Mavericks Notes: Marion, Carlisle, Trades
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban made headlines last night when he vowed that the "Bank of Cuban" would be open as the trade deadline approaches. Cuban has already declared recently that he was "100%" certain the Mavs would make a deal in the coming weeks. Shawn Marion and Mavs coach Rick Carlisle were among those to react to Cuban's comments today. Here's what they had to say:
- Marion would like to finish his career with the Mavericks, but if he's traded as part of the team's rebuilding efforts, he'd prefer to go to a contender, as he tells Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. "Right now, you’re not playing to be a (expletive) all-star, after 15 years in the league," Marion said. "You’re playing to win a championship."
- Carlisle is aware that trade rumors will begin to circulate more frequently over the next few weeks, but doesn't expect his team to be distracted by them: "I think our guys are going to play. I don’t think they’re going to be affected by any potential rumors or any present rumors. There’s really nothing going on right now that I can surmise."
- Carlisle added that the team's aggressiveness on the trade market is nothing new, and that he'd be more surprised if the so-called "Bank of Cuban" was closed: "I know we’re aggressive. I know we’re on the phone a lot. I know we’re going to make deals that are the right deals to rebuild this thing the way we want to rebuild it, and not just for the sake of doing it."
- We passed along a pair of Mavericks links, including Dirk Nowitzki's reaction to Cuban's comments, earlier this afternoon.
Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Suns, Draft
The Western Conference's current seventh and eighth seeds face tough matchups tonight, as the seventh-place Rockets host the Clippers, while the eighth-place Trail Blazers play the Nuggets in Denver. Losses for one or both clubs could give the Lakers, who host the Bucks, a chance to pick up a game in the standings, as they attempt to claw their way back into the playoff picture. While we look forward to tonight's games, let's check out a few links from around the league:
- Dirk Nowitzki is glad to hear that the "Bank of [Mark] Cuban" will be open as the trade deadline approaches, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes.
- Following up on Cuban's comments, Derek Page of HoopsWorld wonders if Rudy Gay could be a fit for the Mavericks, and examines some of the Mavs' trade candidates.
- In a mailbag, Ian Thomsen of SI.com explores which NBA coach might be the next on the hot seat. Although Thomsen eventually lands on the Suns' Alvin Gentry, he argues that Gentry is not the problem in Phoenix.
- Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic looks at the potential consolation prize for the Suns' disappointing season, outlining which players could interest the club at the top of the 2013 draft. As our tentative draft order shows, Phoenix is currently in line to have a top-five pick.
- Replying to a Twitter question about whether Kentucky's Alex Poythress might remain a Wildcast past this season, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress says Poythress is "100% gone." ESPN.com's Chad Ford projects Poythress as a top-10 pick in June, though ESPN.com's Jay Bilas (Insider link) wrote yesterday that the young forward hasn't lived up to the hype so far.
Players Still Ineligible To Be Traded
Today is January 15th, which means that a number of players who had been ineligible to be traded until this point are now free to be moved by their respective teams. As Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors outlined last month, Eric Gordon, Brook Lopez, Kris Humphries, Ersan Ilyasova, and Jeff Green are among the players who weren't eligible to be dealt until today.
However, in addition to rules that keeps players from being traded until December 15th or January 15th, the CBA also includes a stipulation that a team must have a player on its roster for three months before being able to trade him. That means guys who have signed contracts since October 15th are still ineligible to be dealt.
Here are the players who can't be traded quite yet, along with the dates they'll become trade-eligible:
Leandro Barbosa (Celtics): January 18th
Daniel Orton (Thunder): January 31st
Shaun Livingston (Cavaliers): February 15th
Because the trade deadline arrives on February 21st, players signed after November 21st won't become trade-eligible until after the season. Here are the guys who fit that description:
Jeff Adrien (Bobcats)
James Anderson (Rockets)
Patrick Beverley (Rockets)
Daequan Cook (Bulls)
Kevin Jones (Cavaliers)
Mickael Pietrus (Raptors)
Garrett Temple (Wizards)
In addition to recent signees, players who were claimed off amnesty waivers last July are also ineligible to be traded until July 2013. Some amnesty victims, like Andray Blatche, cleared waivers without being claimed and signed new contracts, so they're trade-eligible now, but the following players can't be moved this season:
Elton Brand (Mavericks)
Brendan Haywood (Bobcats)
Luis Scola (Suns)
Finally, players on 10-day contracts, such as Dominic McGuire, Maalik Wayns, and Josh Harrellson, also won't be trade-eligible at any point this season, even if they eventually receive rest-of-season contracts.
