It appears that a trade was completed yesterday between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Mavs traded Center Nathan Jawai to the T-wolves in exchange for a future 2011 second round protected pick. The pick is top-55 protected which limits the chances of the Mavs front office of actually getting that pick any time. However, It is not inconceivable to see the Mavs move this pick in the future as part of a package that involves another player or two in an attempt to further mold the roster to fit the 15 man nba mandated max.
Now the team has 16 spots on the roster and it seems that the two players in immediate jeopardy are Jake Voskuhl and Shawne Williams. Williams has been banished from the team indefinetily and there has been talks of trying to work a buy out with his agent. That seems far fetched considering that he has roughly $2.4 million owed to him for just sitting at home. Voskuhl has a non-guaranteed contract and will likely provide nothing to the team long term anyway.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
2009-2010 Season
It looks like most teams' rosters out west are set for the time being (unless AI or sessions joins one of them, but I dont see them going to contenders)
where do teams end up this season?
this is my vote
1. lakers - with artest instead of ariza, I think they take a step back in the future though are just as good this season, but with Odom back and Bynum one year older and more experienced, they make up for that. Fisher is a year older, they need a new PG soon...
2. spurs - Jefferson puts them back in contention and assuming this old team stays healthy I can see them close to the lakers when its all said and done.
3. nuggets - losing Kleiza will hurt them, but I dont see anybody in their division better than them, maybe portland if Oden suddenly becomes a good player, but I don't see it. Billups is too good a pg to make that happen.
4. portland - This is a crapshoot for who ends up here, I give the edge to portland, Aldridge is a year older, Roy is a year older, they are a team that has experience after last year losing in 7 to Houston. I can see this team winning 55+ games
5. mavs - they will run, Kidd will push the ball, Marion will be improved over the last season and a half, though will never return to what he was before he left phoenix (I'll be impressed if he does) Howard might be healthy, but he's still dumb. Dirk will do everything on his own again, though Marion should help with that. the Center position still needs help, though Damp/Gooden should help *a little*. Biggest question mark is still SG... I don't see howard/marion combo being successful for the long run. and Terry is still undersized.
6. jazz - One injury to the mavs and move the Jazz up to 5th spot. Good team, but they just aren't convincing to me. I don't see them lasting past the 1st round (unless the matchup is against an injured or depleted team)
7. hornets - Another team that could be in the mix for the 4th seed, don't see them having that magical season like they did 2 years ago, but they'll be a competitor, though likely an also-ran. Okafor vs Chandler isn't that much of a difference. And since ownership is in sell! sell! sell! mode, I can foresee some drops in talent mid season just to save a dollar or 10 million.
8. suns - they take this spot by default, one year older and with amare back after eye surgery. Not to mention they will run again now that shaq isn't there. But they wont be winning more than 45 games this year.
9. warriors - they suck, and nellie is gonna try to screw the warriors for a 10 million extension then go hang out in Maui for the last 6 months of his life.
10. clippers - griffin will get them out of the cellar, but they'll win 32-36 games. maybe in the east that could get them in the playoffs...
11. thunder - this team will be good in a few years, I think they might be a sleeper and beat some good teams catching them off guard, but they won't really warrant much more than that this season.
12. wolves - upside, but not much will show this year, I can see them surprising some and being in playoff sights around the all star break, but they will break down in the home stretch.
13. rockets - without yao and tmac and no more artest might as well tank the season. vy for a top draft pick
14. grizzlies - this team has no direction and ownership is cutting costs. not to mention they traded for randolph after already shedding less in salary a season ago in the gasol trade, then turning around getting a worse player... fucktards.
15. kings - believe it or not, in worse shape than the grizzlies, I dont see where this team is going, or what the Maloofs are trying to do, somebody help explain this to me, please.
where do teams end up this season?
this is my vote
1. lakers - with artest instead of ariza, I think they take a step back in the future though are just as good this season, but with Odom back and Bynum one year older and more experienced, they make up for that. Fisher is a year older, they need a new PG soon...
