Dallas Gets Marion for 5 Years

The rumored sign-and-trade sending Shawn Marion to Dallas will become official today, reports ESPN.com and the Dallas Morning News.

What had been a tricky deal between Dallas, who is apparently in BUY! BUY! BUY! mode, and Toronto, who is attempting to maximize its Hedo Turkoglu cushion, turned into a four-way ballroom dance. Orlando reportedly jumped in to get a trade exception for the loss of Hedo and Memphis will provide its usual role as facilitator.

Beyond the five-year, $39 million deal the Mavericks have allegedly promised Marion, a 30-year-old wing, Dallas also ended up taking back Kris Humphries' two-year, $6.4 million contract. But the team vanquished the Devean George ($1.6 million, expiring), Jerry Stackhouse (only $2 million guaranteed) and Antoine Wright ($1.9 million, expiring) deals.

In the end, not counting the $3 million I'm sure Dallas had to send Memphis to get "Moneybags" Michael Heisley to play ball, Dallas will pay Marion and Humphries only about $4 million more than the team would have owed the outgoing players.

ESPN.com reports the Raptors have preserved their midlevel exception and the ability to give Carlos Delfino a contract. Orlando will get a substantial trade exception, which would allow the Magic to make an unbalanced trade over the next year.

I wonder how much attention Memphis' role (a familiar one) will draw. Owner Heisley admitted last month that his disaster-of-a-franchse actually made money last year, precisely because of this type of deal, wherein the Grizzlies -- who never have too much salary of their own -- facilitate a trade for a fee. The fee is usually $3 million, the maximum amount allowed to be included in any trade. Memphis' reputation on this point is so great you wonder whether, if this becomes two or three separate trades in official NBA parlance, Dallas would find a way to funnel more money to Memphis through Orlando and Toronto.

Maybe you think of Heisley's maneuvering as smart; just an owner finding a market inefficiency and exploiting it for gain. I see it as an owner who'd rather preserve his bottom line than field anything resembling a competitive team.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-09-2009 @ 9:25AM

FLOW said...

It's discouraging to fans to watch moves made that have nothing to do with basketball, just saving money.

7-09-2009 @ 10:15AM

William Masters said...

I agree.. I also get tired of teams changing players every f....ing year. If I change teams they say I do not stand by my team. I mean Nash,Finally.Stackhouse,George and Wright. Just to name a few. Hey just get rid of Nowitzki and Howard and Dampire and have a new team...Bastards.

7-09-2009 @ 4:21PM

Andy B. said...

I agree. I miss the days when guys stayed with the same team for their entire career.

7-09-2009 @ 3:08PM

david baugus said...

This is a business..Mark Cuban is the best owner of any team in the world.Have you ever been to a Mav's game? Do you know what kind of good the Mav's and Cuban do for DFW? As for the trade it makes the Mav's stronger and more exciting to watch.Please hold your bad comment til you go to a Mav's game or do some reserch. MAVS4LIFE.

7-09-2009 @ 6:11PM

Willard said...

It's great to see an owner who cares about the fans like Cuban does. He might not ever git a ring but he will sure go out trying. Go Mavs!

7-09-2009 @ 6:47PM

the cooker said...

$39 mil over 5years. I guess Marion the idiot finally figured it out. Remember when he demanded the Suns give him a Max contract? The Mavs are still overpaying this locker room cancer.

7-28-2009 @ 6:13PM

true2christ3807 said...

The Mavericks should've gone after Ron Artest. He is a defensive presence they could sure use. Especially after losing Brandon Bass in free agency. I would have traded for Pau Gasol also, back when he was available. I would not resign Josh Howard, he's not worth the money. The Mavs are about two players away from an NBA title. Marion is okay, but inconsistent. They should never have traded Devin Harris for an aging Jason Kidd, big mistake. I'm glad they got rid of George and Stackhouse. I would've kept Wright, he's a solid backup player. Ahhh, if only I were the Mavs Gm or Owner. I would definitely make some changes for the better. I would make them NBA Champions.

7-28-2009 @ 6:21PM

Okay, here goes. I would make the following moves. Waive or trade Devean George and Jerry Stackhouse. Back when Pau Gasol was available, I would've traded Erik Dampier and a first round draft pick for Gasol. Then, this year I would've traded Brandon Bass and a player to be named for Ron Artest. I would have kept Devin Harris and never traded for Jason Kidd. Before 2010, I would trade Josh Howard for a high impact Forward or shooting guard. Then I would sit back and watch them win NBA titles.

8-13-2009 @ 10:04PM

cecrdccdc said...

I was with Shawn Marion in Arkansas for his family reunion and I told him I wanted to see him with the Mavs, they need his rebouding skills, perimeter defense and he can get up and down the floor. Good move Mark Cuban, now the Mavs will be in the finals against the Lakers. Go all the way Mavs.

Charles "Big C" Caldwell

8-13-2009 @ 10:35PM

Giles said...

So now maybe Memphis will send Jaric to the Clippers to complete the Randolph trade, who`ll send him somewhere else, maybe as a wing forward, and maybe Memphis will trade Gasol and a 2nd pick to Dallas for Dampier, Terry, and $3 mil, with the Mavs. then signing Iverson for what that trade frees up under the salary cap. Maybe we`ll see Olajuwon as assistant coach in Dallas, Mtumbo as assistant coach in Memphis, coleading their teams into the playoffs. One of the nice things about summer, everyone can get sunstroke and fantasize their team can win the Nba championship. Come autumn, 29 teams, 35 if they hold a six team expansion to spread costs and increase association revenue, will have to start facing the odds are against all the teams winning the same year. Then Cleveland and Los Angeles will figure to meet for the Championship, with San Antonio having passed Denver as the team likely to lose the west finals, and the loss of Turk dropping the Magic to likely being second best of the beasts in the east.