Western Rumors: Mavs, Barea, Gelabale, Kings
The Western Conference appears to be the stronger than the East once again this season, and the Heat's struggles on their Western road trip further drive home that point. Miami lost again tonight, to the Jazz, and face another stiff test Wednesday against the Warriors. We rounded up news from a couple Pacific Division teams earlier tonight, and we'll do the same for the rest of the Western Conference here.
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban reiterated his willingness to take on salary to make a trade, and said he's constantly trying to come up with ideas for GM Donnie Nelson, observes Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.
- Jose Barea said he thinks every day about what might have happened if the Mavs had made an effort to match the deal he signed with the Wolves in 2011. Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com has the details.
- At the bottom of his story on Barea, Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune notes the hangup in the Wolves' plan to sign Mickael Gelabale might be whether they can get him a work visa and administer a physical before Lazar Hayward's 10-day contract is up on Thursday.
- Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com ponders what would happen if the Maloofs decide to wait a while longer before selling or moving the Kings (Sulia link).
- John Reid of The Times-Picayune checks in with Austin Rivers, the 10th pick from last June who's fallen to the fringes of the rotation for the last-place Hornets.
- It's the first year of a hybrid partnership between the Blazers and the D-League Idaho Stampede, and Stampede owner Bill Ilett indicated that there's been some friction, in his comments to KTIK Radio 93.1 FM in Boise. Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge provides a transcription.
Cuban: “100% Chance” Mavs Will Make Trade
Earlier today, Mavs owner Mark Cuban told Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com that he plans to be aggressive in attempting to make a move before the trade deadline. Now, Cuban says that a trade before February 21st is a virtual certainty.
"I would say there’s a one hundred percent chance we’ll do something," Cuban told Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. "There’s nobody in particular we’re looking to get off or anything. But we put ourselves in position where I’m willing to take back money. If it’s the right deal, I’ll take back everything. I don’t care. It just depends. But like I said, there’s a one hundred percent chance we’re going to look to do something."
Cuban doesn't envision one deal putting the Mavs over the top, but he is determined to do everything possible to improve his squad. The owner is understandably antsy to make a change considering the club's 15-23 record, but he says that he's as confident as can be that he'll be able to get Dirk Nowitzki a second ring.
Mavs To Explore Trades, Won’t Move Dirk
The Dallas Mavericks figure to be active on the trade market before the February 21 trade deadline, but owner Mark Cuban made it clear that the team has no plans to trade Dirk Nowitzki. Cuban told ESPNDallas.com that Nowitzki has the team's assurances that he is safe:
"I told Dirk we're not going to trade him. He was happy. I think," Cuban said, laughing. "I wanted to make it clear to him. I said, 'We're in this through thick and thin,' and so there's no way I would trade him, no matter what."
Cuban stated that the Mavs will be aggressive in attempting to make a move before the trade deadline, hinting that the team's salary-cap flexibility could put them in a position of advantage to make an unbalanced trade with a team looking to get under the luxury tax.
Dirk Nowitzki Discusses Future, Deron, Dwight
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports has a new interview with Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki, in which the 2011 NBA Finals MVP discusses his career, his future with the Mavericks, various free agents that have been linked to Dallas, and more.
On the possibility that he may be traded:
“That is a tough question. You have to ask that to [owner] Mark [Cuban] and [general manager] Donnie [Nelson] if that's something they would consider. As far as I'm concerned, I think I am going to finish my career in Dallas. I really only have this year and next year left on my contract for big money and then we will see what happens."
On his hopes for the Mavericks' rebuilding efforts:
The good thing is we have [salary] cap space for the first time in my career. We've always been over the cap. We've never been able to sign someone flat-out. We always had to do different deals to get somebody in.
“The good thing with cap space is you can turn your situation around pretty quick. It might look a little ugly at times this year, but you can take chances on a contract and be a player in free agency this year.”
On his relationship with Deron Williams, who considered signing in Dallas before ultimately returning to Brooklyn:
“I talked to him actually. We partied at one of the All-Star Games a long time ago. I've had his number. We've been talking. He's from Dallas, I know that. But he made the decision that was best for him and for his family. I wasn't mad at that. It is what it is. I have to move on.
On the possibility that the Mavs will pursue Chris Paul or Dwight Howard this summer:
“We're not that close. It's going to be tough. Dwight is in L.A. Obviously, CP3 [Chris Paul] is with the Clippers and they're both in great situations. So, we will have to wait and see what the summer brings. Maybe we can still do something at the trade deadline. We still got a couple weeks to get better and you know Mark and Donnie are always working something to make the franchise better.”
