Express your opinion on where the Dallas Mavericks will be next year (2005-2006 season). Better or worse than they are now? What should they do to get better (if anything)? Who should they build around? Who should they keep or let go? Predict the opening day roster.
Better or worse - We dont know because the off season has jus started. I heard one rumour on SI.com that there mite be a monster deal between Dallas and Minnesota with it being Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse, Devin Harris, Pavel Podzkolin and a 1st round pick for KG, Sam Cassell, Latrell and Troy Hudson. I think thatd make Dallas better, except I wouldn't give up Terry. To get better i think they need another sg as Michael Finley is getting old, and it showed in the playoffs. Luckily for Dallas they have two solid young guys in Howard and Daniels. I think that Dirk has already has had plenty of chances, so I'de move him if you could get a KG type player. On the roster right now the three people i'de build around would be Terry, Josh Howard and Erick Dampier. Keep Terry, Howard, Daniels, Dampier. Everyone else can be gotten for the right price. Heres bvest case scenario Opening day line up: C- Erick Dampier, Shawn Bradley PF- Kevin Garnett, Alan Henderson SF - Finley, Daniels, Van Horn SG - Latrell Sprewell, Howard PG - Jason Terry, Sam Cassell, Troy Hudson, Darrell Armstrong * After trading for Cassel and Hudson ide trade one of them for a decent pf or c
Right now, I feel the Mavs will be a better team because of the playoff experience they gained this year. Dirk will improve as a leader and learn how to properly motivate his teammates. Terry or Harris will be better equipped to run the point. Dampier will have a better understanding of how to play hard without fouling. Finley will adjust his game and maybe even accept his non-starter role. Van Horn and Stackhouse will become more comfortable in their roles either as a starter or a sixth man (respectively). I also feel, that the Mavs need to allow this team to gel. Cuban and the front office need to understand that they can't keep turning over the roster and expect chemistry to occur after less-than one year together. They have the pieces to make a run at the championship, but they just don't have the "team" to do it yet. A "team" is forged by going to battle together and learning to rely on each other, and with time the sense of "team" can get stronger. I believe that despite Dirk's disappointing playoff performance, that they continue to build this team around Dirk. He is still young and will continue to improve his game. I see an improvement every year, and despite the impatience of his critics, I feel he will be the player he can potentially become. Like the team, given the time, Dirk will give Dallas the championship run they want. I don't think they need to let anyone from this roster go. Don't get me wrong, if someone offers a good deal, definitely consider it, but as much as possible just give this team the time it needs to grow together and realize their potential to be a championship caliber team. After training camp, if eveyone realizes their potential, then the opening line-up should look like this: PG: Devin Harris SG: Jerry Stackhouse SF: Josh Howard PF: Dirk Nowitzki C: Erick Dampier 6th men: Jason Terry, Keith Van Horn, Marquis Daniels & Michael Finley
hahahaha. Thats a terrible line up. HARRIS OVER TERRY. are you crazy? are you saying that harris is better. Secondly, Dirk had already had a lot of chances with Dallas and he hasn't done anything. Tell me what you think of the trade Dallas gets: Garnett, Cassell, Sprewell, Hudson Minnesota gets: Nowitzki, Terry, Stackhouse, Harris, 1st round pick, Podzkolin I think Dallas gets the better deal. By the way even tho Finley maybe shouldn't start, i garantee he will.
