<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Knee-jerk reaction may have brought Mavs a forward..07:53 PM CDT on Thursday, August 3, 2006By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning NewsThings may have been vastly different for new Mavericks forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu had he not twisted a knee late last season after leading George Washington into the top 10.Instead, the Colonials were eliminated by Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and Mensah-Bonsu was undrafted.The Mavericks, intrigued by Mensah-Bonsu's athleticism and performance in two summer leagues, signed him to a two-year contract Thursday. Only the first year is guaranteed."Guys with his athleticism and competitive mind-set don't go undrafted," president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. "He was the most athletic 4 [power forward] I saw this summer outside of Amare Stoudemire."Mensah-Bonsu (6-9, 240) possesses a 38-inch vertical jump and has been playing organized basketball for only six years. He averaged 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds as a senior for George Washington and about eight points and five rebounds in the Las Vegas and Salt Lake City summer leagues."It's a blessing," Mensah-Bonsu, 22, said. "I've been working for this since I've been playing basketball. To make it official is hard to believe. It's a dream come true."While the Mavericks gained one big man, they may soon lose another.The team is contemplating a buyout for 7-5 Pavel Podkolzin, who has one year remaining on his contract.As a third-year player, Podkolzin cannot be sent to the developmental league. And the Mavericks have a logjam for playing time at center.With the buyout, Podkolzin, 21, could play significant minutes in Europe and continue to develop</div>Sounds similar to the Alex Acker situation in Detroit. It allows Pavel to develop and Mavs a open spot possibly with a Van Horn trade. For those who don't know about the Acker situation, Acker is currently slated to play in Europe for the following season, with Pistons keeping his rights in case they want to bring him back over the next season. Hopefully, the same situation is being talked about in Pavel's case, otherwise it's just stupid to release him for nothing.I mean it's the 15th man, and what other player do you want at the position but a project, someone who can develop later and not demand playing time. Were hard on time as is, he's the perfect candidate along with both Ager and Pops for the IR. Switching Pavel with another potential prospect is a waste(I rather take a 7'5 big man with potential then anything else), and filling it with a veteran is a waste, as the player won't get any time. As long as we keep his rights, this is the perfect move.
I really don't see much hope for him and Dallas has 3 centers so no need for a player like him anyways. With that said I guess just allow him to develop and if he turns out to be a bust than so what. We got Mbenga and Diop for the future anyways.
That was a waste of a draft pick, you could tell that kid had bust written all over him. I actually saw him play, he was so uncoordinated and looked like he didn't even know how to play basketball.
i never really liked this pick, the mavs were desperate at the time for a center and just did this dumb move for him. we would have been better off keeping the pick and letting Utah get him
How's he a bust when he hasn't gotten a chance yet to play. He's only 21 guys, and your just writing him off. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I really don't see much hope for him</div> If anything, the move would be a win win, as Pavel would get playing time with a team that needs a center ie. Hawks or more development in Europe, and Mavs well, I don't know. They have no room for him and that's basically it. If you call that a win, ok.
I think this would be a very good decision for both Pavel and for the team. We all agree that he needs to work on his game tremendously and this is one way we can do it without losing his rights. I'm still not sold that he is an entire bust. I think he could still come in and maybe give good servicible minutes at center or be a good add in onto a trade. So here's the next question, if this happens, that means we have 1 extra roster spot. Who would you like to see us sign? I'm thinking it would be either a project player that could play in the d-league or a seasoned vet.
No sense in switching another project with Pavel. If anything, it would be for a vet, that's the only reason I see towards cutting Pavel. Because why sign another project, when their not expected to get any time as well, and Pavel is easily better then any other project out there. But I see the D-League reason, but honestly no one out there is even intriguing to stash. Besides, each team is only allowed 2 players in the NBDL, and I think we agree it's the perfect situation for Pops and Ager. I want those two to develop, they won't get a lot of time on the active roster, so bringing in another project, makes one of those players lose time at NBDL as well. As for candidates for the final spot IF we even do buy out Pavel, Jackson Vroman(a guy expected to battle for a spot in training camp) or possibly Najera(via Van Horn trade). The two fit as team guys, who won't complain about time. I'm leaning towards Vroman(cheap, doesn't hurt us tax wise like Najera would).
