left on a contract that will pay him $13 million next season.

Under the new agreement, $6 million of the final two years of the contract will be deferred, with $3 million being paid in each of the two years following the expiration of the contract, said Bill Duffy, Nash's agent.

"There's definitely a good chance that this is the last three years for me," Nash said. "It would obviously be a pleasure and a bonus to finish my career as a Sun."

When Phoenix retooled after failing to make the playoffs last spring, there was speculation that Nash would leave for a team with a better chance to win an NBA title. As tempting as that might have been, Nash said he decided to stick with what he knew.

"I didn't want to just chase something fleeting," Nash said. "I wanted to do the best I could for this franchise and these guys."

Nash, born in South Africa and raised in Victoria, British Columbia, was the Suns' first-round draft pick in 1996 and was traded to Dallas in 1998.

The Suns lured Nash back to Phoenix in 2004 in a celebrated effort that included a flight to Dallas by then-owner Jerry Colangelo and a host of representatives of the team. When Mavericks owner Mark Cuban balked at re-signing Nash, at age 30, at the amount he wanted, the point guard signed a five-year, $65 million contract with Phoenix.

In the last five years with Phoenix, Nash has averaged 17.1 points and 10.8 assists per game -- higher than his career averages of 14.4 points and eight assists.

The New York Knicks had been mentioned as a possible destination for Nash because of his connection with coach Mike D'Antoni.

Nash had the best years of his career leading D'Antoni's high-octane offense in Phoenix. Nash was named the league's MVP in 2005 and 2006 and was a first-team all-NBA selection in 2005, 2006 and 2007. D'Antoni left for New York after the 2007-08 season.

Nash, who has an offseason residence in New York, said he thought about teaming up with D'Antoni again.

"I get stopped about 50 times a day on the street in New York: 'Are you coming to the Knicks? '" Nash said.

Nash decided to stay put after watching general manager Steve Kerr's offseason moves.

Nash said the re-signing of forward Grant Hill was "extremely influential in my decision" to return. Nash also said he enjoys playing for coach Alvin Gentry, who replaced Terry Porter midway through last season and was retained.

"I don't have to know how good we're going to be," Nash said. "I think we can be good."

Suns management agrees, which is why the club decided to keep the aging guard instead of trading him or letting him walk away as a free agent.

"Steve is still one of the best point guards in the NBA, and his dedication to conditioning will keep him among the league's elite for several more seasons," Kerr said. "In many ways he embodies what our franchise is all about, and we're thrilled that he will be the leader of our team for the next three years."

The team faces an uncertain future after failing to make the playoffs for the first time since Nash rejoined the Suns.

Phoenix seemed to be in rebuilding mode when it traded center Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland in a financially motivated deal. There have also been numerous rumors that the team is looking to trade All-Star Amare Stoudemire, who has one year left on his contract and wants the maximum in any new deal, something the budget-conscious Suns may not be willing to do. source: ESPN

Tim Thomas heading to Dallas

2009-07-28T08:20:00.001-07:00

Free-agent forward Tim Thomas is scheduled to be in Dallas on Tuesday for a face-to-face meeting with Mavericks officials that will likely lead to a contract offer for the 12-year veteran.

No deal has been finalized, but the Mavericks have coveted Thomas as an off-the-bench shooter all summer to add some perimeter punch to their second unit.

"We're hoping to complete a deal soon," Bob Myers, Thomas' agent, told ESPN.com.

The Mavericks initially thought they were acquiring Thomas earlier this month in the four-team trade that netted Shawn Marion. The Chicago Bulls, according to sources with knowledge of the talks, had agreed to be part of the trade involving Toronto and Memphis -- with Thomas bound for Dallas -- but changed their minds and pulled out. The Bulls were replaced in that trade by Orlando and later bought out Thomas' contract when they couldn't plug him into another deal.

Thomas was due to make $6.5 million next season in the final year of his contract before the buyout. He was traded twice last season, going from the Los Angeles Clippers to the New York Knicks in a trade for Zach Randolph in December and from New York to Chicago in February as part of the Larry Hughes deal.

Thomas has averaged 11.6 points and 4.1 rebounds for his career. He has hit 37 percent of the 3-pointers he has taken in his career and ranks 63rd all-time with 946 made from beyond the arc.

Thomas has made numerous stops in the NBA. Drafted in the first round by the Nets, he was traded to Philadelphia before playing a game for New Jersey. He went on to play for the Bucks, Knicks, Bulls, Suns and Clippers.