2. spurs - Jefferson puts them back in contention and assuming this old team stays healthy I can see them close to the lakers when its all said and done.
3. nuggets - losing Kleiza will hurt them, but I dont see anybody in their division better than them, maybe portland if Oden suddenly becomes a good player, but I don't see it. Billups is too good a pg to make that happen.
4. portland - This is a crapshoot for who ends up here, I give the edge to portland, Aldridge is a year older, Roy is a year older, they are a team that has experience after last year losing in 7 to Houston. I can see this team winning 55+ games
5. mavs - they will run, Kidd will push the ball, Marion will be improved over the last season and a half, though will never return to what he was before he left phoenix (I'll be impressed if he does) Howard might be healthy, but he's still dumb. Dirk will do everything on his own again, though Marion should help with that. the Center position still needs help, though Damp/Gooden should help *a little*. Biggest question mark is still SG... I don't see howard/marion combo being successful for the long run. and Terry is still undersized.
6. jazz - One injury to the mavs and move the Jazz up to 5th spot. Good team, but they just aren't convincing to me. I don't see them lasting past the 1st round (unless the matchup is against an injured or depleted team)
7. hornets - Another team that could be in the mix for the 4th seed, don't see them having that magical season like they did 2 years ago, but they'll be a competitor, though likely an also-ran. Okafor vs Chandler isn't that much of a difference. And since ownership is in sell! sell! sell! mode, I can foresee some drops in talent mid season just to save a dollar or 10 million.
8. suns - they take this spot by default, one year older and with amare back after eye surgery. Not to mention they will run again now that shaq isn't there. But they wont be winning more than 45 games this year.
9. warriors - they suck, and nellie is gonna try to screw the warriors for a 10 million extension then go hang out in Maui for the last 6 months of his life.
10. clippers - griffin will get them out of the cellar, but they'll win 32-36 games. maybe in the east that could get them in the playoffs...
11. thunder - this team will be good in a few years, I think they might be a sleeper and beat some good teams catching them off guard, but they won't really warrant much more than that this season.
12. wolves - upside, but not much will show this year, I can see them surprising some and being in playoff sights around the all star break, but they will break down in the home stretch.
13. rockets - without yao and tmac and no more artest might as well tank the season. vy for a top draft pick
14. grizzlies - this team has no direction and ownership is cutting costs. not to mention they traded for randolph after already shedding less in salary a season ago in the gasol trade, then turning around getting a worse player... fucktards.
15. kings - believe it or not, in worse shape than the grizzlies, I dont see where this team is going, or what the Maloofs are trying to do, somebody help explain this to me, please.
Friday, May 11, 2007
What next?
So, the Dallas Mavericks have managed to accomplish two miraculous feats in the month of April. The first was finishing the regular season with a 67-15 record (6th highest all time, and franchise record) and the second was losing in the first round to the 8th seed, as the first #1 seed in history to lose in a seven game series in round one. Excellent.
So, what next? many have called for Dirk Nowitzki's head. Many have asked for trading Terry, Dampier, Harris, Howard, etc. in effect, blowing up the team.
That is not a good idea.
This is a team that until weeks ago was considered the best in the league, they had all they needed to beat the Spurs, they were confident that they could beat the Suns, and nobody in the Eastern Conference really scared them outside Detroit, and they matched up very well against them.
What nobody counted on was the Mavericks running into their former coach, and a team that likes to run and gun, and had nothing to lose. Not to mention, all the heart and excitement of the world that the Mavs seemed to lack in their first round matchup.
The Mavericks major problem was lack of heart, the team just didn't show up. In an elimination game 6, the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki shot 2-13 with 8 points for the GAME. Dirk must show up for the mavs to have a chance. Howard disappeared in the 2nd half (as usual) and Stack had tired legs by the end of the 3rd quarter. Avery Johnson was at a loss after game 1 when he couldnt overcome the matchup issues that GS gave the mavs best players. Dampier was nowhere to be seen, mostly because Avery didn't give him a chance.
