After an impressive Finals run two years ago, it seemed as if Dallas had reached its peak there - a nice 67 win season and now two consecutive first round playoff loses - it is clear Dallas will not win the championship, every teams goal, with their current roster. So, heading into a long offseason Dallas needs to re-evaluate everyone and look whats happening. Some of the main questions that need to be addressed are - Should Avery Johnson stay as head coach? - Does Dallas consider trading Dirk Nowitzki? - What is there to be done with Jason Kidd? - Free agents: MLE/LLE - Role players? They were pretty shonky and we have no post prescense or interior defense Anything else you guys think of? Any trade ideas
Link to free agents Here are our upcoming free agents; Malik Allen, Jose Juan Barea, Devean George, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, Jamaal Magloire, Antoine Wright -- which means we will have 9 players on our roster at around $80 million (Finleys contract comes off the books) So, I think we need some young blood but we traded our #21 pick to New Jersey Here are some affordable players we should look at with the LLE and MLE - Chris Duhon - Daniel Gibson (RFA) - Yakhouba Diawara (RFA) - Walter Hermann (RFA) - Matt Barnes - Michael Pietrus - DeSagana Diop - Bonzi Wells - Roger Mason Some other teams that are looking to make changes would be; Phoenix, New York, Chicago, Charlotte, Denver and Golden State (probably a few more). Personally, with the performance Josh Howard has been giving recently I would be willing to dangle him around to try and get a young, talented 3 like Luol Deng - someone who is not afraid to drive and put his body on the line. Jerry Stackhouse has got to go, he has another 2 years on his contract and he is just horrible - he has nagging injuries and he has lost his spark which made him such a great bench player - he hoists up shots and doesn't put forth 100% effort. Dallas needs to build a roster around those who try their hardest, so I'm undecided about Kidd - people have been suggesting an Iverson for Kidd trade - but both Dirk and Iverson are at their best when they have the ball in their hands. Avery Johnson should go, he doesn't suit Dallas anymore - he should maybe consider the army? Everything needs to be done his way otherwise he doesn't work. If he is going to stay, Cuban needs to give a stern warning that he needs to relax and let Dallas run their own stuff from time to time, we're one of the most talented teams in the league. I don't really know much about coaches, who do you think? Someone recommended JVG? It's got to be someone who focus on our strong-points and tries to help our weakpoints - although thats pretty obvious. As it stands, Averys system does not work - he tried isolations and isolations only, he tried to force Dirk be something he wasn't and that just fucked with our whole teams system Only Dirk and Bass showed up this series, Terry came for maybe one game and Kidd and Howard played like D-League rs, I personally think Dirk can still be the cornerstone of this winning franchise if we turn it around in a year or two - but a big trade for someone just as old as Avery won't cut it, it's sticking to one team plan for a few years and getting good role players like Battier's and whatnot.
Step 1 is done. Avery is gone and I already see a great comeback season. I agree with you in dangling Josh Howard around. Howard was horrible going into the end of the season. The guy has been settling with jumpers. You thought that Jason was terrible from the field, Josh shot under 30% in the series against New Orleans. Dallas needs a solid back up center and another shooter off the bench.
Has Josh's value really dipped that low? I realize he played terrible during the playoffs, but he just had the best season of his career, he's still quite young, and we're only a year removed from people arguing that he was the Mavs' best player (after Dirk choked in last year's playoffs). I think a lot of this trade discussion has more to do with frustration over the timing of those "marijuana" comments (both during the playoffs and when he was playing poorly). But I still don't think that's any reason to dump your best young asset.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ May 5 2008, 05:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Has Josh's value really dipped that low? I realize he played terrible during the playoffs, but he just had the best season of his career, he's still quite young, and we're only a year removed from people arguing that he was the Mavs' best player (after Dirk choked in last year's playoffs). I think a lot of this trade discussion has more to do with frustration over the timing of those "marijuana" comments (both during the playoffs and when he was playing poorly). But I still don't think that's any reason to dump your best young asset.</div> It's not a must. Let's just see what Dallas can get for him. Maybe it will give him a much needed jolt or something for next season.
That's true. I'd be interested to see what they can get for him. But that really would be the final desperation move for this team, because he's one heckuva talent to give up on.
