If Andre Miller Can Drop 50+ On Your A-s What Does That Say About You As A Team ? Answer The Dallas Mavericks Aren’t A Team ………….!

If Andre Miller Can Drop 50+ On Your A-s What Does That Say About You As A Team ? Answer The Dallas Mavericks Aren’t A Team ………….!

As much I love the NBA , I do love to see a competitive game that shows me every facet of the game.Now don’t get me wrong it’s not that I feel that there’s anything inherently wrong with the ‘game’ on the whole. It’s just that, when I watch a game, wherein , there’s only ‘one team’ on the court capable playing a ‘lick of defense’. Then I’ve got to question the tenacity of the opposing team and their lack of a will to play with zeal. I’ll continue to maintain this and that is that the Dallas Mavericks in whatever guise they take ‘will never win’ an NBA championship ! Not as a ‘team’ in their present format and certainly not under Rick Carlisle as their coach !

Andre Miller (#24) of the Portland Trailblazers dives on the floor for a loose ball against Drew Gooden (#90) of the Dallas Mavericks during a game at the American Airlines Center on January 30, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Keith Stoddart ..........

Granted, the Mavericks play great during the regular season and they’ll no doubt blowout the teams that they’re meant to blow out. I mean the ‘lesser lights’ of the Eastern Conference and crabs at the bottom of the barrel of the Western Conference have essentially become everyone’s bitch nowadays and it’ll continue to be that way for the foreseeable future. To see this point how is that the NBA’s hierarchy hasn’t yet seen fit to put the New Jersey Nets out of their misery by either contracting the team or placing them within the NBA ‘D League’ for all of the good that might do ?

Dirk Nowitzki (#41) of the Dallas Mavericks goes up for the lay up against LaMarcus Aldridge (#12) of the Portland Trailblazers during a game at the American Airlines Center on January 30, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Glen James ............

At this juncture I’ve got to question not only the business acumen of team owner , Mark Cuban, but also too the front office of the organization and how they’ve gone about assembling this roster. Money might appear to be no object and the NBA mandated salary cap ($71.2 million) won’t stop the likes of Cuban or James Dolan of the New York Knicks from making complete asses of themselves, in the pursuit of an NBA title. But since when did stupidity become the mantra for sound business judgment ? Both of these owners have been hell bent on spending money to assemble a roster that in large part has about as much unison and cohesion as bucket of water mixed with oil. You simply know that two substances don’t mix and cannot co-exist side by side. But yet somehow they’re intent on proving us wrong.

The Mavericks had the pleasure of taking on their conference rivals , the Portland Trailblazers in an agerly anticipated matchup. The Trailblazers were without their best player in Brandon Roy, who missed the game due to a hamstring injury. Never mind the fact that they were also missing both Greg Oden and Joel Pryzbilla, who’ve been lost to the team for the rest of the season, due to injury. But what this makes lacks in terms of personnel , they more than makeup for in competitive spirit. And that’s something that has been taught to them by their coach, Nate McMillan. And as a coach, McMillan has never really been given his due. He works well with young players and teaches them the intrinsic values that’s needed to make them better players. And there aren’t too many coaches in the NBA of whom that can be said about today.

Andre Miller (#24) of the Portland Trail Blazers drives against Jason Terry (#31) of the Dallas Mavericks during a game at the American Airlines Center on January 30, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. The Trailblazers would go on to defeat the Mavericks 114-112 on the Mavericks' homecourt of the American Airlines Arena in Dallas , Texas . Miller would score 'a career high 52 points' in the game. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/Getty Images/ Danny Bollinger .......

Now last night’s game if anything , taught me that the Mavericks as a team are very good during the regular season, when there’s not really much to play for other than jockeying for a position in terms of a playoff berth. All well and good but if as a team or should I say as a unit, you don’t even show any cohesion , much less leadership coming from anyone. Then how can you believe that as ‘a team’ you’re destined for success ? That’s something that neither Carlisle and Cuban have been able to answer. Much less players such as ‘seasoned’ veterans Dirk Nowitzski, Jason Kidd or Jason Terry and Josh Howard on this Mavericks’ team. They simply go through the motions of playing as if they are team. But in reality nothing could be further from the truth. They’re soft ‘physically’ , as well as ‘mentality’ and furthermore in terms of there being a ‘leader’ on this team , there’s no one to be found who will willingly accept the role !

