<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>When Avery Johnson took over the Dallas Mavericks one of the first things he did was trade away some of the players who were considered to be "Nellie's boys" (most notably Marquis Daniels) in favor of acquiring some players who better fit his own system. It's only natural to think that Rick Carlisle will do the same. The Sacramento Kings are widely rumored to be the first trading partner for a Mavericks team that will likely have five roster spots to fill this summer. Dallas has already spoken to Kings free agent point guard Beno Udrih, who impressed many with his outstanding play when Mike Bibby was injured last season. Now some comments from Carlisle on Dallas radio have led us to believe that the Mavericks might renew their interest in Ron Artest. "Of course," Carlisle said of wanting Artest in his locker room again. "This guy is one of the real difference-makers that we have in this league. He's had one all-star year; that's when he played for me. I've had a chance to reconnect with Ronnie a couple times over the last couple of years. I love him and I love his family, so yeah. This guy was one of the most physical, intimidating players that I've ever seen at the small forward position, so he'd be a player that any team would want to have." Artest also perfectly fits the description that both Mark Cuban and Carlisle gave when addressing their roster needs. "There are three things that are a priority for every team in the league right now," Carlisle explained in his press conference on Wednesday. "Athleticism, an ability to drive the ball because of the way the game is played and officiated, and the third thing is three-point shooting. The three-pointer has become probably the most potent weapon in this league. Along with having great players like Dirk and some other guys, the three-point shot is huge and can make up for a lot of other problems. If you're hitting threes you can mask a lot of other things that may not be strengths for your team." Ironically, Josh Howard fits that description at least as well as Artest, and when he's at his best he fits it better. The question for the Mavericks becomes one of urgency. They have two seasons to win a championship with Jason Kidd, after which the aging point guard will likely start thinking about his Hall of Fame induction ceremony and hang up the sneaks. The decision to trade for Kidd was a statement that the Mavericks didn't believe Devin Harris would reach his full potential while Dirk Nowitzki is still in his prime. That being the case, a Howard-for-Artest swap would be consistent, as it's certainly not clear whether or not Howard will be able to reach his full potential within the given time frame - especially after he took several steps back after the Kidd trade.</div> Read More
