[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XZso4MnXTA]

Curious. I wonder how they decided which Mavericks would attend the ESPYs. No Brendan Haywood. No Peja Stojakovic. No DeShawn Stevenson. Maybe they were just on vacation and couldn’t attend. Or maybe they weren’t invited.

I know, I know. We’re still in the heat of the playoffs. Round One. Mavs still have a chance to move on. But is it ever too soon to talk trades?

Six of the Mavericks 15 will be unrestricted free agents at the end of this playoff run. That’s almost half the team. So the question will be who to re-sign, who to trade, and who to let go. The Mavs have some serious holes, but contrary to popular belief, these holes could filled rather quickly if Donnie Nelson and Mark Cuban would get one things straight: Dirk is NOT a power forward.

In fact, as long as Dirk is masqueraded as a power forward, Dallas has almost no physical scoring presence in the paint. Chandler can produce some, but he depends entirely on point guard play and put backs. In order to win a championship, Dallas must have two things: toughness and paint production.

Let’s be honest. Dirk is about as power forward-y as I am.

Maybe a “little” more. I don’t care how tall or slow he is. He’s a shooting guard. Let’s just accept it and move on. Once we’ve accepted this fact, we can see that Dirk is clearly our starting 2 guard, which leaves a gaping hole at power forward (like there wasn’t one already).

Dallas’ biggest mistake has been thinking that a shooting guard is needed instead of a power forward. Once we look beyond that mistake, we see that the path is clear: Acquire a scoring power forward who hustles and has heart.

The perfect solution? Kris Humphries. That’s right. He’s already slipped through our fingers once. Though Dallas wasn’t willing to trust Humphries with full-time PF status (because that is Dirk’s position!), he is more than capable… not to mention affordable. Humphries is actually a free agent, so Dallas doesn’t necessarily have to pull of any kind of trade at all. Re-acquiring Humphries is the smartest free agent play Dallas could make this offseason.

But since I promised trade talk, I’ll put the scenario in an even MORE appealing package. Ready?

Acquire: Deron Williams / Kris Humphries from the Nets

Dallas needs to come up with a plausible $18.2 million trade offer. New Jersey won’t like it, but if Deron Williams has ANY loyalties to the DFW area, he’ll want to join a better team and be closer to home and do something to make this trade happen.

Option A: Send Jason Kidd, Roddy Beaubois, and Shawn Marion to New Jersey. It’s a stop gap trade for New Jersey, but if Deron wants to go somewhere else, the Nets would be foolish to not get some value for him before he walks out the door.

Option B: Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler.

Mix and match ‘em however you like, Dallas needs the energy and penetration that both Humphries and D-Wil bring.

Jason Kidd is ready for part-time status. Despite some stellar playoff play, Kidd doesn’t have enough in the tank. He’ll have to save it for the playoffs next year. Deron Williams plays like a Chris Paul point guard / shooting guard combo anyway. He’s versatile enough to play beside Kidd if necessary. Williams brings the toughness and penetration Dallas doesn’t have from any guard on the roster other than Roddy B, who has proven completely unreliable at this stage in his development.

Deron Williams is a legitimate scoring threat as well as a tough-minded no-backing-down point guard. Williams can post up on most players and penetrate with the best. He doesn’t mind banging into defenders. With that kind of toughness leading the team and a sacrifice-body-for-the-team hustling power forward in Humphries, the Mavericks reinvent themselves as the tough SOBs you don’t want to face in the first round.

Tell me this starting lineup doesn’t have you ordering season tickets.

Starting Lineup for the 2012 NBA Champions

Deron Williams - PG (JJ Barea or Jason Kidd)

Dirk Nowitzki – SG (Jason Terry or DeShawn Stevenson)

Caron Butler or Shawn Marion – SF (Peja Stojakovic)

Kris Humphries – PF (Other or rotate Marion/Dirk)

Tyson Chandler – C (Brendan Haywood)

Ready, Naysayers? And…. Go!

Of course, this will never happen. Why? Because everyone from the guy next door to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon insist that Dirk at shooting guard is a defensive disaster waiting to happen. I contend that every current game is a defensive disaster waiting to happen with only one big on the floor at a time. Shawn Marion can cover SOME power forwards, but he doesn’t have the size to match up on the offensive end.

So where would you rather be weak on D? Out on the wing, or down in the paint?

Even though he only made one or two of the top 10 spots in this video, this only reminds me how much the Mavs lost when they let Brandon Bass go.

Top Ten Plays of 2009

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErkPQ9pgXYs]

Check out this video of the press conference showcasing the new Mavs uniforms and summer signees including Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden, Tim Thomas, Nathan Jawai, and Quinton Ross.

Part One

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT9Pq97Gqv8]

Part Two

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z8WQ9IAOE4]

Did you catch that? Drew Gooden will start at Center. Erick Dampier will come off the bench. We’ll talk more about this soon.

Happy first day of NBA free agent signings! There have been lots of rumors circulating and a few actions taken. Let’s take a quick look at what we know and what we speculate the Mavs will do before summer’s end.