After striking a one-year deal for a guaranteed $4.5 million Sunday with free-agent forward Drew Gooden, Dallas has roughly $1.4 million left of its midlevel exception to spend on free agents as well as its $1.9 million bi-annual exception. source: ESPN

Mavs still searching for long-term solution at center

2009-07-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

The Mavericks should have an adequate big man rotation this season with Erick Dampier and Drew Gooden getting the bulk of the center minutes, Dirk Nowitzki manning the middle in the smallball lineup and perhaps Ryan Hollins and/or James Singleton picking up the scraps.

They do not have a long-term solution. That's why the Magic's surprising decision to match the midlevel offer to Marcin Gortat really stung the Mavs.

Gortat would have been an excellent complement to Dirk, an All-NBA force as a finesse power forward. Gortat is a young, rugged traditional center who can run the floor. Those guys are hard to find.

And the Mavs' search will continue, perhaps for years to come.

The solution doesn't appear to be in next summer's heralded free agency crop. The best traditional big men in that group are Portland's Joel Przybilla and Washington's Brendan Haywood. Either of those guys, who will be 30 when they hit the open market, excite you? Didn't think so.

(Don't even start with Amare' Stoudemire. He won't be coming to Dallas for many reasons. While Amare' is a world-class finisher, he doesn't play much defense and wouldn't complement Dirk. Plus, Stoudemire and Shawn Marion didn't exactly have warm, fuzzy feelings for each other by the end of their time together in Phoenix.)

That doesn't mean the Mavs can't find a legit center who fits here within the next year. It's just much more likely to come in the trade market, and it isn't likely to come cheap. source: Dallas News

Center Ryan Hollins on Pacers' Radar?

2009-07-26T08:59:00.001-07:00

Indiana decided not to match Toronto’s offer for guard Jarrett Jack (four years, $20 million). The Pacers added guard Dahntay Jones from Denver (four years, $11 million) and their next target appears to be Dallas center Ryan Hollins. The Pacers have been proactive in the market and, once their roster is settled, they should be able to conclude the Daniels deal. source: Boston.com

Dwayne Wade Makes Plea to Odom Via Twitter

2009-07-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

Free agent forward Lamar Odom might have moved a step closer to a reunion with the Heat amid stalled negotiations with his current team.

Odom, who has been deciding between accepting an offer from the Heat or returning to the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, is reportedly ready to bolt to Miami.

A story posted by Yahoo! Sports on Saturday indicated Odom ``is leaning strongly toward'' accepting a deal with the Heat if the Lakers don't increase their offer to retain him. The report was attributed to league sources.

Jeff Schwartz, Odom's agent, did not return messages Saturday. The Heat had no comment on the report and was still awaiting a decision from Odom.

Odom, a versatile 6-10 forward who played a key role in the Lakers' run to an NBA title this season, has been recruited relentlessly by Heat president Pat Riley and guard Dwyane Wade recently.

Wade used his Twitter account on Saturday to send his latest pitch to Odom, who just completed a six-year, $63 million deal he signed with the Heat in 2003. Odom played the 2003-04 season in Miami and was traded to the Lakers in the package for Shaquille O'Neal.

``This is for Lamar Odom,'' Wade wrote through Twitter. ``(Come) back to where it started for both of us .. the franchise u help build back up wants u to End it all here.''

The Heat, which is already at or slightly above the league's punitive $69.9 million luxury tax on excessive payrolls, is believed to have offered Odom the full midlevel contract that would pay him about $34 million for five seasons.

The Lakers reportedly have offered Odom two contracts - one for three seasons and another for four - that would pay him $8 to $10 million a season. The Heat has informed Odom he could recoup some of the difference in salary in Miami because there is no state income tax.

The Lakers broke off contract negotiations with Odom and his agent last week after the team learned of their interest in the Heat. But those negotiations reportedly have resumed. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and Wade both launched public recruiting campaigns for Odom's services in recent days.

Odom averaged 11.4 points and 8.2 rebounds last season and has averaged 15.1 points and 8.8 rebounds over his 10 NBA seasons. source: Miami Herald

Sources: Odom leaning toward signing with Heat

2009-07-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

Lamar Odom (notes) is leaning strongly toward accepting the Miami Heat’s contract offer and leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, multiple sources with knowledge of the talks said.

Odom has not reached a final decision, the sources said, but there is growing belief he will ultimately return to the Heat unless the Lakers improve their current offer.

“It’s close, but it’s not done,” said one source.

Lakers officials and Odom’s representatives resumed talking after a weeklong standoff that began when Jerry Buss, the team’s owner, withdrew a four-year, $36 million offer that guaranteed $30 million. Sources close to Odom said that while the two sides have since talked, Buss is now offering less than the Lakers’ previous proposal.