Dirk must go!!! I've been thinking about a Dirk for KG deal for the past 2 years..Cuban better act smart this time and explore this deal!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CB4 RAPTOR MVP:</div><div class="quote_post">hahahaha. Thats a terrible line up. HARRIS OVER TERRY. are you crazy? are you saying that harris is better. Secondly, Dirk had already had a lot of chances with Dallas and he hasn't done anything. Tell me what you think of the trade Dallas gets: Garnett, Cassell, Sprewell, Hudson Minnesota gets: Nowitzki, Terry, Stackhouse, Harris, 1st round pick, Podzkolin I think Dallas gets the better deal. By the way even tho Finley maybe shouldn't start, i garantee he will.</div> Just looking at the playoffs, there is no way to believe that Harris is better than Terry, but if you've watched this kid play all year, then you can see he has a huge upside. I think that long term, if he can get some more experience, then he can become one of the top point guards in the league. And no I'm NOT crazy. As for Dirk, he had a horrible playoff, but I don't think it negates the improvements he has made in his overall game this year. He has shown improvement every year, and I believe he will continue to improve next year. And, if he shows that he has plateaued, or worse, regressed, then the Mavs have to start thinking about moving in a different direction. This was Dirk's first year to step up as the "big one" (as opposed to the "big three"). His first steps haven't been stellar, but he is still growing into his new role. And at least this fan is willing to give him more time to grow. As for the proposed KG trade, I have to admit it is intriguing. KG is arguably a better overall player than Dirk, but I think this trade would only happen if the Mav organization believed that they can't ever win it with Dirk as their top player. I still believe they can, and would therefore, nix the deal. Besides, there is something to be said about loyalty, about rooting for more than just the laundry. It is rooting for the players. Seeing them grow up before your eyes. Some "fans" may never understand that, but I guess that's their loss.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CB4 RAPTOR MVP:</div><div class="quote_post">Better or worse - We dont know because the off season has jus started. I heard one rumour on SI.com that there mite be a monster deal between Dallas and Minnesota with it being Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse, Devin Harris, Pavel Podzkolin and a 1st round pick for KG, Sam Cassell, Latrell and Troy Hudson. I think thatd make Dallas better, except I wouldn't give up Terry. To get better i think they need another sg as Michael Finley is getting old, and it showed in the playoffs. Luckily for Dallas they have two solid young guys in Howard and Daniels. I think that Dirk has already has had plenty of chances, so I'de move him if you could get a KG type player. On the roster right now the three people i'de build around would be Terry, Josh Howard and Erick Dampier. Keep Terry, Howard, Daniels, Dampier. Everyone else can be gotten for the right price. Heres bvest case scenario Opening day line up: C- Erick Dampier, Shawn Bradley PF- Kevin Garnett, Alan Henderson SF - Finley, Daniels, Van Horn SG - Latrell Sprewell, Howard PG - Jason Terry, Sam Cassell, Troy Hudson, Darrell Armstrong * After trading for Cassel and Hudson ide trade one of them for a decent pf or c</div> I'm sorry, but making the 29-year old with a knack for underachieveing and a huge contract as one of your building blocks is straight out insane. If the Mavs were to indeed consider rebuilding as your saying, then there would be no reason why they won't actively shop Dampier around. As for the whole KG trade, I don't think it has any credibility. The Mavs would simply be giving up too much. You knock on Dirk for not winning, but what has KG done in the playoffs that would merit him being a better playoff player than Dirk?
The Mavs can be better next season if they can trade for more size upfront. They have to make room for Devin Harris or Marquis Daniels to be the future point guard on this team. Jason Terry had a great season, but he's not the pure point guard the Mavs need. He's actually better when he can play off the ball instead of having to run an offense. The Mavs will not be able to trade Michael Finley, but they might start having him come off the bench in favor of starting Stackhouse. I think Avery Johnson will slowly push the best defensive players into the starting lineup once he has a summer to work with the team. Mark Cuban just needs to let this team play longer together instead of tinkering with it again. He's forever switching around some key pieces and it prevents the team from building any chemistry and defining a player's actual role on