<span class="vitstorybody"> avericks swingman Devean George has elected not to exercise the second year of his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent on Sunday, the team said Friday. </p> George had one year remaining on his deal at $2.16 million. He owned the option of getting out of the contract after the first season. </p> The Mavericks were informed by agent Mark Bartelstein Friday morning that George would become a free agent. </p> That doesn't prohibit the Mavericks from re-signing George. But it allows George to test the free-agent market and likely allows him to gain a multiyear deal instead of working on the final season of his Mavericks contract. </p> George was productive at times for the Mavericks last season, although he fought health issues. He had a knee injury in February that cost him almost a month. </p> He also had a stomach illness that derailed him early in the season. </p> When healthy, he played in 60 games and was an occasional starter and averaged 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in 21.4 minutes. </p> DMN.com</p></span>
<span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"> A year ago, the Mavericks thought they were adding small pieces to a puzzle that was nearly complete. But out of Anthony Johnson, Greg Buckner, Austin Croshere and Devean George, only George delivered what the team hoped for. </p> Free agency is more important to the Mavericks now than it was a year ago. This team is not two wins away from an NBA title. It was 14 wins shy this year. </p> The West is getting even better. It's time for the Mavericks to get tougher. </p> Here is my list of 10 free agents Dallas should be looking at, starting today: </p> </p> <div class="dwssubhead"> 1. Matt Barnes, Golden State </div> Defense. Attitude. A really creepy number of tattoos crawling up his neck. </p> Barnes was one of the key reasons the Warriors upset the Mavericks in the playoffs. When Stephen Jackson needed a break, Barnes guarded Dirk Nowitzki just as effectively. He delivered big shots, too. </p> Barnes averaged 11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, mostly coming off the bench, in the playoffs. He has had a strange career, somehow playing for five teams in four years. He made just $744,000 last year. </p> Barnes is the kind of athletic, tough guy the Mavericks could really use. And he has 3-point range, too. </p> </p> <div class="dwssubhead"> 2. Chauncey Billups, Detroit </div> I don't know how in the world you get Billups away from the Pistons. But if there is even a 1 percent chance of doing a sign-and-trade for the Pistons' point guard and true leader, the Mavericks have to do it. For some reason, this guy made only $6.3 million last year. The Mavericks' mid-level exception will probably be a little under $6 million. </p> I don't know. Just find a way. </p> </p> <div class="dwssubhead"> 3. Gerald Wallace, Charlotte </div> The Bobcats' shooting guard made $5.5 million last year. He's expendable now that they have Jason Richardson. No one outside the Charlotte city limits has seen Wallace play the last couple of seasons, but he averaged 18 points a game and made half his shots last year. A good player. </p> </p> <div class="dwssubhead"> 4. P.J. Brown, Chicago </div> Nearing the end of his career, Brown would be a nice fit coming off the bench to offer a physical presence inside. With Nowitzki and Nick Fazekas, the Mavericks have plenty of big skill. They need big toughness. Brown showed in limited playoff time with the Bulls he still has it. He made $8.5 million last year but has to know he is nearing the end. </p> </p> <div class="dwssubhead"> 5. Mo Peterson, Toronto </div> This guy spent too much time tucked away on Toronto's bench last year, and his scoring fell just about in half, down to nine points a game. </p> An athletic guard-forward, Peterson turns 30 this summer, so I have to think he has something left. </p> </p> <div class="dwssubhead"> 6. Desmond Mason, New Orleans </div> Going local – Oklahoma State by way of Waxahachie. Mason is a 14 points-per-game guy who probably isn't worth the $8 million he made a year ago. Put him in Dallas at a little under $6 million, and the Mavericks crank up the offense even more. </p> </p> <div class="dwssubhead"> 7. Mikki Moore, New Jersey </div> I'm a little leery of a grown man who goes by Mikki, but he's fully grown at 7 feet and he showed how scrappy he is during the Nets' playoff run. He averaged 11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in the postseason and has an interesting set of skills for a big man. He made $1.07 million last year. </p> </p> <div class="dwssubhead"> 8. Luke Walton, LA Lakers </div> It's hard to average 11 points for the Lakers with Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom jacking up about 50 shots a night, but Walton is a versatile player and a good passer, if not the greatest athlete in the league. I can see him getting significant bench minutes and being an upgrade over Croshere. Made $1.375 million last season. </p> </p> <div class="dwssubhead"> 9. Slava Medvedenko, Atlanta </div> I'm kidding. I just wanted to see if you were still reading. </p> </p> <div class="dwssubhead"> 10. James Posey, Miami </div> Did a nice job on Dirk in the '06 Finals. Does kind of a nice, solid job every night for the Heat, getting his 7.7 points and five rebounds and delivering solid defense. Made $6.39 million. Maybe just having him around in practice would remind the Mavericks how close they were to the promised land 12 months ago. </p> A couple of these guys can help them find their way back. </p> DMN.com</p></span></span>
<font size="3"><u>What the Mavs have to spend</u></font></p>Qualifying veteran free-agent ("Bird") exception The Mavs want to re-sign sixth man Jerry Stackhouse, and they won't be restricted by the salary cap in what they can offer. Because Stackhouse has played for the Mavs for three seasons, he falls under the so-called Larry Bird rule, which allows teams to re-sign their own free agents to a first-year salary<span class="kLink" style="text-decoration: underline ! important; position: static"><font color="blue" style="color: blue ! important; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 13.2px; position: static"><span class="kLink" style="overflow: auto; color: blue ! important; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 13.2px; position: static; width: 35px; height: 16px"></span></font></span> up to the league maximum. Stackhouse made $9.3 million last season, but he likely won't command as much this season. Non-qualifying veteran free-agent ("non-Bird") exception</p> If the Mavs re-sign Devean George, who opted out of his contract, they'll use this exception, which allows teams to re-sign their own free agents who have been with the team less than two seasons. This will not affect the Mavs' other exceptions.</p> Mid-level exception</p> The dollar value of this slot will be finalized Sunday, but it's expected to be about $6 million. Teams can sign one or more players with first-year salaries totaling the pre-determined amount.</p> Bi-annual exception</p> This salary slot can be used to sign one or more players with first-year salaries totaling $1.83 million.</p> </p>
<table border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" width="639" height="56" bordercolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#003366"><div align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2" color="#ffffff">Player</font></div></td> <td valign="top" bgcolor="#003366"><div align="center"><font color="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">2007/08</font></font></div></td> <td valign="top" bgcolor="#003366"><div align="center"><font color="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">2008/09</font></font></div></td> <td valign="top" bgcolor="#003366"><div align="center"><font color="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">2009/10</font></font></div></td> <td valign="top" bgcolor="#003366"><div align="center"><font color="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">2010/11</font></font></div></td> <td valign="top" bgcolor="#003366"><div align="center"><font color="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">2011/12</font></font></div></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#ffffff"> <td valign="top"><font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1"><font color="#000000">Dirk Nowitzki</font></font></font></td> <td align="center" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1" color="#000000">$16,360,095</font></td> <td align="center" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1">$18,077,904</font></td> <td align="center" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1">$19,795,714</font></td> <td align="center" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1" color="#0486b0">21,513,524</font></td> <td align="center" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1">$0</font></td> </tr> </tbody></table></p> Blue represents that Dirk has a player option</p>
The agent for veteran forward James Posey said Monday his client would agree to be used in a sign-and-trade deal if the Heat was unwilling to offer a new deal to stay in Miami. Posey has attracted interest from Utah, Dallas, Denver, New Jersey, Cleveland and the Lakers, agent Mark Bartelstein said.</p> - Miami Herald</p> </p> I've wanted Posey from the beginning</p>
I don't like Posey. I mean if he couldn't get into favor with the Heat, why do we think he'll be better here?
