Future of Dirk Nowitzki and Mavs now that Spurs eliminated them in round 1

[beermonsteroo]

Hill wouldn't even be a starter on this Dallas team. Dirk can't carry a team, he is just a jumpshooting PF. He is no as good of a passer as Gasol and not as good of a scorer as Bosh. He is not going anywhere as a first option.

[GiveItToBurrito]

This is beyond ridiculous. His team was the 2nd seed in the West. He has very good players on the roster. It just didn't happen this year.

Do you know how difficult it is to rebuild? Takes lots of time and patience and luck.

Look at the Knicks. They've been down for 10 years. The Bulls have never even been close since "rebuilding" when Jordan left. Rebuilding is for teams that simply average and below average with no hope. So you sell off your best pieces and start over. Does that sound like the Mavericks to you?

They were the second seed in the West, sure, but they won more close games than is normal and the "worst" playoff team in the conference won five fewer games than them. His team was good, sure, but it's old, capped out, and just doesn't seem to fit. Their only chance at becoming a legit contender is for Beaubois to bust out, which would probably require playing. The Mavs aren't a bad or mediocre team like Indiana or Sacramento before they got rid of Artest, but they're not going to go anywhere other than maybe the second round, plus they're spending a ton of money, so I'd definitely try to start from scratch if I were them. Hell, I'm sure Cuban could afford to buy draft picks from teams like Miami or Memphis that aren't going to be interested in using them this year.

Rebuilding isn't that incredibly difficult. New York's been unable to do it because they constantly look for quick fixes (which we're going to see again this summer) and don't do it through the draft like every other successful team. Chicago's built a decent team, they would have been a lot better if they hadn't wasted years on Curry and Chandler, although I don't think anyone could've predicted just how much of a waste Curry would be.

Let's look at some teams who have recently rebuilt: Portland (took them maybe four years to become a 50 win team), Oklahoma City (took them three or four years to become a 50 win team), Atlanta (took them three or four years after the Johnson signing to become a 45 or 50 win team), Indiana (ok, they've been stuck in neutral for three or four years now), Charlotte (run by MJ, so they get a pass), and Sacramento (two years after completely blowing it up and getting rid of Salmons and Miller, they've got an elite guard, a top five pick, and some intriguing prospects). It's a painful process and drafting poorly can set a team back by a year, but rebuilding isn't that difficult if a team's just willing to sacrifice for a bit.

[bagelred]

Let's look at some teams who have recently rebuilt: Portland (took them maybe four years to become a 50 win team), Oklahoma City (took them three or four years to become a 50 win team), Atlanta (took them three or four years after the Johnson signing to become a 45 or 50 win team), Indiana (ok, they've been stuck in neutral for three or four years now), Charlotte (run by MJ, so they get a pass), and Sacramento (two years after completely blowing it up and getting rid of Salmons and Miller, they've got an elite guard, a top five pick, and some intriguing prospects). It's a painful process and drafting poorly can set a team back by a year, but rebuilding isn't that difficult if a team's just willing to sacrifice for a bit.

Dallas is arguably better than every single team you mentioned. Sacramento still sucks. Charlotte can't get better than they are. Indiana is in neutral for sure. OKC was awful then extremely lucky in lottery picks and selection. Portland has been "rebuilding" forever and they still haven't got close to winning yet. Atlanta is about to lose in first round.

If I were Dallas, I'd leave it completely alone. Just figure out what other piece they could use and use MLE for it. Plus they have a great young PG in Beajdoiubsiuiojis that's only getting better.

Plus Mavericks have an amazing trade chip in Dampier's expiring contract that can give another team immediate cap relief. If Mavs use it wisely, they can put themselves over the top.

[hawksdogsbraves]

Mark Cuban is the reason Dallas hasn't at least one championship by now. Any other owner would have sucked for a year or two, drafted high and gotten Dirk a legit all star to play with by now, plus some stability at head coach.

You are an idiot.

[jbot]

isn't he wanting to get into baseball?

[hawksdogsbraves]

maybe he'll take his shenanigans into pro baseball.

I would be the happiest man alive if he would buy the Braves.

[GiveItToBurrito]

Dallas is arguably better than every single team you mentioned. Sacramento still sucks. Charlotte can't get better than they are. Indiana is in neutral for sure. OKC was awful then extremely lucky in lottery picks and selection. Portland has been "rebuilding" forever and they still haven't got close to winning yet. Atlanta is about to lose in first round.

