Posts from the Mavericks Category at FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

Next to Devin Harris, center DeSagana Diop was the clear #2 most valuable asset Dallas sent away to New Jersey in the midseason acquisition of Jason Kidd. He was the best defender the Mavericks had at a key defensive position. Surely, we would have helped some in rejecting the advances of David West and Tyson Chandler in Dallas' five-game first-round loss to New Orleans. He wouldn't have flipped the series -- but he would have helped.

Apparently, the Mavericks think so too, as the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports Diop has reached a five-year deal with Dallas for the full mid-level. That will take DeSagana right through his prime (he's 26), and could leave Dallas with one of the best defenders in the league at center, which seems important as Andrew Bynum, Amare Stoudemire, Al Jefferson, and Greg Oden hang around the West.

The key question, one partially answered by the signing: how will Rick Carlisle use Diop? In three seasons under Avery Johnson, Diop averaged no more than 18 minutes a game. You might blame foul trouble, but Diop recorded only 1.9 fouls per game this season in his 17 minutes with Dallas.

Johnson is (was?) a notorious micro-manager, and his constant in-game substitutions always offered an opportunity for jokes for road crowds. Diop's never going to be even so good as a Dikembe Mutombo on offense, but with a steady diet of minutes, he could at least become a Mark Eaton type anchor through his prime.

The Mavericks signed Gerald Green to what is believed to be a one-year deal, thus continuing the tradition of filing their roster with players of questionable talent (like Devean George and Tyronne Lue, for example). Green played for the Timberwolves and (briefly) the Rockets last season, and ultimately finished the year out of the NBA. I'm sure that's just the answer to get Dallas out of the first round of the playoffs.

But let's talk about something important: if Green can stay on the roster until the All-Star break, it means we'll get to see him in the dunk contest! Green took home the trophy in Vegas in 2007, and despite Dwight Howard's Superman winning it last year, Green's Birfday Birthday Cake dunk was by far the talk of the event. Plus, it lead to comments on our event chat like, "Wait, is it even anyone's birthday?" followed by an email of a list of the NBA's birthdays for the day. You just can't buy entertainment like that. Anyway, let's hope the kid makes it to All-Star weekend, so we can see more dunks like this one.

During a rather pedestrian draft night last Thursday, one of the more tender moments was Shan "Don't Call Me Shane" Foster's playing of a song he wrote just for the NFL draft. At the time, I may have said something cynical about it, but the more I think about it, rooting against the Joey Harrington of the NBA is just wrong.

Here's Shan's little jam he put together to discuss his feelings about being a professional basketball player.



It's actually kind of catchy, in a very irritating way. And, all Joey H. jokes aside, the dude does have a pretty sick voice. Or, as Dirk said*, "He's no 'Hoff, but he's pretty good."

H/T: Hot Clicks

Memphis is alive this morning. Zach from 3 Shades of Blue sends along this rumor by Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, writing on the paper's "Memphis Edge" blog.

Before trading for the 20th pick, the Charlotte Bobcats asked Memphis to take anyone on their roster for the No. 5 pick. It's something that hasn't been completely ruled out. Now that Charlotte owns the ninth and 20th picks, don't be shocked if the Griz agreed to take players plus the ninth and 20th picks for the fifth and 28th selections.

It isn't apparent whether the Grizzlies would be sending their own player back in such a deal; they don't have to, as both squads are under the cap a decent amount -- Jason Richardson would be the only guy who'd make too much to be traded to Memphis for nothing but picks.

And that's irrelevant, apparently: the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell says J-Rich is the only untouchable Bobcat. In a separate story, Bonnell also bolsters the Memphis rumors, noting that "several NBA sources identified the Memphis Grizzlies ... as the team most willing to deal down."

Emeka Okafor couldn't be the Grizzlies' choice, as he's a restricted free agent. Gerald Wallace, though ... imagine him next to Rudy Gay. Frederic Weis just peed himself. Tillery also says Memphis has called Dallas about Josh Howard, who seems like a dark-horse trade candidate no one's talking about all of a sudden.

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

The Mavericks were caught trying to keep up with the Suns' and Lakers' roster changes in the West, but their trade for Jason Kidd seemed to be a step in the wrong direction. Thanks to that trade, the Mavs don't have a first round pick this year, so any help will have to come via some more trades (gulp.)