After hearing Phoenix's recruiting pitch Tuesday, free agent Grant Hill is expected to make his choice known by the end of the week. Hill passed on tours and in-home visits and settled for phone calls with his suitors. Phoenix General Manager Steve Kerr got the last word of the interested teams. Hill also is considering Detroit, San Antonio, Miami and a surprise - Dallas. Hill was born and lived a portion of his boyhood in Dallas, where his father, Calvin, played six years for the NFL's Cowboys. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is a longtime Hill fan, and his team was hoping to get point guard help. Hill is a wing player but can run an offense, which is part of the attraction for Phoenix to have another facilitator besides Steve Nash and Boris Diaw.
<span class="vitstorybody"><font size="+2"><h2 class="vitstoryheadline"><span class="vitstoryheadline">Mavs shopping for good bargains</span></h2></font> <font size="+1"><span class="vitstorydeck">Team will be patient, but there are exceptions to consider </span></font> <font size="-1"><h5 class="vitstorydate"><span class="vitstorydate">02:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 11, 2007</span></h5></font> <font size="-1"><span class="vitstorybyline">By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News esefko@dallasnews.com </span></font> <span class="vitstorybody"> Everybody in the NBA is bracing for basketball's version of a discount shopping spree that officially opens today. It's a buyer's market, or at least it will be when everything shakes out. </p> While top free agents such as Rashard Lewis (leaving Seattle for Orlando) and Vince Carter (returning to New Jersey) have already agreed to lucrative deals, which can be signed today, the Mavericks and other teams are biding their time, patiently waiting for agents and players to begin taking the best available contract that is presented to them. </p> Many that are seeking the full mid-level exception – which was set at $5.36 million Tuesday – will be disappointed. </p> It's not a particularly attractive crop of free agents, but the Mavericks are hoping that a couple of immediate helpers will filter through to them. If not, they are at peace heading into next season with what they have, which is a perennial playoff team with virtually all of the key pieces in their prime. </p> In short, they are bargain hunters, having yet to commit any of their available money under salary-cap exceptions. </p> "This is the cry-wolf day," Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. "But I think once it comes and goes, there will be a settling-out period and then people will come to a more realistic approach." </p> Today will likely pass without the Mavericks opening the checkbook, Nelson said, other than to re-sign Jerry Stackhouse and Devean George, their two key free agents. Both players will be signed under provisions of what is known as "Larry Bird" exceptions. Each team can re-sign its own free agents with at least three years of service with the team to any amount up to the NBA maximum, which was Stackhouse's case. In George's case, an "Early Bird" provision allowed him to re-sign. </p> Now, the Mavericks will patiently wait to see which bargains slip through the cracks around the league. A short list of possibilities: </p> •A swingman who is athletic and defensive-minded. Qualifiers for this role would include Golden State's Matt Barnes, Miami's James Posey, Toronto's Morris Peterson, Golden State's Mickael Pietrus and Cleveland's Sasha Pavlovic, among others. They are all looking for the full mid-level exception. They won't all get it. </p> A full exception, extended out for five seasons, will mean about a $35 million investment for a team. It's more likely that the Mavericks try to find a bargain for about half of the exception. </p> •A veteran center. P.J. Brown is considered the best of the bunch and probably could be had for the $1.8 million bi-annual exception. Another possibility is Chris Webber, whom the Mavericks coveted when he was released by Philadelphia last season and signed with Detroit to be near his hometown. Darko Milicic, released by Orlando to make room for Lewis, is not believed to be a candidate. </p> •A sign-and-trade for Gerald Wallace. He's the last of the marquee free agents who is unaccounted for,</p></span></span>