Guard Jason Terry (#31) of the Dallas Mavericks reacts after making a three point shot in front of Steve Blake (#2) of the Portland Trail Blazers on January 30, 2010 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Ronald Martinez .................

Portland for their part are proving that they are indeed a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference . And though no one could ever have imagined that this team would now be at a point that many believe them to be potential future NBA champions. They’re now making a case that , that particular scenario could be reached sooner , rather than later. In Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Fernandez and Steve Blake. The Trailblazers possess the nucleus and the core of ‘a team’ that if they remain together could quite possibly challenge for and win multiple NBA titles in the future. Such is the belief of a number of analysts and pundits around the league. And that bodes well for the fans of the organization. Who if anything have had to put up with and live the days when there simply known as the ‘Jailblazers’. Such was the proclivity of the squad at the time, that David Stern and the NBA hierarchy couldn’t be sure if a ‘team’ would be suited up on any given night to meet their scheduled obligations on an NBA court. If a no more than two names were part of a police blotter then more likely than not then a team would be suited up and ready to play.

When Andre’ Miller was brought into the fold as part of the Trailblazers , it was done to add that veteran leadership experience and to provide their starting point guard , Steve Blake, with some guide as to what it would take to improve his all-round game. Miller is a wily veteran with years of experience from playing in the league, having played for the 76ers’ and Nuggets over the course of his career. And though he may well have questioned his role on the team and the authority of Nate McMillan. He was willing to accept the role of a player who if anything would be coming off the bench to provide a spark as and when needed. Last night for Miller in a starting role , he simply exploded and laid a barrage on the Mavericks’ ass that wasn’t even over with , even when the game went into overtime. Such was the explosiveness and virtuosity shown by Miller , that you could’ve easily mistaken him for either ‘Kareem’ or ‘Magic’ with the repertoire shown last night. His was a display that the Mavericks simply had no answer for, all night long.

To cap it all off, in summation the resultant 114-112 win for the Trailblazers was nowhere as close as the score might suggest. In fact that the Mavericks should consider themselves lucky that in large part that this Blazers’ team wasn’t at full strength , otherwise the margin of victory would’ve been considerably wider. Especially when given the fact that Miller simply torched them for 52 points on the night. It could well have been a great deal more, had Miller not tried to push the pace at times when going for some of his shots.

The self promoting and narcissist known as Mark Cuban, seen here at the Blog-world Expo.

So I’ll ask this of you all now , how good are the Portland Trailblazers ? And more to the point do the Dallas Mavericks have any hope of ever winning an NBA championship in their present guise ? It’s becoming obviously clear that despite the vast financial resources at Mark Cuban’s disposal. He’s very much become the ‘Jerry Jones’ of the NBA. He just simply doesn’t know enough about the game to know when to let go and let someone else do the job that they’re being paid for. OK , so Cuban isn’t the de-facto General Manager of the organization. But at present you tell me, could Sarah Palin be doing a better job than the present occupant in the position ? For all sense and purpose Donnie Nelson might as well be selling sand to the Saudi’s for all of the good he’s done for this organization !

‘Biggie Smalls’ aka The Notorious B-I-G …. ‘Baller Shot Caller’

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The delectable Brooke Burke . Who wouldn't want a piece of that fine a_s ?

tophatal

Big Pimpin’ Dallas Style Bitches That They Are!

Big Pimpin’ Dallas Mavericks’ Style …….Bitches That They Are !

I don’t know of any other way to suggest this but in watching the Dallas Mavericks lose to the Golden State Warriors, who only had six physically healthy players suited up. Well, it suggests everything that I’ve come to think about the Dallas Mavericks. They’re an extremely soft team, not only physically but also mentally as well. And this is epitomized by the attitude of their owner, Mark Cuban . Egotistical , narcissistic but above all critical of others when they’re not all in agreement with his thought process.