Odom could sign a five-year, $34 million with the Heat or take a four-year contract that would give him the option to become a free agent in three seasons and seek a more lucrative deal. He also would not have to pay state income tax in Florida.

Odom, who will turn 30 on Nov. 6, played for the Heat during the 2003-04 season – the only season in his 10-year career that he didn’t spend in Los Angeles – and has maintained a good relationship with Dwyane Wade (notes).

Odom’s departure would be a huge loss for the Lakers and an unexpected gift for the Western Conference’s other top contenders. He averaged 11.4 points and 8.2 rebounds last season, and played well during the Lakers’ run to the championship despite being bothered by back spasms. The Lakers replaced Trevor Ariza (notes) with Ron Artest (notes) this summer, but Odom’s length and versatility made him a difficult matchup off the bench for opposing teams. source: Yahoo Sports

Gooden to sign 1-year deal with Mavs

2009-07-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks have struck a deal with unrestricted free agent Drew Gooden to make use of some of the money they got back when Orlando matched their offer sheet earlier this month to restricted free agent Marcin Gortat.

Gooden announced via his Twitter feed shortly past midnight Saturday that he is signing with the Mavericks. "Dallas here I come," he wrote. In response, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweeted: "Welcome Drew."

Sources with knowledge of the deal told ESPN.com that Gooden is receiving a one-year contract worth a guaranteed $4.5 million with incentives that will likely take it beyond $5 million by season's end. A formal announcement of the signing is expected Monday or Tuesday.

Gooden had previously announced via Twitter on Friday that he would be "making my decision tomorrow on which team I will be playing for." Sources said that Gooden had narrowed his final choices to Dallas, Cleveland and Charlotte.

Despite leg and abdominal injuries that cost him 31 games last season, Gooden was highly coveted in February after negotiating a buyout with the Sacramento Kings and wound up signing with the San Antonio Spurs. It's believed that he'll get a shot at starting at center for the Mavericks ahead of Erick Dampier, after that spot had been earmarked for Gortat with a five-year, $34 million offer sheet early in free agency.

Although he had a minimal impact in San Antonio's first-round loss to Dallas -- averaging 7.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 17.8 minutes -- Gooden fared better in 19 regular-season games with the Spurs, averaging 9.8 points and 4.4 rebounds in just 16.8 minutes per game. He posted a double-double (12 points and 13 rebounds) in his only game with the Kings after arriving with Andres Nocioni in Sacramento as part of the deal that sent Brad Miller and John Salmons to the Bulls.

The Mavericks will be Gooden's seventh team in eight seasons of a career that has been unsettled since his rookie season, when he was dealt from Memphis to Orlando after being selected by the Grizzlies with the fourth overall pick.

Yet he's just 27 and has the ability -- when his focus is there -- to provide a low-post scoring option that Dallas has lacked, whether he starts or comes off the bench. Finishing games is hardly assured, as Dallas is apt to close with a small-ball lineup of Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki to maximize its offensive firepower. But Gooden should have ample opportunity to supplant Dampier, who is entering what is widely considered to be his final season in Dallas.

Gooden will be asked to fill the void created by the departure of face-up forward Brandon Bass, who signed a four-year deal with Orlando worth $16 million while the Mavericks' money was tied up in their offer sheet to Gortat. Taking the full seven days allowed by league rules, Orlando stunned many league observers by deciding to match on Gortat -- given that Dwight Howard's backup will essentially be a $12 million player next season when the luxury-tax costs are factored in -- after signing Bass.

Gooden would be the Mavericks' second prominent newcomer this season following its recent trade acquisition of Shawn Marion. Dallas awarded a five-year deal worth nearly $40 million to Marion in a sign-and-trade arrangement featuring three other teams and also re-signed point guard Jason Kidd to a three-year deal worth $25 million. source: ESPN

Judge orders DNA testing in Dirk Nowitzki's petition to seek custody of child

2009-07-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

A Dallas family court judge on Friday ordered pregnancy and DNA testing in the case involving Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki and his ex-girlfriend Cristal Taylor.

"We know the first one has to happen," said Associate Judge Randall Grubbs during a brief hearing in a state district court in Dallas County. "The other one may be moot."

Medical records show Taylor, who is now being held in a Missouri jail awaiting a parole-violation hearing, was pregnant, but the judge said he wanted his own test.

Grubbs then ordered the proceedings sealed, and attorneys said they could not comment.