On the Mavs' decision not to bring back Tyson Chandler and Jose Barea following the team's 2011 title:
“Great question. What Mark didn't want to do, especially now with the new CBA, was lock himself in where he has a bunch of older guys with big deals. And then when we get too old, you're basically locked in for another two to three years and you can't do any moves. As I understood the CBA more, how the taxes are going to be, I understood his point of view on it.
“But us as players, we would have loved to have kept Tyson, Caron [Butler], J.J., all those guys who really would have had another shot last year. But it is what it is and you have to make tough decisions in this league, and Cuban thought it would be better to have the [salary] cap space for the future.”
Greg Oden Rumors: Friday
8:13pm: Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reports that several other teams in addition to the Mavericks are interested in possibly signing Oden. The Cavs, Hawks, and Grizzlies are rumored to have already conducted workouts with Oden, while the Bucks, Bulls, Spurs, and Warriors are also said to have interest.
3:15pm: When we heard yesterday that Greg Oden was aiming to return to the NBA for the 2013/14 season, the Heat were the only one of the big man's potential suitors identified. We can add another club to that list, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reports the Mavericks have been in touch with agent Mike Conley Sr. to inquire on Oden.
Oden, who is taking classes at Ohio State, continues to recover from his third microfracture surgery, and isn't expected to be ready to return to action until the fall. However, yesterday's report suggested that there may be teams interested in signing the former first overall pick to a multiyear deal this season, to allow him to rehab under an NBA club's supervision. The Mavs could make a strong case to Oden, writes MacMahon, though he's unsure what sort of financial commitment the team would be willing to make to the oft-injured seven-footer.
As we heard this morning, Conley hinted that the Heat aren't necessarily the frontrunners for his client, and didn't rule out any clubs except for the Trail Blazers.
Stein On Mavericks, Lottery, Dirk
Marc Stein of ESPN.com discussed the Mavericks in a radio interview with a Dallas station and touched on a number of topics concerning the Mavs' present and future rosters. SportsDayDFW.com has the transcript. Here are the highlights:
Stein suggested the Mavericks should think about tanking to position themselves for the draft lottery:
“The playoffs are out of reach. … There’s just too much ground to make up, and to me, what’s the point anyway? To me, it’s going to come to a point where it’s time to play the young guys, it’s time to focus on development and the reality is, even if this isn’t a good draft, the highest possible lottery pick will benefit this team the most.”
He also suggested that part of the Mavs' planning for the future should involve giving more time to rookies Bernard James, Jared Cunningham, and Jae Crowder:
“It’s time to play James. it’s time to play Cunningham. it’s time to feature Crowder more. I mean, nobody wants to hear that but that’s the reality.”
Stein also dismisses talk that the Mavs may look to trade Dirk Nowitzki:
“It’s just so hard to get players at Dirk’s level that I just don’t see any way the Mavs want to give up their one known, and especially because of the relationship he and Cuban have, what he’s meant to this community. Dirk’s frustrated right now. That’s clear with the stuff he’s been saying all week, but he does not want to go anywhere. He wants to finish his career here. He’s saying all this stuff clearly because he wants to see a fix. He wants the team fixed. It’s not because he wants to leave."
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Cousins, Fernandez, Cavs
The Pacers and Trail Blazers head into today having each won 11 of their last 14 contests, but both teams will be in for tough matchups at home tonight, as the Knicks arrive in Indiana and the Heat play in Portland. As we look forward to what should be a fun TNT doubleheader, let's check in on a few afternoon links from around the NBA:
- While the Knicks have inquired on Kenyon Martin, they won't make a decision on the free agent big man one way or another until they determine Rasheed Wallace's timetable, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- One NBA team executive predicts to Ian Thomsen of SI.com that if DeMarcus Cousins becomes available, there won't be as much interest as there might have been in the past. "We do all of this research and background work on players now before we draft them," said the exec. "I think half of the consideration when we look at players now is trying to understand who these guys are as people. I really do think that most teams are going to say they don't want any part of him."
- Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News thinks that the Lakers should trade Dwight Howard for Dirk Nowitzki. However, even if the Lakers were interested in such a move, which seems extremely unlikely, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wouldn't be, as he tells David Baumann of Sports Talk Florida: "No knock on Dwight, I just won't trade Dirk" (Twitter link).
- Although he signed a three-year deal overseas this past offseason, Rudy Fernandez isn't ruling out an eventual return to the NBA, writes CNN.com's Paul Gittings.
- The Cavaliers should attempt to make a play for Rudy Gay, suggests Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post wonders if Wilson Chandler's return to the Nuggets lineup could lead to a trade, either of Chandler or another player.