Dallas-November 24th 2009: Monta Ellis (8) of the Golden State Warriors goes up and under against Dirk Nowitzki (41) of the Dallas Mavericks during a game at the American Airlines Center on November 24, 2009 in Dallas, Texas. picture appears courtesy of NBAE/Getty Images/ Glenn James .............

This Mavericks’ team is resplendent with a plethora of stars but little in the way of leadership. And that is with seasoned veterans such as Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd , Jason Terry and Shawn Marion. To make matters worse, the the team is highly overpaid and has given little back in return by way of anything tangible in terms of success. This club has continually underachieved despite all of the lavish spending and the perception that it is one of the marquee teams in the NBA. The fact of the matter is, they’re a good regular season team but come the postseason they become doormat that many of the elite teams in the NBA choose to wipe their feet on.

Kris Humpheries of the Dallas Mavericks goes up for the dunk in the game against the Golden State Warriors. The Mavericks would go on to be defeated by the Warriors 111-103 in the game played at the American Airlines Center in Dallas ,Texas, on the 24th November,2009. picture appears courtesy of NBAE/Getty Images/ Glenn James …….

Last night’s game between these two Western Conference team saw the Golden State Warriors with eight players on the bench of the mandated twelve but only six ready to play. The Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks set out to play a game and let every ardent fan of the game see what the NBA will be proffering up to their patrons for the season. Well, the Warriors did little to disappoint as they completely overwhelmed the Mavericks with their resiliency and resolve as a team. Unfortunately,for the Mavericks they had no answer for the Warriors’ Monta Ellis, Anthony Morrow, Vladimir Radmanovic or their rookie sensation Steph Curry. As they went about decimating the Mavericks’ defense and made them look like very much like a D-league NBA representative
team.

Now pardon me for saying this, when your franchise is said to be worth
in excess of $ 400 million and on appearance it seems to be worth not more than a plug nickel . Then there’s a great deal to be said for the pomp and bloviated opinions of Mark Cuban and the persona of his franchise. They’ve become more accustomed to being beaten up on, more than a hooker is by her pimp ‘for not turning enough tricks’. And ‘tricks’, it appears to be something that the Mavericks haven’t been able to turn in quite some time. OK, so they made it to the postseason last year and they beat a San Antonio Spurs’ team that was missing several of its top players. But having done so, in the conference semi finals they melted like butter against a hot knife.

Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors celebrates a win against the Dallas Mavericks during a game at the American Airlines Center on November 24, 2009 in Dallas, Texas. picture appears courtesy of NBAE/Getty Images/ Glenn James .......

Courtesy of Associated Press and Yahoo Sports

Ellis, Morrow lead Warriors past Mavericks 111-103

DALLAS (AP)—Golden State was down to eight healthy players—and used only six. Warriors coach Don Nelson wasn’t with the team as he recovers from pneumonia. Still, Monta Ellis(notes) and Stephen Curry(notes) wouldn’t let injuries or sickness become an excuse.

Ellis scored 13 of his season-high 37 points in the fourth quarter, Curry added 11 of his 18 points in the final 4 minutes and the Warriors ended Dallas’ five-game winning streak with a 111-103 victory over the short-handed Mavericks on Tuesday night.

“Coming into this game, we had nothing to lose,” said assistant coach Keith Smart, who filled in for Nelson. “The worst case is they blow us out and we move on to (Wednesday night’s game in San Antonio). But our guys have a lot of character. They played hard together and made the right decisions.”

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Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41), of Germany, loses the ball to Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, in Dallas. The Warriors won 111-103. picture appears courtesy of AP/Photo/ Sharon Ellman ...........

This season, the Dallas Mavericks appear to have started off strong but their inconsistency is already beginning to set in. The Golden State Warriors for their part are looking to take the next step and place themselves amongst the elite teams within the Western Conference. And in doing so, it would further suggest to their fans that they’re ready to show them what they’ve been missing out on for such a long time. In place of Don Nelson as coach of the team last night , there on the sidelines was his assistant, Keith Smart. Nelson was unable to participate as he was sidelined with a bout of pneumonia. His return isn’t anticipated for another week or two. Smart, for his part showed that he may well be the coach in waiting, once Nelson is ready to step down from his position as coach of the team.