the team. Again the major key for this team will be Erick Dampier. I'm not sure if it's possible for Avery Johnson to reach him and motivate him to bring his best game every night. Dampier is capable of being a 15PPG 12RPG player when he applies himself. The Mavs will once again have a talented bench next year, but most of the talent is on the offensive side of the ball. They should keep Stackhouse, but maybe look for any takers when it comes to Van Horn, Finley, and Terry. Maybe Podkolzin and Mbenga can breakout in the summer camps and finally take over Shawn Bradley's minutes as the backup center. Bringing back Hendu is a must, and trying to add a guard who can bring defensive energy would be another target. Chris Duhon or Raja Bell would be nice pickups (unlikely), but Cuban isn't shy about spending, plus the Mavs have some tradeable expiring contracts. My 2005-06 Lineup would be... PG - Devin Harris SG - Marquis Daniels SF - Josh Howard PF - Dirk Nowitzki C - Erick Dampier
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post"> 1) They have to make room for Devin Harris or Marquis Daniels to be the future point guard on this team. 2) Jason Terry had a great season, but he's not the pure point guard the Mavs need. 3) I think Avery Johnson will slowly push the best defensive players into the starting lineup once he has a summer to work with the team. 4) Mark Cuban just needs to let this team play longer together instead of tinkering with it again. 5) My 2005-06 Lineup would be... SG - Marquis Daniels </div> I hope you don't mind, but I enumerated your points for ease of commenting on them. 1) I agree 100%. They need to know next year if Harris is their point guard of the future. The only way to do that, is to allow him to succeed or fail with more PT at the point. 2) Terry did an admirable job at the point, but he really is playing out of position. He may still learn how to be a point guard, but not at the expense of finding out about Harris. 3) I hope this happens. I believe in the defensive model of success. The Spurs have proven it. The Pistons have proven it. And yes, even the Lakers have proven it. I hope that Mavs will be able to prove it too. 4) Cuban is a tinkerer, but he is also a smart man. I hope he is smart enough to know that this current mix just needs more time together. 5) On my prediction, I had Stackhouse as the starting SG, but I think that I would be even happier if Daniels beat him out of the position. I just don't think he will, but I hope you're right.
I think Jerry Stackhouse is the better player, but he's so effective off the bench for the Mavs. If he becomes the starter he might go back to his selfish tendancies and distrupt the Mavs gameplan. However, off the bench, Stackhouse can come right in and do what he does best, score. The Mavs don't really have a go to post up player, which is another reason I like Daniels in the starting lineup. He has the natural habit of taking the ball in the painted area and tries to draw fouls. When ever he gets on the court, he's a mismatch for the opposing team to deal with. Having a player capable of drawing mismatches just makes it easier for the rest of the team.
I agree with most of what you guys are saying, but i think youre crazy (especially after the playoffs that terry had) to say that you'de rather have Harris starting at pg then JT. If you guys in Dallas don't want him, will take him in TO!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CB4 RAPTOR MVP:</div><div class="quote_post">I agree with most of what you guys are saying, but i think youre crazy (especially after the playoffs that terry had) to say that you'de rather have Harris starting at pg then JT. If you guys in Dallas don't want him, will take him in TO!</div> Why is it so crazy to want to try Harris at the starting point over Terry? Jason Terry is not a true point guard, he's more of an undersized shooting guard and has a scorer's mentality. The Mavs need a point guard like the one they didn't bring back, Steve Nash. Jason Terry is obviously better than Harris, but when it comes to making decisions and running a team, Harris is more ideal. The Mavs have no problem putting points on the board, so Terry's main contribution, scoring, isn't really needed. Jason Terry is a decent defender, but he gambles for steals far too, often and cannot keep players in front of him. It's impossible to win a title with a shoot-first mentality point guard in this league. It was Jason Terry's first playoff experience, and he did play well, but teams exploited his weaknesses in both series. I think Jason Terry would really excel on a team like the Cavs, where he doesn't have to bring the ball up and create offense. The Cavs have LeBron James to do that, and Jason Terry can just setup for jumpshots off of the double teams LeBron draws.