There were few bright spots though, Harris emerged as a confident contributer, but not a leader, Croshere tried every once in a while to do something positive, but every positive move he made was complimented by a move that made the fans boo him in their minds. and Diop was a beast in this series, he showed an offensive skill that many mavs didn't think he had, in fact, I'm sure that we will never see again, he scored a whole 10 points one game. That was impressive for a guy who didn't know where the basket was in the regular season.
However, Harris was still hindered by foul trouble, Diop, had no offensive repertoire, he just played hard, and Croshere, well, he was better than KVH, so that counts for something.
The mavs need to look to the future realizing that they do not need any personnel basketball adjustments in order to make it back to the Finals. What they do need is some leadership, maybe a co-first-banana with Dirk, because I think Dirk is too good to be a second banana, but doesnt have the personality to have all the load squarely on his shoulders.
A player the mavs need to go after is Billups, he is strong, a good shooter, excellent decision maker. there have been many suggestions for Sign and Trades with Detroit in order to lure Billups away from Motown. But the biggest concern remains, how do we get him? What pieces to give up to bring a proven PG to this city? It is obvious that the terry/harris experiment is flawed, but Harris is our future. Would Detroit accept a package of terry/Dampier? I think not, our best bet is to provide a young Harris to make Detroit accept the sign and trade.
This would only work, if we traded into the 1st round of the draft, to draft a pg to groom behind Billups as a 3rd string pg, and trade Terry for both a starting SG, and a backup PG, maybe to seattle for Rashard Lewis + one of their guards, and to make the salaries work, we might have to lose somebody like George, or Stackhouse. But, the resulting team should make it easier to get the ball to Dirk in the correct spot, allowing us to matchup better with teams that run and gun (like GS) while at the same time not losing any advantage we may have ever held vs teams like Detroit, San Antonio, or Phoenix.
But the Mavericks have to act fast, their window of opportunity is closing, the team must not pretend that there is nothing to worry about after the finals collapse last year, and the choke job in the 1st round this year.
So, what next? many have called for Dirk Nowitzki's head. Many have asked for trading Terry, Dampier, Harris, Howard, etc. in effect, blowing up the team.
That is not a good idea.
This is a team that until weeks ago was considered the best in the league, they had all they needed to beat the Spurs, they were confident that they could beat the Suns, and nobody in the Eastern Conference really scared them outside Detroit, and they matched up very well against them.
What nobody counted on was the Mavericks running into their former coach, and a team that likes to run and gun, and had nothing to lose. Not to mention, all the heart and excitement of the world that the Mavs seemed to lack in their first round matchup.
The Mavericks major problem was lack of heart, the team just didn't show up. In an elimination game 6, the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki shot 2-13 with 8 points for the GAME. Dirk must show up for the mavs to have a chance. Howard disappeared in the 2nd half (as usual) and Stack had tired legs by the end of the 3rd quarter. Avery Johnson was at a loss after game 1 when he couldnt overcome the matchup issues that GS gave the mavs best players. Dampier was nowhere to be seen, mostly because Avery didn't give him a chance.
There were few bright spots though, Harris emerged as a confident contributer, but not a leader, Croshere tried every once in a while to do something positive, but every positive move he made was complimented by a move that made the fans boo him in their minds. and Diop was a beast in this series, he showed an offensive skill that many mavs didn't think he had, in fact, I'm sure that we will never see again, he scored a whole 10 points one game. That was impressive for a guy who didn't know where the basket was in the regular season.
However, Harris was still hindered by foul trouble, Diop, had no offensive repertoire, he just played hard, and Croshere, well, he was better than KVH, so that counts for something.
The mavs need to look to the future realizing that they do not need any personnel basketball adjustments in order to make it back to the Finals. What they do need is some leadership, maybe a co-first-banana with Dirk, because I think Dirk is too good to be a second banana, but doesnt have the personality to have all the load squarely on his shoulders.