The Mavericks for their part, to my mind are no closer to winning an NBA title than the Democrats are about the direction that the party now seems to be heading in.The Dallas Mavericks as an organization give all the semblance of being an organized and efficiently ran organization. But in essence,they’re only playing at being that. They’re a complete mess but Mark Cuban would rather not have you see the warts and all mess,that there is inside of his franchise.

And for Mavericks’ coach, Rick Carlisle and his assistant coaching staff of Terry Stotts, Dwayne Casey and Tom Sterner. This was hardly the type of response they’d have expected from this team with the resultant 111-103 loss to the Golden State Warriors. But it seems to be something that’s emblematic of the team and their inconsistency. They either play down to the level of an opponent or at times they’re able to play with a high degree of efficiency.There does not appear to be a happy medium for the Mavericks. Is it any wonder that they’re viewed as one of the softer teams around the NBA ? And that’s not just from a physical standpoint but also when it comes to the mental aspect of their game. It’s now becoming a view that’s being widely shared across the NBA and amongst the fans, themselves.

And for the Golden State Warriors ,though on the face of it the win might not seem that much. But having been able to defeat a team with just six healthy players from its entire roster shows that they’re not at all prepared to bow down and become one of the lesser beings within the NBA fraternity. That’s left to the likes of the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets and the Charlotte Bobcats. For those particular franchises, mediocrity nowadays goes hand in hand, just as much turkey and Thanksgiving are part of a solemn festivity that we can all feel comfortable with.

What do you think of the Dallas Mavericks as an NBA franchise ? Good, bad, indifferent or just simply overrated just as their counterpart in the NFL – the Dallas Cowboys ?

NB Take time to participate in the poll below.

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‘Big Pimpin’ by Jay-z feat’g UGK .

Report: Stephen Jackson Wants Trade to Contender

The Warriors aren’t going anywhere, so this isn’t surprising.  I think the Cavaliers would be the best fit for him.  I have a trade idea that I think would get the deal done.  The Warriors would trade Stephen Jackson and would receive Delonte West, J.J. Hickson, and Darnell Jackson.

ESPN: Golden State Warriors forward Stephen Jackson says he has requested a trade and prefers to be dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers or any of the NBA’s three teams in Texas.

Jackson’s wishes are rooted in a desire to play for a team that consistently makes the postseason, he says, something the Warriors have done only once in the past 15 seasons.

“At this point, I’m 31 years old. I have four or five years left,” Jackson told Dime Magazine on Friday. “I want to be in a situation where I can continually be in the playoffs and get another ring. So that’s where my mind is at now.”

Jackson, speaking to the magazine in New York during a promotional event for a shoe line, said the status of his demand is pending.

“It’s not about a decision I made,” he told Dime Magazine. “It’s just things are in the air right now. I really can’t get too much into it right now.”

When prompted with a question from the event’s host about the Warriors’ playoff chances, Jackson, who was attending the event with former teammate Al Harrington, told the crowd: “I don’t think I’ll be a Warrior next year. I’m looking to leave.”

The Miseducation Of Drew Gooden …..And Other Such Idiocies And Then Some !

So the Dallas Mavericks have signed free-agent Drew Gooden . All with the hope that the journeyman player will be able to add something to the team. Now I say this with all deference to the player. But in light of his overall career there’s little that I can see that he can offer a team that over the years has underachieved and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Drew Gooden seen here playing for the San Antonio Spurs attempts the shot under the defensive presence of the Portland Trailblazers' LaMarcus Aldridge. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ San Antonio Express News / Edward A Ornelas ........................

Perhaps for Gooden, it was the thought that once again we have a player who felt because Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban has shown him some love by offering a large some of money to impart his skills amongst his new found teammates. He felt he was unwanted elsewhere ? But with the Mavericks he’ll finally have found what he’s been allegedly looking for . Let’s hope for Gooden’s sake that those skills aren’t as over-hyped we’ve witnessed over the years.

The Mavericks for their part are merely once again plugging holes with in a jig-saw puzzle , where the prerequisite pieces aren’t at all a sure fit. This is an aging that’s long in experience but completely short in attitude and resolve. And Cuban for his part still acts like the immature child we all know him to be , despite his immense wealth and alleged business acumen.

Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks . picture appears courtesy of / icon smi/ Kevin Reece ...................

And though for the Mavericks they made the playoffs this past season. In all honesty were they really expected to go any farther than they did ? Jason Kidd is no longer the player he once was and in terms of someone within the franchise’s midst to impart leadership. There is no one there at all. Dirk Nowitzki for his own part , is going through his own private hell both on and off the court. And perhaps the team’s most gifted all-round player when he sets his mind to it, actually choose to play. We may at times only in rare flashes of brilliance see what this team is quite capable. But such can be the unevenness in terms of brilliance of Josh Howard . That he can become the Mavericks’ own version of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde .

The few bright spots on this team can put down to the fact that franchise may well have found someone in Jose Juan Barea , who displayed a great deal of prowess during the playoffs. And if anything showed that he can be of impact for this team in the future. That being said when looking at the roster of the Mavericks , you do indeed see that it is long in the tooth ! But for their rookie signees Ahmad Nivins and Rodrigue Beaubois . One can view the Mavericks as still a work in progress as they try to re-invent themselves. However. in large part many of the other players on the roster have limited experience within the NBA.

Mavericks' center /power forward Dirk Nowitzki . picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Ron Hoskins ...................

And for the team’s coach Rick Carlise , his struggles will be continuous throughout the upcoming season. As he tries to instill a great deal of discipline and defensive mindset into the team’s play. If there’s one thing that we’ve known to be true about the Dallas Mavericks. It is that defensively it has never their forte’ from the outset. They’d rather try to outscore an oppoent. Rather than playing on both ends of the floor. What Gooden may well bring to the team in that aspect is primarily based upon how one’d view the player’s defensive capabilities.

AP source in conjunction with Yahoosports :

Gooden says he’s headed to Dallas

By Jaime Aron , AP Sports Writer

DALLAS (AP)- A source to the negotiations tells the Associated Press that the Dallas Mavericks have reached an agreement with free agent big man Drew Gooden .

The source who did not wish to be identified because a contract hasn’t been signed yet, said Monday that the deal is “verbally done”.

Gooden said on his Twitter page Monday that he had three deciding factors in his decision to join the Mavs: winning , playing time and money. He wrote: “Dallas is the team !”

Owner Mark Cuban did not return an e-mail seeking confirmation of the deal, but did post , “Welcome Drew” on his Twitter page.

Gooden, 27, played 19 games for the San Antonio Spurs last year , 9.8 points and 4.4 rebounds. The 6′ 10″ Gooden averages 12 points and 7.9 rebounds and will help a frontcourt that lost Brandon Bass to free agency.

The Mavs would be his seventh team.

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The thinking may well be that with the addition also of Shawn Marion , the team can finally show itself to be a legitimate contender for postseason honors . What Marion brings to this team is a player with great scope on both ends of the floor. And someone who in combination with Kidd and Nowitzki can provide the added offensive presence needed. But on the defensive side of things , also , someone who’s not afraid to do the real dirty work as and when needed.

Gooden may well feel that he’s finally landed in his own personal Utopia. But he’d better make sure that from the outset he’s going to be prepared to earn the money that’s being paid to him at the largesse of Mark Cuban. The owner may well like to party like a rock star when it comes to his NBA franchise. But in these dire and uncertain economic times even the rock stars are said to be now tightening their belts. And Cuban is no different !

It Never Rains As Such It Just Keeps On Pouring

And I thought that the clouds now floating over the state of Texas , only brought a certain amount of precipitation. Well certainly not if you happen to be Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban. One can only attest to the fact that trouble tends to follow the eponymous owner . Much like an obedient dog tends to follow its master. Wherever he goes , that pet is bound to follows too.

The always feisty but self assured Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Richard Cloutier

However, this latest saga concerning Cuban can’t be all that welcoming for the owner , or for that matter , the NBA. Having recently had a federal case resolved wherein there was no evidence to suggest any wrongdoing on the part od Cuban concerning an insider trading infraction. Cuban and the Mavericks now find themselves the subject of a lawsuit brought by the franchise’s previous owners.

