<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Imagine Jermaine O'Neal in a Mavericks uniform. Yes, that Jermaine O'Neal. The 24-year-old, 6-foot-11, 242-pounder who puts the power into power forward. Or what about Alonzo Mourning? The former All-Star has missed nearly two of the past three seasons but insists he's ready to regain his place among the league's top centers. Or you could also see Karl Malone, Scottie Pippen, P.J. Brown, Lamar Odom or Brad Miller join the boys in blue at American Airlines Center. Seem impossible? Especially for a team nearly $40 million over the salary cap? Hardly. In one month, NBA teams can begin talking to free agents, and the Mavericks are positioned to be smack dab in the middle of the wheeling and dealing. The crop of available players -- led by San Antonio forward Tim Duncan, New Jersey point guard Jason Kidd and Indiana's O'Neal -- is easily one of the best in years. The Mavs, despite being in luxury-tax purgatory, aren't without options in improving a squad that reached the Western Conference Finals. In fact, they're in pretty good shape to make a run at O'Neal in a sign-and-trade deal and add another player using their mid-level exception to the salary cap. "It's going to be a really interesting year for free agents," owner Mark Cuban said. "There are a lot more free agents than there are dollars and slots." That's where the Mavs come in. Cuban's team is armed with the $4.9 million exception, several players who make for valuable trade bait because of their talent and contract status, and a creative and proactive front office. The Mavericks won a franchise-record 60 regular-season games, led the league in scoring for the second consecutive season and reached the conference finals for the first time in 15 years. Still, the team's brain trust and star players agree that upgrades are necessary. Teams can begin contacting free agents July 1 and signing players July 16. "There's no secrets," said Mavs coach/general manager Don Nelson, who's in Hawaii contemplating his future with the team. "You can see them, as well as I, the holes that need some work. We have to do something about our athleticism in the frontline [and] about our rebounding problems in the frontline. "We have a tremendous nucleus assembled here. And our next step is not an easy one, necessarily, but it's certainly not as hard as where we've been." The Mavs are looking for a big body to complement Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs' leading scorer and rebounder the past three seasons. Raef LaFrentz and Shawn Bradley, the team's primary starting centers last season, aren't intimidators in the paint. "We need somebody who can rebound, somebody we can throw the ball [to] in the low post and give us some inside presence," Nowitzki said. "That's basically what we don't have. Everywhere else we're pretty good." Added point guard Steve Nash: "Next year, every team in the West is going to get better, so we're going to have to get better as well. It's a matter of how much better we can get. We've gained a lot of experience, and, if we add a piece or two, we have a great chance to get back here next year and overcome the hurdles we failed this year." Nowitzki is the only player considered to be "untouchable." The remainder of the roster -- including Nash, Michael Finley and Nick Van Exel -- could be had if the right deal comes across the table, a source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "You have to pay the price sometime to get the right deal or player to help your team," Nelson acknowledged. Barring a blockbuster trade for an elite player -- Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, etc. -- Nash and Finley are safe, the source said. Van Exel, however, is a precious asset that could help land a premier low-post player. The 31-year-old point guard, arguably the Mavs' playoff MVP, has two years left on a deal paying about $11 million per season. Van Exel would figure prominently in a potential sign-and-trade deal for Jermaine O'Neal, the Pacers' All-Star power forward. Should O'Neal decide not to return to Indiana -- a definite possibility considering the Pacers' poor playoff showing -- the Mavericks fully intend to jump in on the O'Neal sweepstakes, the source said. The Mavs would love to use their $4.9 million exception to land Mourning, who plans to return after sitting out last season with a kidney disorder. The mid-level slot also might be dangled in front of Minnesota's Rasho Nesterovic, Utah's Malone, the Los Angeles Clippers' Odom, Indiana's Miller, New Orleans' Brown or Portland's Pippen. "People like coming to Dallas now," Nelson said. "We're an exciting team, a fun team, have a great owner and a first-class organization. "But the bottom line is dollars." Mourning, 33, plans to give Miami, his team dating to 1995-96, the first