For certain:

Mavs sign Jason Kidd to a three year deal.
Mavs offer Marcin Gortat the mid-level exception.
Mavs sign Rodrique Beaubois to a two year deal.

Uncertain:

Mavs attempt to sign Marcin Gortat.
Mavs yet to re-sign Brandon Bass and may lose him.
Mavs attempt to trade Stackhouse for Shawn Marion.
Mavs rumored to be interested in Rip Hamilton or Michael Redd.

Reader Feedback

Since today is the first day free agent players can actually sign deals, there’s still plenty of July and August left for maneuvering. While we wait, give us your feedback on these hanging questions:

1. Do the Mavericks need Shawn Marion AND Josh Howard on the same team? How does that work best?
2. Is it worth losing Brandon Bass to gain Shawn Marion?
3. What other moves would you like to see Dallas make this offseason?

Comments are open below.

The confirmed rumor goes that Mark Cuban is in New York to sweet talk Jason Kidd at 12:01am – the earliest allowable point for free agency talk. Mark wants to get his two cents in before the Knicks come callin’.

Interesting. Should we care? Do we REALLY want Jason Kidd back on the team for $8-10 million? That’s another nice chunk of salary that could go towards a shooting guard or a real power forward.

Kidd is an interesting player. He brings a lot to the table. He also leaves a lot behind. Kidd supposedly wants a three year deal. That’s make or break for him. No one year deals. He wants to stay wherever he goes for the rest of his dwindling career.

Look, he’s not a bad player. He’s just not a complete player. He has no quickness. He doesn’t take the ball to the hole. He can’t defend quick point guards. These are major holes. Granted, Beaubois may fill some of those holes this year. Perhaps the Mavs are hoping to hang on to Kidd long enough to bring Beaubois or Calathes to the starting position. I’m fine with that. As long as signing Kidd doesn’t cost us the long-term players we really need. If we had some young but raw talent, who’s to say the Mavs couldn’t win WITHOUT Dirk in a couple years?

This whole “win with Dirk because without him it’s impossible” mentality is nonsense. Dirk is a great shooter and rebounder. But he has holes in his game too. He can’t defend power forwards or centers despite his 7′ frame. He can’t defend any position, actually. He’s not a defender. He’s points and rebounds. That’s really it. That can be replaced.

So let Cuban do his schmoozing if that’s what he chooses. But here’s hoping that Cuban is successful because of what else he is planning to bring to the team before the summer’s end.

The Dallas Mavericks organization has more to consider this offseason than usual. The moment the Clippers won rights to the #1 draft pick in last week’s NBA lottery, every team had to make adjustments to its offseason approach. Los Angeles has several big contracts it would like to jettison. They’re likely to trade two of these four big names: Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, Marcus Camby, and Zach Randolph.

Here’s a quick look at each player’s 2008-2009 salary:

Baron Davis – $11,250,000
Chris Kaman – $9,500,000
Marcus Camby – $10,000,000
Zach Randolph – $14,666,667

That’s a ton of money for four players, especially considering that two of them play the same position. Throw #1 draft pick Blake Griffin, and you have two many big men.

This is where it gets interesting for Dallas. The Star-Telegram is reporting that Dallas might have a shot at a deal to get Baron Davis and Chris Kaman. Looking at what they spent on Jason Kidd last year, the point guard/center duo come in at almost exactly the same dollar amount as Kidd alone.

A lot of people have big questions about Baron Davis. I think he’s one of the most talented lazy players in the NBA. When he puts in the effort, Davis is scary good. Sure, his shooting has been streaky, but he’s quick, he’s confident, and he’s got that swagger Dallas doesn’t have.

Perhaps the better question is whether Davis can fit into the mentality of the Mavericks team. I say anything is possible, but I’d understand if the scouts and management don’t see it as a fit.

Not to automatically throw Kidd out with the bathwater. As I mentioned in a previous post about Jason Kidd, we probably owe the guy an apology. Kidd was clutch in several games this year. His three point shooting was significantly better than anyone expected. There are still days, though, when Kidd isn’t much of a scoring threat, and that can’t happen if the Mavs are going to compete for a championship in 2010. Add to the problem that Kidd can’t cover point guards on defense and you have enough reason to let him go this offseason if another guard like Baron Davis is available.

Kaman would be a nice addition to the team, especially if it means benching or, better yet, trading Erick Dampier. Trading Damp is probably a pipe dream. Who would want this big lug? But if they do, scrap ‘im quick! Kaman is almost the exact same height and weight as Damp, except Kaman is seven years younger and averaged six more points and one more rebound per game last year. He’s no Dwight Howard, of course, but he’d make a significant improvement to Dallas’ inside presence.

We’ve also heard that the Mavs have taken a look at the #1 French point guard prospect Rodrigue Beaubois and several others in the same position. With Dallas’ late first round pick, it’s hard to imagine them getting starting point guard quality. So at best, Dallas may pick up a backup point guard and try to move JJ Barea. We love Barea around here, but we all wish he could magically grow at least 4 inches to help his game reach the next level.