DALLAS? The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have waived center Pavel Podkolzin.?Pavel has made big strides and has a very bright future but at 21 years of age playing experience is imperative to his development,? said General Manager/President of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson. ?Unfortunately under the current agreement with the NBDL, only those players with two years of experience can participate. Pavel will have the chance to develop properly with game experience and we can keep our options open for re-signing him in the future.?Podkolzin (7-5, 260) was acquired from the Utah Jazz after being selected 21st in the 2004 NBA Draft. The Russian native played a total of six games over the last two seasons and averaged 0.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.5 blocks in 4.7 minutes per game. After missing the first 59 games of the 2005-06 season with a stress fracture in his right foot, he was assigned to the Fort Worth Flyers in the NBDL on March 7. In 11 games with the Flyers, he averaged 6.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in 18.6 minutes.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Pavel will have the chance to develop properly with game experience and we can keep our options open for re-signing him in the future.?</div> That's good to hear, he will get a chance to develop and when he does, we can bring him back.
Even if he was talented there's no point in having a 4th string Center on the reseved lisit. + I'd trust Pops at center before him. And from what I hear we're using that spot to re-sign Van Horn, possibly for a sign-and-trade deal to Denver. Who hav intrest in him, other wise I don't see any reason for them to release him for no reason. I mean we've just signed two players just to be on the IL. So there has to be one more move that's gonna happen I think it'll involve Van Horn.
We don't need a 4th string center, but this Pops kid seems to actually have something...so it's not a complete waste.
The only deal I can see with Denver is for Najera but that puts us way over the luxury tax and it's not worth it for a player who would be on the IR. I'd still love the move. If any spot were going to fill and it's not a knock on Pops. Pops still has a ways to go and D-League will help him. If Croshere goes down, we have no backup to Dirk and Pops is not reliable right now. I see us going for a veteran 4 for the final spot. Najera would be ideal but again resigning Van Horn like you said could be a option. Something that was talked about by DLord on db.com.
I have no problem with Pops backing up Dirk if Croshere goes down. If he is that bad I'm sure Josh Howard will play the 4 spot allowing the other players to get more minutes allowing an overcrowded guard position to get more minutes.
They don't need him considering they have Diop, Dampier, and MBenga, so they're just doing some necessary clean up.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rok @ Aug 4 2006, 06:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>How's he a bust when he hasn't gotten a chance yet to play. He's only 21 guys, and your just writing him off. If anything, the move would be a win win, as Pavel would get playing time with a team that needs a center ie. Hawks or more development in Europe, and Mavs well, I don't know. They have no room for him and that's basically it. If you call that a win, ok.</div> He's too bad to give playing time to...no team could give him playing time and actually pretend to be competing. He's too raw and has vertually no playing experience anywhere to be worth keeping around. He came out 4 years too early but staying in Europe with the terrible coaching he was recieving wouldn't have helped him either.
The thing is I think the Mavs are about to make a move, that's why he was released, He'll have more oppurtunities some were else. He hadn't played much his first two seasons and as a 3rd string Center we can't send him to the D-league. What would be the purpose of him on the team? I think either way if we sign Van Horn and keep him or sign and trade him we'll get back a better player than Pavel.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The thing is I think the Mavs are about to make a move, that's why he was released</div> I disagree, he was released because he wasn't going to develop here because of the 2 year NBDL rule(which is stupid) and being 4th string in the center rotation. He needs playing time, and he will get that in Europe. Donnie has said when the time is right, we will resign him. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>He came out 4 years too early but staying in Europe with the terrible coaching he was recieving wouldn't have helped him either.</div> So why do teams stash international players overseas if their going to get terrible development? I think that's where the mistake with Mavs came from with the pick. They should have let him stay in Europe, keeping his rights. Then later bringing him over, now we released him and he's open to come back and sign with anyone. But if anything, the guy does have a passion for the game from what I've seen and wants to play/develop. And that's a good sign.
