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Offseason Report Card: Dallas Mavericks

By wtt02005, Section NBA
Posted on Tue Aug 08 2006 at 11:57 PM EST
More on: (all tags)

Close but no cigar is a very good description of the Dallas Mavericks' season. After taking a dominant 2-0 lead against the Miami Heat, the Mavericks faltered losing 2-4 in a complete team collapse. Though they can blame the refs, the team ultimately has to blame themselves for playing scared in the waning moments of the final four games. Josh Howard and Devin Harris lost their nerves in critical moments that contributed to crucial losses.

Marc Cuban is no stranger to the offseason. In the last five years, many big names, such as Antawn Jamison, Antoine Walker, Nick Van Exel, and Steve Nash, offered their services at some point in their careers. Cuban's array of moves is probably the sole reason the team has always be a very successful team and naturally a shoo-in for the playoffs. Cuban continues the trend as he has been very adamant in acquiring playoff savvy and experienced veterans to instill the degree of poise necessary to battle pressure and finish games.

Free Agents: Greg Buckner, Pops Mensah-Bensu, Devean George
A longtime Denver Nugget, Greg Bucker has never exhibited his talents. He is the "Tayshaun Prince" of the Nuggets' starters, playing fifth fiddle to Carmelo Anthony, Andre Miller, Kenyon Martin, and Marcus Camby. This season, he averaged seven points and three rebounds. These numbers coincide with Adrian Griffin's, so look for him to play a very similar role.

Pops Mensah-Bensu was actually injured and unavailable for the NBA Draft. However, he participated in the Summer League where he warranted enough of Cuban's attention to be signed. I have no idea how good he is, but the Mavericks could have yet another sleeper on their squad (Remember, Josh Howard was a late draft pick).

The sixth man during the Lakers' championship run, Devean George has been hampered by injures in the last two years. He put them behind him as he continued to show his outside shot, dropping an array of three pointers against the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs. Though the Lakers did not express the desire to resign him, he made a glorious exit. After Smush Parker stole the ball against Steve Nash, George darted for the ball, pushed it up court, and passed it to Kobe to force overtime. Okay, he did not make the shot, but if it was not for his hustle, the series would not have gone seven games. George was signed by the Mavericks for his playoff experience. He has three rings on his fingers, and Cuban hopes his knowledge and experience will help his team get over the hump.

Walk the Line: Adrian Griffin
The little things is the perfect description for Adrian Griffin. The former low key left-handed guard of the Mavericks, Griffin was always good for 4-8 points and 2-4 rebounds every game. He was very consistent with these numbers, and consistency apparently kept him on the roster for some time. He never exhibited any of the speed that is often characteristic of the team but had his niche. Despite this, Cuban let him walk. I am not surprised because the Mavericks are overstocked with guards. Griffin has signed with the Chicago Bulls.

Trades: Austin Croshere and Anthony Johnson for Marquis Daniels, Darrell Armstrong, Josh Powell, and Rawle Marshall
This is practically a 2-2 trade as most NBA fans have no idea who Josh Powell and Rawle Marshall are.

Marquis Daniels and Josh Howard made names for themselves at the same time. As rookies, they hustled for loose balls and rebounds while providing 12-15 points each. While Howard is progressing towards all-star status, Daniels has stayed in place due to an assortment of back and neck injuries that kept him on the bench until late season. Though he played admirably in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, he was traded to the Pacers. With Jermaine O'Neal and Al Harrington leading the offense, Daniels could be their third guy as the main outside shooter.

Darrell Armstrong never found the minutes in Dallas. A key component during his days with the Orlando Magic, Armstrong has not found his groove since the move to Texas. Though he is a veteran player, Cuban opted for Anthony Johnson who had an offensive explosion against the New Jersey Nets in his playoff series.

Often dubbed the Jason Kidd understudy, Anthony Johnson showed his abilities in his playoff series against the New Jersey Nets. In Game 6, he exploded with a career high forty points. At age 32, Johnson is a veteran with the offensive skills of any player in his prime. Hopefully, for Cuban's sake, his playoff performance was not just a fluke. Even so, he is much more competent than Armstrong and will do a stellar job in giving guidance to Devin Harris.

Austin Croshere is a longtime Indiana Pacer who coexisted with Jeff Foster. He hustled for many rebounds while showing his range with the three-point shot. In my opinion, he is another Raef Lafrentz who played for the Mavericks a few years ago. His minutes have wavered throughout his career due to back and rib injures. If he can fully recover, the team will have a very hardworking player.

NBA Draft: C
Ager will probably not see the light of day in the very deep and talented guard pool.
Free Agents: B-
Greg Buckner is the perfect replacement for Adrian Griffin as he has similar numbers and is two years younger. Mensah-Bonsu is unproven. Finally, George has the offensive capabilities to fill in the void left by Marquis Daniels. Despite the upgrades, Bucker has not exhibited much talent, and George is a pure jump shooter and rarely drives to the basket.
Walk the Line: A
The Dallas Mavericks have progressively become more athletic and young. Griffin is too slow for what Cuban has in mind for the team.
Trades: A-
Cuban wants more veterans, and he has two competent players in Johnson and Croshere. Dropping Armstong is a good move as he is deadweight. The minus comes from Daniels who I feel has plenty of time to improve and grow like Josh Howard did.
Overall: B-
Marc Cuban has consistently offered lots of money to many big names during the offseason. However, this year, Cuban was much more conservative and did not set out on creating a totally different team. Despite a number of moves, Cuban acquired more veterans and role players who will not destroy the chemistry that made the team very successful last season. My only hope for the team is that Cuban will not become impatient and let the transition periods occur. A few seasons ago, Cuban brought defense to the squad but ultimately let Don Nelson drop it midseason. Instead, the team reverted to the all out offense strategy of small ball. Maverick fans, cross your fingers and hope that these moves work out.