As always, we’ll wait and watch with much anticipation… hoping the Mavs don’t disappoint us in yet another lackluster offseason.

Ever since the meltdown last year, the majority of Mavs fans and writers have criticized the Jason Kidd trade. Worst of all, we told ourselves and the world that Jason Kidd can’t shoot, and therefore can’t score.

And yet, Kidd has repeatedly punched game-changing three pointers throughout this 2008-2009 season. He did again last night. Dallas came from behind to tie it up in the 4th Quarter. First Dirk, then JET, then Kidd. Suddenly, Mavs are up by 8 and climbing. But it was that clutch three pointer by Jason Kidd that really got my attention.

Why do I get this instant sick feeling in my gut whenever he lobs a three into the air? What is it that draws immediate and instinctual criticism from me as though he’d just made the most foolish decision of the game?

It’s his reputation as a bad shooter. We all hated the trade because we lost a slashing scorer for a no-shooting assist freak. But assists weren’t enough. We were angry. We were disappointed. How could Mark Cuban give up so much youth and energy for such an aging passer? Sure, he’s a GREAT distributor, but the Mavs are low on consistent scoring threats. That was our rationale.

But now that the regular season has ended and the Mavs face off against 3rd seed San Antonio in Round 1, could we finally take a step back, reevaluate our biases, and realize that Jason Kidd produces assists, rebounds, steals, and clutch threes consistently enough for us to lift the love ban? Spread a little love Jason’s way. Surely he’s earned a renewed reputation as a clutch shooter.

And when the playoffs start, he better keep it up.

It’s a tough sell at this exact moment. Dallas just pulled off an upset by defeating the Magic in Orlando. Back to back impressive road wins does NOT put anyone in the mood to trade.

105.3FM The Fan, a local Dallas area sports radio station, referenced yesterday’s Baron Davis article this afternoon, mentioning my comparison of Baron Davis and Terrell Owens. It’s a logical comparison. Both are divas. Both get PAID. Both perform best when they’re happy with their surroundings. Both are potential team chemistry wreckers. Both get more attention than they deserve. Both have failed to consistently live up to their potential, year to year to year. Can Baron fit in with the Mavericks? Or would he be the Mavericks’ own personal T.O.?

Now that you’re less interested in Davis, let’s go ahead and take a look at three trade scenarios being mentioned by the “experts.”

Scenario 1: Trade Kidd for Baron Davis and Marcus Camby now.

Scenario 2: Wait and see if you can get Chris Bosch in 2010?

Scenario 3: Make BOTH trades now, by moving Kidd to the Clippers and Dirk to Toronto. Seriously. Would you? If it could happen now, would you like to get six or seven years younger with Bosch?

Check it: Baron Davis, Jason Terry, Josh Howard, Chris Bosch, Marcus Camby. Not a bad starting five, assuming they mesh together. Dampier and Camby can compete for minutes. Terry could remain sixth man if you want that scoring power off the bench. Davis, Howard, and Bosch could have some fun in a fast paced offense we were supposed to see in Dallas this year but never really materialized.

We all expect Dallas to opt out on Dampier in 2010. He’s a flop, as I mentioned in my article about Damp yesterday at DallasProSports.com. With this trade, you have Damp and Camby as options to keep, trade, or release. You might deal Josh Howard out for a better fit next year if he can’t mesh well, and see what you can get for him before next year’s trade deadline.

In the end, all you really lose is Dirk. Yes we love Dirk. We love him because he’s all that’s left of the big three. Releasing Nash was the biggest mistake in franchise history since the Karl Malone draft, so we should be able to stomach the loss of Dirk.

A word of warning, however. Give up on Dirk, and your team attitude will change forever. He may not be the killer instinct leader you want paving the way to a championship, but he’s been the focus of this team, and he’s brought a sportsmanship that many teams don’t have. A team led by Baron Davis won’t be known for its sportsmanship… I’ll guarantee you that. You will have a typical team with attitude, which is what you Dallas fans have been clamoring for these past few years.

You hate to give up on Dirk. He’s a guy we all expected would retire a Dallas Maverick. But change MUST come, or we must all change our purpose for watching Dallas basketball.

Kidd’s doing well over the past eight or nine games. Kudos to him for not being a flop. But are you REALLY expecting to build a championship team on his shoulders? Didn’t think so.

Jason Kidd had that familiar, faraway look, the one that screams, what the heck am I doing here?

Maybe it was about being decisively outperformed by Chauncey Billups, his old Eastern Conference nemesis, in a convincing 98-88 victory by the surging Denver Nuggets over Kidd’s Mavericks on Monday night at American Airlines Center.

Maybe it was his desultory role in the Dallas offense — a pass here, a pick there, before drifting outside for spot-up shots he couldn’t make (0 for 5 from the field) or wouldn’t take while Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and, yes, J. J. Barea formed the creative core of a Mavericks offense held to 34.9 percent shooting by the new, defensively improved Nuggets.

Read the rest of this article at the NY Times.