<table border="0" cellspacing="8" cellpadding="0" width="937" height="258"><tbody><tr><td class="wiretap_key_header"></td></tr><tr><td></td> </tr> <tr> <td> Sacramento Bee - <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Heading into this offseason, the midlevel exception of $5.356 million seemed a realistic salary starting point in the eyes of many, including Matt Barnes. In a departure from his usual steady, low-key approach, Barnes left agent Bill Neff, who had beaten many a bush over the past few seasons to get Barnes into veteran training camps, to sign with agent Dan Fegan, who just happened to have fellow Warriors Stephen Jackson and Jason Richardson). "I was talking to a lot of people who were telling me that I needed a big-time agent to get that big money," Barnes said Wednesday evening. "That's the main reason I decided to change agents. It wasn't anything that (Neff) did or didn't do. We'll see if that was a smart decision or not. Basically, it was just me analyzing my situation." Wednesday was the first day teams could sign free agents, and Barnes said he has not received the offers he anticipated. "Right now, there's nothing happening," he said. "I was thinking the midlevel exception was realistic, but my agent has been telling me teams have questioned whether the success I had was because of (Warriors coach Don) Nelson's system a (since traded to nd whether or not I could have the same success in another system.</div></p> Matt Barnes, Dallas is after him..theres some light to his situation. I'm thinking maybe we could get him for 3 years/12 million, PJ Brown for LLE and then still have $1.6 million left to try and get one last player.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Mark Bartelstein, who represents Heat free agent James Posey, said the forward would likely sign with one of four teams: Cleveland, Golden State, New Orleans or New Jersey, the Miami Herald is reporting</div></p> </p> And thats Posey out of the running for Dallas now aswell</p>
Blatche would be a good pickup...and Moore to Sacramento, I didn't even see that one. That's dumb.</p>
"Word is Eddie Jones, who has been awaiting a Heat offer, again has been considering overtures from Dallas "</p>
s Chris Webber serious about coming to Dallas as Dirk's backup and sometimes sidekick, or is this just another case of a player dropping Mark Cuban's name to get a better deal elsewhere? </p> Marc Stein: He's only considering Detroit and Dallas at this point. The impression I get is that he's seriously interested. But its not to back Dirk up, it's to play some five next to Dirk</p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dre)</div><div class='quotemain'> Blatche would be a good pickup...and Moore to Sacramento, I didn't even see that one. That's dumb.</p> </div></p> Some teams, such as Dallas, which is believed to have some interest in Blatche, could offer him the midlevel exception, with a starting first-year salary of about $5.4 million. Because he is a restricted free agent, the Wizards, despite the proximity of the tax trigger, can match any offer Blatche receives.</p><div class="twt-image-container-width"> </div> "We have had some discussions with a number of teams showing interest in Andray," his agent, Eric Fleisher, said last night.</p> </p> Please don't offer Blatche that kind of money, please Nelson no!</p> </p>
<span class="subhead">Free-agent update</span></p> Forward-center Chris Webber is talking to "a couple of teams," but his status for next season likely won't be decided any time soon, a spokeswoman for Webber's agent, Aaron Goodwin, said.</p> Agent Mark Bartelstein said on Monday that he continues to have discussions with the Mavs about two of his clients, small forward James Posey (Miami) and center-forward P.J. Brown (Chicago), although he said Brown has yet to decide whether he will retire.</p>
<span class="vitstorybody"><font size="+2"><h2 class="vitstoryheadline"><span class="vitstoryheadline">All's quiet for Mavs in free agency</span></h2></font> <font size="-1"><h5 class="vitstorydate"><span class="vitstorydate">12:34 AM CDT on Friday, July 20, 2007</span></h5></font> <font size="-1"><span class="vitstorybyline">By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News khairopoulos@dallasnews.com </span></font> <span class="vitstorybody"> Things remain quiet for the Dallas Mavericks during free agency as guard Steve Francis on Thursday decided to return to the Houston Rockets, his agent said. </p> Agent Jeff Fried said Francis agreed to a short-term deal with the Rockets over the Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat because of his comfort level with the franchise and the city. </p> "The West just got tougher," Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson said. "We've got two pretty good point guards. We just didn't have the playing time to accommodate him." </p> Francis played the first five years of his career with the Rockets, including three All-Star seasons. Fried said other teams offered more money, but Francis has considered Houston his home since he entered the NBA in 1999. </p> Francis, who has averaged 18.4 points during his eight-year career, spent the last three seasons with Orlando and New York. He averaged a career-low 11.3 points per game for the Knicks last season. </p> He became a free agent after Portland bought out the final two years of his contract for $30 million after acquiring him in a draft-night trade with the Knicks. </p> </span></span>