A suit was filed by Hillwood Center Partners ,in the Dallas district court, claiming that Cuban wrongfully siphoned millions of dollars from the team’s home arena to make up for shortfalls incurred by the team. If this were merely just an accounting maneuever , then one might well understand. But bearing in mind that a number of franchises around the league are said to be having severe financial problems. This has got be cause for concern , not just for the Mavericks’ franchise . But clearly for the hierarchy of NBA and most assuredly , NBA Commissioner David Stern .

'I'm not poking fun at you ref, I'm just letting you know how I feel about the calls' As always Cuban will be the bane of the NBA officials with regard to his opinions on their officiating prowess. picture appears courtesy afp/photo/ Cathy Rigsby ........................

As of yet ,the commissioner , nor anyone from his office has made a public statement on the matter. But they obviously will be monitoring the situation closely with their own general counsel being in close proximity to offer legal advice. That being said this is hardly the sort of drama that the league and its hierarchy would like to see unfold within the public domain. Not when one considers that Stern, himself , is doing the best he can to keep the wolves from the doors of a number of franchises around the league. And this from the man who stated that the …..’$200m loaned to a number of teams was not to be looked upon as the league’s form of a bailout’. One can only surmise that he feels the pain of the common man on the street ?

A situation arising such as this , where one of the more high profiled owners of a well known franchise, now finds himself the subject of a lawsuit. Where it’s implied that there’s been a misappropriation of funds , can’t at all sit well with the fans. Much less the hierarchy of the league and the impression that it creates in the eyes of the public. Talk about a PR nightmare , not just for the league but also for the Mavericks, themselves. Hardly the sort of thing you’d wish upon your own worst enemy. But then again, Mark Cuban does have his supporters , as well as his detractors.

While one can look on the situation as nothing more than rancouring by a couple of disatisfied business partners as to the the conduct of that particular business partnership. It does give an ear to the fact that, the more that we think we know as to how a professional sports franchise is ran. The less we truly know about their inner working and how they go about dealing with their finances.

For all of the assurance given to us by Commissioner David Stern as to the health and the well being of the game. What he really fails to indicate to us are the real underlying problems facing a number of franchises on a daily basis. As he merely chooses to skirt around those issues and continues to paint a rosy picture for us all as to the well being of the game and its overall financial health. I guess that when the next collective bargaining agreement comes up for ratification between the two sides, the league and the Players’ Association. We really will begin to find out who holds the balance of power and in which direction the sport will proceed.

NBA Commissioner David Stern. Once again he sees a franchise befallen of controversy and this time as before there's really even more controversy very little that he and the league's can do. But assess the situation as to it unfolds and then await whetever jurisprudence is set forth by the legal system. Inasmuch as one might either love hate the commissioner. At this very moment his hands are tied. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Cathy Rassmussen ...........

Far be it for us to suggest that the league , its owner and the players ought to be more open as to how it goes about conducting its business. It’s not as if the fans themselves haven’t got a vested interest in seeing the game flourish and remain relevant in the eyes of everyone.

Somehow that seems to be lost on the players but most of all upon the owners and the hierarchy of the league. The fans continue to endure their continued raising of the ticket prices . Whilst little is being done for the benefit of the games’ fans and their continued patronage. I wonder why that is ? Have you any ideas as to the reasons why ?

Associated Press report:

Suit accuses Mavericks’ owner of diverting profits

By Danny Robbins, Associated Press Writer

DALLAS(AP)-Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is wrongfully accused of diverting millions of dollars from the NBA franchise’s home arena to help make up for cash shortfalls incurred by the team, according to a lawsuit filed by a company controlled by the team’s former owner.

The lawsuit claims Cuban covered the Mavericks’ financial shortfall by obtaining more than $29 million in unauthorized loans through a limited partnership designed to distribute profits from the arena, the American Airlines Center. It accuses the Mavericks and three other companies controlled by Cuban of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment.

The company that filed the lawsuit , Hillwood Center Partners, is controlled by former Mavericks’ owner Ross Perot Jr. and holds a small interest in the arena’s limited partnership, Radical Arena. A related Perot company sold the Mavericks to Cuban in 2000.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in a district court in Dallas, and a copy was obtained Monday by the Associated Press.