Not only did Terry play well, he played great. I watched all of Dallas playoff games, and they would not have beaten Houston or even been in the series against Phoenix (especially in Game 6) had it not been for Terry. Could you please elaborate on what you mean when you say that whoever Terry was covering "exploited his weaknesses. Against Houston, Mike James and and co. at guard really didn't do much versus him in that series (It was mostly T-Mac) and against Phoenix Howard covered Nash, not Terry who covered mostly Q-Rich and Jim Jackson, neither of whom lit him up at all. Do you seriously think Dallas is a better team with Harris at pg?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CB4 RAPTOR MVP:</div><div class="quote_post">Not only did Terry play well, he played great. I watched all of Dallas playoff games, and they would not have beaten Houston or even been in the series against Phoenix (especially in Game 6) had it not been for Terry. Could you please elaborate on what you mean when you say that whoever Terry was covering "exploited his weaknesses. Against Houston, Mike James and and co. at guard really didn't do much versus him in that series (It was mostly T-Mac) and against Phoenix Howard covered Nash, not Terry who covered mostly Q-Rich and Jim Jackson, neither of whom lit him up at all. Do you seriously think Dallas is a better team with Harris at pg?</div> The question is "we don't know yet," which is why the Mavs need to find out if Harris is going to be the long term answer at point guard. The Suns let Jason Terry shoot all he wants so they could disrupt the Mavs offense. For every shot he took, that was one less shot he could create for a teammate. The more shots he takes the more the team stands around and gets away from their motion offense. The more shots he takes from the perimeter, the more long rebounds the Suns got their hands on to create their fast breaks. In the two Mav wins against the Suns, Terry only took 9 and 10 shots. In the final two losses Terry shot the ball 25 and 26 times. He had a terrible assist/turnover ratio in the playoffs as well. Both teams exploited Terry by forcing him into being the scoring option for the Mavs instead of him driving in and dishing or getting to the line. Both teams knew Terry wouldn't pass up open looks, so they baited him into taking them.
The Mavs have found something they've never had during the Nelson era, and thats DEFENSE! Why ruin that start by trading your franchise player? Keep Dirk and put Finley, Stackhouse, and Terry on the trading block. They are good proven players who teams will jump at in a heartbeat. Maybe trading for star defensive specialists are the key. The Jazz have made some awful moves, maybe they can continue by trading off Kirilenko for 2 of those 3 players? Having Either Finley or Stackhouse backing up either Howard or Daniels would be great for the mentorship. Especially Finley who has been the heart and soul of the mMavs for almost a decade.
Terry is a combo guard who in the NBA of today where pure PGs are increasingly rare, can suffice as a full time point guard. However, he is at his best in a scoring role and one that he should return to. When he was given free rein to score, Terry was able to put up big numbers, so why shouldn't the Mavs actually just move Terry to the bench and have him back up both one and two, so he'll get his fix of both positions and become a Vinnie "Microwave" Johnson off the bench? Devin Harris needs minutes to develop, and Darrell Armstrong is good insurance. It would also give Finley even more of a chance to rest his aching and aging body from November to March, keeping his body fresh and in peak form for the playoffs. There is nothing but good things if you start Harris and move Terry to a sixth man role.
All Dallas needs to do is play EVEN better D and they'll have a shot.As long as the Spurs,Pistons and Pacers play D the way they do I dont think anyone else can win it unless they step up their defense.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting j_a_d_e:</div><div class="quote_post">so how true is the rumored Dirk for KG?</div> Not likely. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Terry is a combo guard who in the NBA of today where pure PGs are increasingly rare, can suffice as a full time point guard. However, he is at his best in a scoring role and one that he should return to. When he was given free rein to score, Terry was able to put up big numbers, so why shouldn't the Mavs actually just move Terry to the bench and have him back up both one and two, so he'll get his fix of both positions and become a Vinnie "Microwave" Johnson off the bench? Devin Harris needs minutes to develop, and Darrell Armstrong is good insurance. It would also give Finley even more of a chance to rest his aching and aging body from November to March, keeping his body fresh and in peak form for the playoffs. There is nothing but good things if you start Harris and move Terry to a sixth man role.</div> I couldn't have said it better. Terry was excellent for the Mavs in the playoffs, but if Harris can beat out Terry in Training Camp or during the Regular Season, then the Mavs will be in better shape. I agree that Terry played leaps and bounds better than Harris, but if Harris is able to elevate his game next year so that he is actually better than Terry, then the Mavs will be a better team. That's what my point was in putting him as a starter in opening day. I didn't mean to imply that he should be the starter without earning it first.
