What the Dallas Mavericks Need To Do for the Offseason

Byron Moten — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:45:57 -0400

Just like every other Dallas mavericks fan each year. We want them to win it all! But unfortunately, they fell 3 games short of getting to the conference finals this year by losing to Denver last night 124-110 and losing the NBA Western conference semifinal series 4-1.

Every Mavs fan knows that it should be 3-2 Denver coming back to Dallas for Game Six. But of course, just like in the Finals against the Heat, the refs completely screwed us!!!

They were just outplayed and outmatched all night long. They just didn't have any answers defensively and were just beat by a better team overall. They left their sweat, guts and blood on the court at the Pepsi Center. They even got physical at the end.

Even though the Mavs fans or I are satisfied with how they're season ended. I still want to give them a lot of credit for what they done this season. There were some obstacles, buy we made them work and moved forward.

I want to give coach Rick Carlisle a big pat on the back for taking us the the second round of the NBA playoffs his first year here. He was given a lot of pressure this year taking over for Avery Johnson. Who led us to the NBA Finals in '06 and franchise record 67-win season right after.

I give congrats to Jason Terry for winning the NBA Sixth Man Award this year. Dirk Nowitzki for giving us another All-Star season and becoming the leader than you are this whole season.

Jason Kidd for a good season doing your job as a point guard for us. Also, I give love to all the role players that stepped up their game this year(Brandon Bass, J.J. Barea, Antoine Wright, James Singleton) and the new addition that really surprised me as the season progressed into the playoffs: Ryan Hollins.

I'm very pleased with their performance this year. Winning 50 games with a new coach and beating the rival San Antonio Spurs in the first round is a very successful season in my opinion. Still becoming a Top 8 NBA team in the Western Conference.

The Mavs have some work to do this offseason. Even though we really don't have any drafts picks this year and way over the salary cap (Thanks Mr. Cuban). The Mavs need not want to make this team better if they want to go deep into the playoffs and back to the team they were in '06-'07.

The Mavs have seven players that are free agents (Kidd, George, Hollins, Bass, Green, Singleton, and Stackhouse). They also have expiring contracts from Howard, Nowitzki, and Dampier in 2010. This is a very huge salary mess and something has to be done here. Here is what I think the Dallas Mavericks should do this offseason.

There's no doubt in my mind that I would love the Mavs to start over from scratch. But from what I seen this year, they're only about 2 good players and a year behind to get back on track.

So I don't see a really big fixer-upper here. I would re-sign Jason Kidd. They want him. He wants security. Can they really let him go and have only Antoine Wright to show for the Devin Harris deal?

He should end in two or three more years here, where he started. He's still a great point guard and still a triple-double waiting to happen. My only concern is his age and how he matches up with the other great point guards in the West like a Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

I am very open about what to do with Josh Howard this year. Do they keep Howard or explore what he might bring in a trade? His offseason ankle surgery might play a part in the decision. He still a good player. But he's oft-injured and we need a shooting guard instead of a small forward that can do what he does on the court.

I am also ready for Dampier to find another team, personally. He doesn't score, doesn't rebound, doesn't block shots, doesn't play defense. He only plays well only 12/82 games a season since he been here. We should try to get Shaq over here and send them Dampier, Howard, Green, Stackhouse, and cash.

Since Cuban and Shaq are twittering each other and talking about him coming here. I'm sure they can make something happen there. Then, we would FINALLY have a low post threat. Yeah, Shaq is up there in age like Kidd. But, he's still a guaranteed 20-10 guy no matter what.

The Mavs really need another shooting guard, fast. A nice 6'6" shooter who can spread the floor and take the load off Dirk. Our best shooter comes off the bench (Jason Terry). Let's resign Dirk.

I would love him to win a title before he's gone though. I would let him go to a contender like Garnett and Boston. But he is a very big piece to the Mavs puzzle which will be impossible to fit back into the mix. We really another lieutenant on this basketball team.

Someone else to have Dirks back mentally, physically, and vocally on the court every night.

I will re-sign Brandon Bass and Ryan Hollins. I love their energy and toughness off the bench. Hollins is a shot-blocking machine and is not scared on anyone on the court, which he let Tim Duncan know in the first round of the playoffs.

If he gains 20-25 more pounds in the off-season, He will be a starter for this team no questions asked. I'm gonna release Stackhouse, Green, and Singleton for trade bait this summer.

One more thing is a backup point guard. I love Barea, but he becomes a liability on defense because of his size. We need another veteran point guard like Marbury (I hope Boston doesn't re-sign him this summer so we can get him) or another speedy point guard with great size (e.g. Devin Harris).

The Dallas Mavericks have some work to do, and I would love to see them take care of business this summer. I am very excited about what they done this year. The only way they can have a bright future is if they accomplish their offseason task this year and don't wait until 2010 like every other NBA is doing.

It might not look like they can't do much. But it's the NBA, where amazing happens.

Mavericks-Nuggets: Game Three Aftermath

Byron Moten — Mon, 11 May 2009 12:15:56 -0400

There was a big controversial "no call" in the final seconds of the Mavericks-Nuggets game Saturday afternoon.

The no call led to a lot of angry Mavs fans, players, and owners (as usual).

The aftermath of the game probably will lead to more anger from the city of Dallas as well.

After Dirk Nowitzki missed a desperation three at the buzzer, pandemonium erupted as Mark Cuban and the Mavs stormed the court.

Ready to fight and throw in a few curse words, Kenyon Martin and Josh Howard were face-to-face. Cuban had a few choice words for the refs and shoved a cameraman leaving the court.

I also found out Cuban went up to Martin's mother and told her his son was a "thug" and a "punk."

Two hours after the game, the NBA sent out a message saying it acknowledged the refs missed the intentional foul call by Antoine wright on Carmelo Anthony.

The league admitting it made a mistake won't bring those seven seconds back. It's just a harder pill to swallow for the Mavs as they are in a 0-3 hole and facing elimination tonight. Mentally, this has to be the hardest thing they've had to face since the 2006 NBA Finals.

So who is to blame here? Mike Wonderlink? Antoine Wright? Let's break it down.

Mike Wonderlink

You should have had common sense as a ref to know the Mavs are going to foul Melo around the three-point arc. Especially when Rick Carlisle is right in your ear telling you and Wright they're going to foul Melo.

But your eyes were too busy looking at Melo's feet to make sure he's behind the three-point line. I'll give you a small pass for that. But the foul should've been called.

Antoine Wright

You played great defense all almost all day. Well, besides seven seconds left in the game. You have Carmelo Anthony starting at the top of the key. As soon as he started losing the ball, it's time to foul him. He will not take a shot that far from the arc.

Then, when you did foul him, it was just a hack on the arm. You should've wrapped him up completely no matter what!

Then you threw up your hands like you're innocent, which will not get you a foul called—especially on Carmelo Anthony.

After he hits the shot, then, you started complaining about the "no call" by the ref. If your job is to foul someone, don't throw your hands up like nothing happened when you want the foul called.

Game Four is tonight at American Airlines Center. Even though they are going through a very tough ending in Game Three, the Mavs have to suck it up.

No team in NBA history has ever came back from a 0-3 deficit. With the Mavs mentally and physically beaten by the Nuggets and the refs, the door is already closed on Dallas' season.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Byron Moten

What the Dallas Mavericks Need To Do for the Offseason

Mavericks-Nuggets: Game Three Aftermath