In an e-mail to the media, Cuban said his attorney have been open with Perot about the loans. He said the proceeds have been used ” to put the best possible Mavericks’ team on the court”, creating sellouts for the arena and driving customers to nearby businesses.

Cuban said he believes Perot is ” trying to find nickels in a sofa cushion”, in an attempt to recapture losses stemming from the Victory Project, the retail and office development surrounding the arena. Perot’s development company gave up its stake in the project to German investors in April, resulting in a reported loss of $100 million.

“I have to tell you the biggest mistake I made in buying the Mavs was in not completely buying out (Perot’s) interest”, Cuban wrote.

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Marion Could Be Headed To Dallas

Over the weekend, we discussed the potential landing spots for free agent Shawn Marion. He continues to find few teams looking to acquire his services, but one team may be willing to bring him in: the Mavericks. A possible sign-and-trade with the Raptors is being discussed, according to ESPN.com:

The Dallas Mavericks, after striking verbal agreements over the past few days to retain Jason Kidd and sign restricted free agent Marcin Gortat to an offer sheet, have identified their latest target: Shawn Marion.

The Mavericks and Toronto Raptors, according to NBA front-office sources, are discussing a sign-and-trade deal that would bring Marion to Dallas.

Although no trade appeared imminent Monday night, Dallas has emerged as perhaps the best option for Marion. He appeared to be heading for a new deal with the Raptors when Toronto succeeded in wooing Hedo Turkoglu away from the Portland Trail Blazers with an 11th-hour bid on Friday after Turkoglu had committed to the Blazers.

If the Mavericks and Raptors can strike a deal — with a third team potentially needed to help make the salary-cap math work — sources say that former All-Star guard Jerry Stackhouse will almost certainly be headed to the Raptors in the exchange. Stackhouse is scheduled to earn $7 million next season at age 34, but only $2 million of his salary is guaranteed.

Unlike the Jason Kidd signing, I think this would be a good deal for the Mavericks. Jerry Stackhouse is getting up there in age, and he’s become somewhat useless. Marion is athletic, can get to the basket and has the ability to hit long-range jumpers — all things Dallas is desperately in need of. Though Josh Howard is already the team’s starting small forward, Marion has the talent to play shooting guard.  Plus, Marion is a player that can get the job done for 48 minutes, while Howard is a player who tends to get off to a fast start and then fadeaway late.

The move makes sense for the Raptors, who most certainly want to save money. The fact that just $2 million of Stackhouse’s salary is guaranteed is probably a big selling point.

The Mavericks are still far away from competing for a championship, but adding Marion could bring them into the top-5 of a strong Western Conference.

Kidd Staying With Dallas

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban never ceases to amaze basketball observers. He continued to amaze — albeit in a bad way — today, as the Mavs have reached a 3-year, $25 million deal with point guard Jason Kidd. Kidd is 36-years-old, and last season he started to show that he doesn’t have much basketball in him. So what does Cuban do? He gives Kidd a boatload of money, all of which will be guaranteed. ESPN.com:

Jason Kidd has given the Dallas Mavericks a verbal commitment that he will re-sign with the team Wednesday.

Kidd, 36, will receive a 3-year, fully guaranteed contract worth in excess of $25 million.

“We are excited to have Jason Kidd back in a Mavs uniform,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told The Dallas Morning News. “He was a major contributor for us last year, and we expect more of the same next year.”

Kidd elected to stay in Dallas in the face of a hard push from the New York Knicks, who last week offered Kidd the most they could ($19 million over three years).

Signing Kidd for more than one season would have impacted the Knicks’ efforts to amass substantial salary-cap space for the summer of 2010, when they’re expected to woo Cleveland’s LeBron James and at least one other top free agent.

Had the Knicks signed Kidd, pressure on Knicks president Donnie Walsh to trade either Eddy Curry or Jared Jeffries — or both — would have increased significantly, but sources say that Walsh and Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni felt that acquiring Kidd would have been worth such hassles because of their confidence in Kidd’s ability to change the Knicks’ culture.