A player the mavs need to go after is Billups, he is strong, a good shooter, excellent decision maker. there have been many suggestions for Sign and Trades with Detroit in order to lure Billups away from Motown. But the biggest concern remains, how do we get him? What pieces to give up to bring a proven PG to this city? It is obvious that the terry/harris experiment is flawed, but Harris is our future. Would Detroit accept a package of terry/Dampier? I think not, our best bet is to provide a young Harris to make Detroit accept the sign and trade.
This would only work, if we traded into the 1st round of the draft, to draft a pg to groom behind Billups as a 3rd string pg, and trade Terry for both a starting SG, and a backup PG, maybe to seattle for Rashard Lewis + one of their guards, and to make the salaries work, we might have to lose somebody like George, or Stackhouse. But, the resulting team should make it easier to get the ball to Dirk in the correct spot, allowing us to matchup better with teams that run and gun (like GS) while at the same time not losing any advantage we may have ever held vs teams like Detroit, San Antonio, or Phoenix.
But the Mavericks have to act fast, their window of opportunity is closing, the team must not pretend that there is nothing to worry about after the finals collapse last year, and the choke job in the 1st round this year.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Why the regular season matters.
The Dallas mavericks have accumulated the 8th best record in history after 50 games. And with a record of 41-9, the Mavericks can't possibly be in any better position with less than a week before the all-star break.
lets analyze this for a second:
Entering this season, the mavs were facing a tough situation, the front office had chosen to stick with the core of the team that lost last season's finals, and instead give them a chance to try again for a championship. This team was a question mark, would they rebound from a tough finals loss? or would they be disinterested in the season and fail to recover.
In reality, the regular season would seem to mean very little to a team which knows that they won't shed the ghosts until the playoffs where they can repent for their horrible showing in the finals. But the mavs made it a mission, they always find mistakes in their play, and are never satisfied with what they accomplished.
now all they have to do is not go in a slump when the playoffs start. Here's to hoping.
lets analyze this for a second:
- They have a whopping 8.5 game lead over the Spurs in the race for the Southwest division. In retrospect, the last time the spurs trailed a division opponent by that large a margin, it was back in the 1996-1997 season when San Antonio finished with one of the worse records in the league and won the lottery to get Tim Duncan on board and being their current run of eliteness in this league.
- The team has a spectacular record of 10-1 when Dirk scores 20 or less points. more proof that it hasn't been relying on Dirk for their wins.
- The team has yet to lose in the second night of back to backs!!! with an astonishing record of 10-0, this is unprecedented in NBA history. the second night of back-to-back is important because the team is usually at a disadvantage because of fatigue, and travel.
- The team now has a two game lead over the Phoenix Suns for the best record in the nba.
- Josh Howard just joined Dirk Nowitzki as the second maverick at the All Star game next weekend in Vegas. Albeit, after injuries to Carlos Boozer and Yao Ming allowed the commish to select Howard along with Carmelo Anthony to both players' first all star game.
- This team is proving that it has grown leaps and bounds over last season's finals loser to Miami. Recently in the news, Dwyane Wade responded to a comment made by Dirk over 3 months ago about Dirk's opinion that the mavs lost the finals, and the heat didn't win it. Wade responds by questioning Dirks' leadership when the series was on the line last June. Dirk refused to trade banter back and forth, rendering Wade as the "dumber" of the two players.
- Dallas also now owns the best home record in the nba, 24-3, including a 17 game win streak which is a new team record.
Entering this season, the mavs were facing a tough situation, the front office had chosen to stick with the core of the team that lost last season's finals, and instead give them a chance to try again for a championship. This team was a question mark, would they rebound from a tough finals loss? or would they be disinterested in the season and fail to recover.
In reality, the regular season would seem to mean very little to a team which knows that they won't shed the ghosts until the playoffs where they can repent for their horrible showing in the finals. But the mavs made it a mission, they always find mistakes in their play, and are never satisfied with what they accomplished.
now all they have to do is not go in a slump when the playoffs start. Here's to hoping.
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