shot at signing him. Should the rebuilding Heat not come through, Mourning said he plans to "take advantage of the best financial opportunity that's out there, plain and simple." As for Brown, his agent said the Mavericks are a franchise the power forward might consider. Brown made slightly more than $7 million last season. "It's too early to tell, but Mark Cuban, Nellie and [team president] Donnie Nelson do a great job," said Mark Bartelstein, Brown's agent. "It's an attractive place for any player. It's clearly a first-class franchise that I can't say enough about." The Mavericks also own a $1.5 million exception. Players expected to be considered at that range include the Clippers' Eric Piatkowski, Seattle's Elden Campbell, Indiana's Reggie Miller, the Los Angeles Lakers' Robert Horry, New Orleans' Jerome Moiso and Houston's James Posey. While many of the players at the mid-level exception would make nice additions, Jermaine O'Neal is clearly in a different class. Publicly, O'Neal has listed the San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic as possible landing points if he doesn't re-sign with Indiana. It has been assumed that San Antonio is the logical destination for O'Neal, who would team with Duncan (whom the Spurs plan to re-sign) to form a formidable frontline. O'Neal averaged 20.8 points and 10.3 rebounds last season and will command a contract of about $83 million for six years from a team with room under the salary cap, such as the Spurs. However, O'Neal can max out at about $105 million over seven years, starting at about $11 million the first season, if he re-signs with the Pacers. He could also land that deal in a sign-and-trade, and the Mavs have the pieces to make it work. Indiana needs a point guard, and that's where Van Exel comes in. To make the salaries work, the Pacers could throw in Austin Croshere (a player they've been trying to trade) and the Mavs could send back Avery Johnson. O'Neal and Croshere ($7 million last season) add up to $18 million. Van Exel and Johnson ($5 million) come in at $16 million, but that's within the 15 percent variance allowed on trades. Van Exel immediately becomes one of the top point guards in the Eastern Conference, and -- though the Pacers would hate to lose O'Neal -- Al Harrington and Jonathan Bender are in place to ease Indiana's loss. A sign-and-trade makes sense for both O'Neal, who would get more money, and the Pacers, who gain compensation for their loss. The Magic added Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill in sign-and-trades three summers ago, sending players to Toronto and Detroit, respectively. "There are sign-and-trade possibilities," acknowledged Cuban, who can't talk about specific players because of league rules. "Few big-time free agents just leave their teams empty-handed, and, to do a sign-and-trade, you need good players to trade, which we have." The Mavs also might be interested in trading for veteran big men Marcus Camby of the Denver Nuggets and Theo Ratliff of the Atlanta Hawks. The Mavs will have roster spots available. Cuban expects to carry the maximum 15 players again next season. Of the team's four free agents -- Raja Bell, Walt Williams, Adrian Griffin and Popeye Jones -- only Bell figures to return. That would leave three openings -- or, better yet, three chances to get better. Can the Mavs find that one guy to turn a contender into a champion? "In our sport, one dominant player is better than three good players," Nelson said. ". . . One dominant player can make a difference in a team </div>
JO is a stat whore..no way in hell will he want to share the ball wih 4 other very good players....he is too selfish for that kind of thing..
Avery the legend (you don't know your team too well do you ) that trade is a load of bull..avery johnson will go into coaching next year anyways...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "allnet":</div><div class="quote_post">JO is a stat whore..no way in hell will he want to share the ball wih 4 other very good players....he is too selfish for that kind of thing..</div> exactly.... i expect mallone to go to dallas or la instead of jo
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "pchotsauce":</div><div class="quote_post">THEY STILL HAVE AVERY JOHNSON...MAN THAT'S CRAP...JOHNSON NEEDS TO RETIRE...</div> lol. he wasn't on the playoff roster. he was on the coaching staff. i think he's retired. he's gonna be Don Nelson's 90348509385th assistant coach.
that's true that jermaine is selfish. But you know our (dallas of course) defence is bad!!! If jermaine comes it will be something like Ben Wallace coming to dallas!!! Our defence will get stronger you guys. I hope he comes.
i cant see oneal goin here, he wants the ball, if hes on dallas hell be competing with nash nowitzki and finley, he will go to orlando or stay in indiana