Kidd’s interest in returning to the Atlantic Division was mutual, but the Mavericks were always considered favorites to re-sign him because they could comfortably exceed the Knicks’ max offer of three years at the projected midlevel exception of $5.8 million per year.

Clearly, this move is all about trying to prove that he made the right when he traded Devin Harris away for Kidd. Harris is young, and very promising. His development last year made many consider him for the league’s most improved player award. With so many years left in him, the trade looks worse for Cuban and the Mavs everyday. The Kidd trade was aimed at winning a title immediately, and that of course didn’t happen. Thinking Kidd would be able to bring the Mavs a championship was asinine in its own right, since they needed to adress more than just the point guard position.

With Kidd being a free agent this season, the Mavs had a chance to cut bait and admit that they made a mistake. Cuban, being the stubborn owner that he is, instead decided to hang on to Kidd. All of the moves that have been made by the top teams in the league have been blockbusters. The Mavs have stayed relatively quiet, with the exception of this news as well as the signing of center Marcin Gortat. Those moves are not enough to compete for the their own division — let alone the NBA championship.

And really, what does Kidd have left? While he did average 8.7 assists last season, his production seemed to hurt the Mavs more than it helped in the playoffs. Take Game 1 against the Nuggets, for example, where he turned the ball over eight times. Of all the players on the court, the point guard cannot affford to turn the ball over that many times. His turnovers were limited the rest of the series, but he did have five in the closing game. His decision making was poor in all aspects of the game. During the regular season, he averaged just nine points per game, but for some odd reason he decided to try and score more in playoffs. He averaged 12.8 points per game against the Nuggets, including a 19-point performance in Game 5. Scoring so many points seemed to upset the flow of the offense, not help it.

Defensively, what is Kidd going to provide? Once one of the league’s premier defensive point guards, Kidd no longer has the ability to handle the speed of the league’s younger point guards, and he isn’t big enough to defend shooting guards.

More puzzling is the duration and money involved in the deal. Why give a 36-year-old a three-year deal? It is already hard to believe that he will contribute greatly this year, and it’s impossible to think he’ll be of value two and three years from now.

Bad move for the Mavs.

Offseason Report: The Remaining Free Agents

The 2009 Offseason has started to heat up with the contract agreements of Ron Artest with the Lakers, Hedo Turkoglu with the Raptors, and Trevor Ariza with the Rockets, and Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva with the Pistons, but there are still many top-level free agents available that could mean the difference between a championship and disappointing June for many teams.  For example, the Lakers are no guarantee to repeat if they aren’t able to re-sign Lamar Odom, and the Celtics will be low on big men and wins if they can’t sign Glen Davis or Rasheed Wallace.

Among the biggest names still available are Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, Paul Millsap, Jason Kidd, and Mike Bibby, though it is reported that Bibby with reach an agreement to return to the Hawks soon.  Jason Kidd has recieved interest from the New York Knicks and his team last season, the Dallas Mavericks.  Most likely he will reach a deal soon, or go to the Lakers or Cavaliers for the veteran minimum for a chance to win a ring.  After a disastrous 08-09 season, Allen Iverson is looking for a team that will take him.  Last season, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons for Chauncey Billups, the team instantly got worse and barely made the playoffs while the Nuggets instantly got better and become championship contenders.  Iverson has been reported to be interested in the Memphis Grizzlies and Charlotte Bobcats, two lottery teams that aren’t anywhere close to championship contention.

Most likely, Lamar Odom, Mike Bibby, Jason Kidd, Ramon Sessions, Andre Miller, and Glen Davis will re-sign with their teams, but free agents such as Shawn Marion, Anderson Varejao, Leon Powe, Nate Robinson, David Lee, and Rasheed Wallace are looking for a new home.  Wallace has received a ton of interest from the Boston Celtics and their Big 3 of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce, while also getting calls from the Orlando Magic.  The Celtics have already said that they will not be re-signing Leon Powe because he is injured, so expect him to sign with a team part-way through the season once he is healthy.  Glen Davis on the other hand, did excellent for the Celtics in the postseason in place of the injured Garnett and will be demanding the mid-level exception from teams.