Picks: #51.

Needs: Size and athleticism, at either the center or the power forward spot. Quickness to spell Jason Kidd at the point.

Best case scenario: Rick Carlisle installs a new offense that will take advantage of Kidd's play-making skills, and the talents of Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard are showcased as well.

Now that that tall, skinny, emo dude who speaks in tongues has a title under his belt, we can all turn our attention to the next big competition on the NBA calendar: 'lympic basketball. (The "O" was left off because the U.S. just didn't have any in '04. Sure, that's a horrible play on words, but it's no worse than, say, a stacked roster of professional American hoopsters coming back from Athens draped in bronze.)

The United States' final roster is going to be announced by coach Mike Krzyzewski via conference call on Monday, but reports are already trickling as to which NBA ballers have 2 GB worth of "Hey, look at me! I'm a freakishly tall guy standing on the Great Wall of China!" photos in their near future.

Dust off your memory cards, J-Kidd and D-Wade. You're going to Beijing.

In reality, Jason Kidd and Dwyane Wade are no-brainers in that you knew both were going to make the team. The only interesting point here is that with Wade on board, one of the 12 guys who helped carry the U.S. to an undefeated run in last summer's FIBA Americas won't make the Olympic squad. Meaning if I were Chauncey Billups, Mike Miller, Tayshaun Prince or Michael Redd, I wouldn't be brushing up on my Mandarin just yet.

NBA Essentials ranks our six favorite stories of the day.

1. Sports By Brooks: Dr. J. will not take a photo with you if you think he's Bill Russell.

2. Sactown Royalty: Ron Artest may opt out after all.

3. Hardwood Paroxysm: Fight Ubuntu: the screenplay.

4. Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Gary Payton and Xavier McDaniel address 3,000 people rallying outside the Sonics trial.

5. Joe Sports Fan: Excellent analysis of the non-celebrity Laker fan demographic.

6. PJStar.com, via SLAM: Shaun Livingston is dunking again.

Southwest Kia has a very nice interview with Josh Howard, who made some late season noise when ESPN decided that his marijuana smoking admission was "news". But hey, when you wield the biggest media sword, that's your prerogative. So you had to see this interview, in which Howard sits down in a friendly venue and speaks at length about his offseason and the lessons he learned, kind of coming. Still, good stuff.

Highlights include: Howard admitting he learned "not to be brutally honest" (3:10), how to deal with the negativity (4:25), David Stern accepting his apology for the marijuana comments (6:11), how Rick Carlisle brings a "new energy" to the Mavericks (7:26) and the fact that he's a big fan of The Wire (8:50).

Most of the talk about the marijuana issue kicks in about 5:30 through the interview.



Big Ups to Odenized for the find.

You know what? If I was getting paid several million dollars to coach NBA basketball, without actually even coaching, I would probably announce for a year and set up shop in a car dealership in North Texas. Avery Johnson, clearly an unemployed millionaire after my own heart, has done just that, as you can see from the new, enthusiastic ad he has fired up on the Youtubery.



I tell you what ... I agree with his philosophy here, but if Avery won't even let Devin Harris control the Mavs' offense, I would hate to see what kind of "suggestions" he makes for people purchasing cars.

H/T: Merkin Sports via SBB

When reading this article in the Dallas Morning News (passed along by Ziller), you really have to do a double take on "Kidd said from New York, where he's an intern for a hedge fund company", even if you know it's coming. Because, you know, that would mean that Jason Kidd is actually interning at an investment firm in New York this summer.

Kidd is with Avenue Capital Group, a global investment firm that manages assets estimated at $19.5 billion. The group invests in distressed and undervalued securities, a description that applies to the Mavericks at the moment.

That is what the DMN says. Avenue Capital Group would not comment either way on Kidd's employment. But if this is true (apparently it is not, see update after the jump), well, it may not be some newsbreaking chunk of excitement, but I still want answers. Or at the very least, a reality show.

What is Kidd's background in finance? Is he the NBA's Lenny Dykstra? Does ACG have a summer rec basketball league? Has he interned anywhere before? Is there a guy a few cubicles down who keeps making "assist" jokes every time Kidd helps him with a client?