<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>While the Mavericks play the waiting game with top free-agent target Mike James, they have come to terms with backup center D.J. Mbenga on a multiyear contract. Mbenga has been with the team for two seasons. He earned $880,000 last season. Terms of the new deal were not disclosed. Mbenga can't sign the agreement until July 12, per free-agency rules. The Mavericks were impressed with the way the 7-footer improved as the season went on. He's one of the most athletic centers in the league and still is learning the game. Mbenga appeared in 43 games last season and averaged more than five blocked shots per 48 minutes played. Mavericks/NBA Mavs' Mbenga signsMbenga statsMore MavericksMeanwhile, plenty of competition has cropped up in the Mavericks' pursuit of James, arguably the top free-agent guard left on the market. The Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets, among others, are pursuing the 6-2 guard, who averaged 20.3 points for Toronto this season. Because of the high interest, James and agent Bill Duffy appear to be in no hurry to accept the Mavericks' offer of their $5 million mid-level exception, or any other offer. Taking their time might pay off. The Hawks lost out on their bid to sign Sam Cassell. Since the Hawks are under the salary cap, they can offer James more money than the Mavericks. The Mavericks appear content to wait on James, although they also are interested in Denver forward Reggie Evans. The Rockets made a strong push for James as soon as the free-agent negotiating period started Friday. Coach Jeff Van Gundy was ringing James' doorbell at his Houston home at 11:01 p.m. to start the wooing process. Like the Mavericks, Houston is hesitant to give James, 31, more than a three-year contract.</div> Man I love how Mavs are trying to get the offseason over quickly by resigning their guys first forehand and going after the guys they targeted. Landing Evans and James would be nice.
Well thats cool, he did show some flashes of offense when he did play.. We need all the big bodies we can get to guard Amare..
We just need competent bodies down low period.Right now all we have is Diop/Damp/Mbenga at the Center position...and Dirk/Josh Powell at the 4...and if you want to include Josh Howard, who I think of more as a swing player, that's not very good.We need to add at least another quality, or at least competent, backup up 4, or banging 3 for sure.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Well thats cool, he did show some flashes of offense when he did play.. We need all the big bodies we can get to guard Amare..</div> Let's see how Amare plays first, we shouldn't be building on gameplay on Amare at all now. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Right now all we have is Diop/Damp/Mbenga at the Center position...and Dirk/Josh Powell at the 4...and if you want to include Josh Howard, who I think of more as a swing player, that's not very good.</div> That to me is pretty good, we bring back our three headed center and Benga also can slide to the four as well. I agree we need one more body in case of injury but I don't think we have a bad big man rotation at all.
I disagree. Amare and Duncan are the ones we should be gearing up now. Reggie Evans would be the perfect player to put Amare and maybe Duncan as well. Dallas should forget about Mike James and concentrate on getting Reggie Evans.
Man I love this place! anyways.Lets face it, we still need an inside presence to really get somewhere. Forget about defending a certain player, we need a banger.
Yeah Reggie Evans is known as a banger so that is why he fits well against Duncan and Amare. He is a good rebounder for sure.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I disagree. Amare and Duncan are the ones we should be gearing up now. Reggie Evans would be the perfect player to put Amare and maybe Duncan as well. Dallas should forget about Mike James and concentrate on getting Reggie Evans.</div> Why should we gear our plans towards guarding a guy coming off major knee surgery. Our big man rotation is not bad and I see us adding one more guy. No big guy in free agency can stop Duncan and Amare. It's going to be about running different guys at them, something we can do with our bigs. Also, Evans has listed the teams and were not one of them. In addition, their talking about Evans going back to Denver for half the MLE(because he likes it there). I'd like him but it's a longshot. Oh and how is Reggie Evans a banger? He has zero offensive game, he's a good rebounder and a dirty defender(something I like). But that's about it.
That's what we need though I was unaware of the surgery. We don't need a scorer to backup Dirk but someone that can do the dirty work and also a player that would work well at Center if Dallas decides to go small.
Yea Evans would be nice here, James needs to make his decision it's either us or Rockets now. So I hope he decides soon, so we can possibly make some offer to Evans, maybe even a sign and trade. I also would like to see us talk to Lorenzen Wright too.