If I were Dallas, I'd leave it completely alone. Just figure out what other piece they could use and use MLE for it. Plus they have a great young PG in Beajdoiubsiuiojis that's only getting better.

Plus Mavericks have an amazing trade chip in Dampier's expiring contract that can give another team immediate cap relief. If Mavs use it wisely, they can put themselves over the top.

Dallas is better than those teams, sure, but Dallas also has no more room to grow. Charlotte's a bad example since they've got Pacer-itis where they're stuck winning 35 games a season. OKC made the second round in 2005 or something if I'm not mistaken, then rebuilt when they let Rashard walk and traded Ray Allen. I don't think they've been that lucky in the draft, Durant's a franchise guy, but Westbrook is about normal for the fourth pick, Green's kind of a bust in my opinion, and Harden, while good, is probably just going to be mediocre for a third pick in the draft. The talent they've gotten is about what you'd expect from a team with like five top five picks. Portland's been rebuilding for a while, sure, but it took a long time for them to get rid of all the Jailblazers and ZBo and they would have been good earlier if not for Oden's freak health. And sure, Atlanta's going to lose in the first round, but they also won 50 games this year and made the second round last year, plus, other than Bibby, everyone on the team will be as good or better for another three or four years.

I think Dallas could be helped with tweaks, but they'd have to get lucky to become a truly elite team. I think part of it is getting rid of some of their depth and replacing their five or six bench guys who could start on bad teams with two or three good role players. Even then, I don't see them beating LA, Cleveland, Orlando, or even this year's incarnation of the Celtics.

Dampier's contract is nice, but I don't think a lot of teams will be in the luxury tax next year. NO is an interesting place for them to look to do a deal, Posey and Okafor should be available. Even then, though, I don't think that infusion of talent would be enough to make them elite, since everyone except Roddy will most likely decline a little next year.

[icemanfan]

your an idiot if you think dirk has ever had a teammate even close to gino parker or duncan. he hasnt even played with anyone as good as hill.

dirk has had to play with garbage his whole career but hes so good he makes his teammates actually look better.

Nash is garbage? They gave the league MVP twice to garbage? The Mavs have the leagues 2nd largest pay roll with Garbage? Some people can think and some..... well being stupid isn't the worst thing that could happen. The world needs special people too.

[kunk75]

dwight is like russell without the bball IQ, post moves and intimidation. GTFO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PucM5ArF0I

plz never question duncans leadership abilities. I can guarantee u if u replaced dirk with duncan the spurs wudn't win you know why? cuz he anchors there defense and dirk wouldn't be able to do that. It's about time you accept the fact that dirk is only gonna get somewhere if he plays next to a true Number 1 guy like lebron wade or dwight.

[kunk75]

i've been on 4chan and it's still hard to believe how stupid some people here are.

[Jordandunk23]

Mark Cuban is a great owner. he lifted this dallas franchise. I hate the mavericks but i definitely have respect for their owner and their organization and their owner is the main reason they have consistently been contenders. ok, so the negative part, they still haven't won a championship, they lost in the finals, they lost in the 1st round as a 1st seed and now as a 2nd seed. and yes they are currently in a dilemma because dallas is constantly adding talent but hasn't produced a championship, and now they are not sure where to go. but as Cuban says, that is the business. they have consistently been in the playoffs and have been consistent contenders.

[R.I.P.]

Hill wouldn't even be a starter on this Dallas team. Dirk can't carry a team, he is just a jumpshooting PF. He is no as good of a passer as Gasol and not as good of a scorer as Bosh. He is not going anywhere as a first option.

This site seriously needs a dumbass filter. Something like

Are you over 13 years old and not retarded?

Yes.
No.

[3zazer1]

The Mavericks are a damn disapointment.
think about it, they had the deepest team in the west
kidd
butler
dirk
marion
terry
j.j
haywood
dampier

and they lost to the spurs, who are a proven good team yet are way past their prime and injury prone.

[lilgodfather1]

Mark is one of the best owners the league has. He is willing to step up and pay any amount that he sees fit to try and get his team to contention. I respect him, and if every other GM was like him the NBA would be the best league in the world, but not many are like him for various reasons. He is a fan first.

[PP34Deuce]

They have older talented guys who are shells of their former self on that team. Terry,Kidd, need to go.

If they could find a way, Trading for Kirk Heinrich would make them a lil younger with a guy who would be good for them