In a petition filed last month, Nowitzki is seeking sole custody of Taylor's yet-to-be-born child if tests prove he is the father.

Taylor, 38, has said the Mavericks star, 31, is the father and that she seeks no monetary gain from their relationship.

Taylor was arrested May 6 at Nowitzki's Preston Hollow home. She was taken to Dallas County jail and later transferred to Beaumont to face a 2006 felony theft charge. In late June, she posted bail and was extradited to Missouri to face a 2001 probation violation on felony forgery and stealing.

Nowitzki's custody petition seeks "to establish the parent-child relationship between Petitioner and the child ... in the event that it is determined that Petitioner is the biological father of the child."

It continues: “Petitioner [Nowitzki] requests that genetic testing be ordered in accordance with chapter 160 of the Texas family code upon birth of the child.”

Later, it states: "In the event that it is determined that Petitioner is the biological father of the child, the best interest of the child ... will be served by the appointment of the Petitioner as sole managing conservator."

Taylor told the Dallas Morning News in late May that she was "very pregnant, about maybe four to 4 1/2 weeks." But a day later, told reporters that she was closer to seven weeks pregnant. Source: Dallas News

Hearing excerpt: Cuban on Nash's exit from Mavericks

2009-07-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

From staff reports

In an excerpt from the arbitration hearing transcript, Mark Cuban explains how Steve Nash got away to Phoenix in 2004:

… One day we were signing him, and one day we weren’t, but there was all the reality in the middle. I’ll tell you exactly what happened, because I remember it like it was yesterday. It was at 10:00 o’clock in the morning. We went to Steve’s condo. …

Donnie Nelson and I. We had all, including Mr. [Don] Nelson, kind of gotten a framework to start a negotiation from. We were going to go in there and offer him $10 million a year for four years knowing that there was a little bit of wiggle room in there that if he came back to negotiate, but that we had also agreed that he was not worth a maximum contract.

And so we went in there, and it was Steve and his agent, Bill Duffy. And we walked in, and we told him the 10 years — $10 million a year for four years, you know. And, you know, he just had twins, and we were really excited. Steve’s eyes were welling; my eyes were welling up. Steve hugs me. He hugs Donnie. …

We walk out the door. Donnie and I are wiping away tears. We are high-fiving. We think this is done. Little did we know that Bill Duffy, his agent, despite the fact it was against NBA rules, already has Phoenix in Dallas. And so this is 10:00 to 10:30, 10:45. All of a sudden I get an urgent message, call Steve Nash, call Steve Nash. I’m thinking, OK, he’s ready to give me the go, all right?

I go down to my office at the American Airlines Center, and I still have my notes … and I am talking to Steve, and he’s like, “Mark, I’ve got Phoenix in the room. They tell me I have to make a decision right now. I told them I had to call you first.”

And I said, “OK. What’s going on?”

He goes, “They made me a hell of an offer.”

I said, “Well, how much did they offer you?” you know? “More than $10 million a year?”

“Yeah.”

“More than $11 million a year?”

“Yeah.”

“More than $12 million a year?”

“Yes, north of Mike Bibby money,” those were his words, “north of Mike Bibby money.”

And I said, “So they basically gave you a max-out contract.”

“Yeah.”

And I said, “Is it four years?”

“No.”

“Is it five years?”

“No.”

“So it’s six years,” the most they can give for another team.

“Yeah, but the last year is only a half guarantee.”

I’m like, “Oh my God.”

And he’s like, “You know, it’s like match or not, match or not right now. That’s all my agent’s letting me do. There is no other, there is no let’s talk about a sign-and-trade. There’s no if only we can do this. There’s no other options. Either match or I got to say yes, because if Phoenix walks out of the” — he’s talking, “if Phoenix walks out of the room, they are rescinding their offer and you are not matching the offer, right?”

I said, “Oh, my God, Steve, I mean, you know, we told you to — we wanted you to go look for other things, but we didn’t think you would come back with basically a max-out offer.” And you know — I don’t know how long I didn’t say anything, and it was like, ‘Mark,’ and I am like, “Steve, you know, I love you to death, and I wish you nothing but the best, but I can’t — I can’t meet, you know, what amounts to a maxed-out offer. And you and I discussed that before, and we know that. And, you know, I wish you all the best,” and that was it.

Editor’s note: Contacted Thursday, the Phoenix Suns said they didn’t break any rules in the Nash deal. “After 12 midnight negotiations were allowed to begin with free agents and this was early the next morning clearly after negotiations could begin,” spokeswoman Julie Fie wrote in an e-mail. “Our people flew into Dallas that morning, not prior.” source: Dallas News