Sorry guys, but Im telling ya. Mike wont want less than 20 mpg. I dont see him signing with you even if you get Terry to spend some time at the 2.
Mike James will be starting. PG Terry 36 Minutes/ Harris 12 minutesSG James 32 Minutes/Harris 8 minutes minutes/Stackhouse 8 minutesSF Howard 36 Minutes/ Stackhouse 12 minutesPF Nowitzki 40 Minutes/Powell 8 MinutesC Diop 20 Minutes/Dampier 20 minutes/Mbenga 8 MinutesAlso putting Howard more at the power forward would allow more minutes for Stackhouse.
That sounds about right, I don't know if you heard about Avery but when he discussed about Ager, he really talked about Devin being their sg and Terry being his 1. I think most Mavs fans see it the other way but it made sense because he was referencing defense and Devin usually guards the 2. But the minutes do work out, as Terry will get much of his play at one position and James/Harris split. That's what Avery seemed to hint if James were to come.
Ager is going to play some next year...so don't start thinking he's going to ride the end of the bench, it just won't happen.They brought him in to play, maybe not right away, but definately at some point next season. His defensive ability, and ability to shoot the ball will get him playing time.I just really think some of you guys are overlooking our first round pick.
Unless we have an injury at the beginning of the year, I don't expect him to play much to start. But with the players ahead of him, Ager is going to have play to where Avery trusts him enough. Right now, no way he plays over Harris, Terry, Stackhouse, Daniels, and even Griff. He has to jump over 4 guys, possibly a 5th to just smell minutes. Howard started off slow as a rook, then started, then benched. Daniels got playing time midway and increased as the season grew on. Harris started at the start(mistake), then really didn't see a lot of the time the whole year. I don't expect anything different with Ager.
See I'm assuming we trade Daniels, and Griff won't be back...and until I hear otherwise, I'll keep on assuming that.Look, even if we trade Daniels for James, you'll have Terry/James/Harris getting most of the minutes at the 1 and 2...and then Stack would come in, some at the 2, and some at the 3, and in that scenerio there's still plenty of time for Ager to play...Now if they do resign Griff, and keep Daniels, then I agree with you...he won't play at all next year, unless he just outplays Daniels, or maybe even Harris, when he does.
Even if he outplays Harris which I doubt, he wouldn't get his playing time as Ager is more of a shooting guard and we'll need Harris running point. Also, I'm expecting Daniels to be traded, I think Griff will be back replacing Rawle Marshall. If not, Terry, Harris, Stack, Howard, and James will still get most of the minutes. I don't see how Ager will get a lot of minutes unless a injury happens. With Terry, Harris, James splitting time at the 2, there's hardly any minutes for Ager, and that's his main position. Also, count in those three will probably play the one as well. Then you have Howard playing much of the three, and Stack getting minutes there as well. I hardly see the room Ager has. Ager will get much of his time when Stack leaves the following year.
Don't worry about it, Steakhouse, Daniels, griffen, Harris are all injury guys. Ager will get his minutes
I don't think Avery is satisfied with Griffin's offensive game. Also his defense isn't that great either. I see Griffin wanting a bigger contract than he's worth. I think Daniels will be kept in the same role as last year. Harris and Terry will start and Daniels, Ager, and Stackhouse will fight for backup positions at the 1,2, and 3. If Mike James comes to our team than Cuban will most likely get rid of Daniels. Hopefully not Harris or I will be a disgruntled mavs fan.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I don't think Avery is satisfied with Griffin's offensive game. Also his defense isn't that great either. I see Griffin wanting a bigger contract than he's worth. I think Daniels will be kept in the same role as last year.</div> Eh, if Avery wasn't satisfied, he wouldn't have started him. Also, the guy went unsigned last year and doesn't seem to be getting any interest this year. He also doesn't have a money problem. He's looking more for a ring then money at this point of his career. I doubt he's asking a lot to teams. I'd take him back for the same deal last year for spot duty. Especially over Rawle, who has shown no improvement and no point in developing him when we got Ager. And I see Daniels in another role on another team. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>If Mike James comes to our team than Cuban will most likely get rid of Daniels. Hopefully not Harris or I will be a disgruntled mavs fan.</div> If he does that, get over it, because we've done worse moves then that in the past. But I seriously doubt Harris is dealt just because of James. James is more of a nail in the coffin of Daniels.
