NBA FanHouse

Diop Heads Back to Dallas After N.J. Rental

Tom Ziller — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:31:00 EST

Next to Devin Harris, center DeSagana Diop was the clear #2 most valuable asset Dallas sent away to New Jersey in the midseason acquisition of Jason Kidd. He was the best defender the Mavericks had at a key defensive position. Surely, we would have helped some in rejecting the advances of David West and Tyson Chandler in Dallas' five-game first-round loss to New Orleans. He wouldn't have flipped the series -- but he would have helped.

Apparently, the Mavericks think so too, as the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports Diop has reached a five-year deal with Dallas for the full mid-level. That will take DeSagana right through his prime (he's 26), and could leave Dallas with one of the best defenders in the league at center, which seems important as Andrew Bynum, Amare Stoudemire, Al Jefferson, and Greg Oden hang around the West.

The key question, one partially answered by the signing: how will Rick Carlisle use Diop? In three seasons under Avery Johnson, Diop averaged no more than 18 minutes a game. You might blame foul trouble, but Diop recorded only 1.9 fouls per game this season in his 17 minutes with Dallas.

Johnson is (was?) a notorious micro-manager, and his constant in-game substitutions always offered an opportunity for jokes for road crowds. Diop's never going to be even so good as a Dikembe Mutombo on offense, but with a steady diet of minutes, he could at least become a Mark Eaton type anchor through his prime.

Diop Heads Back to Dallas After N.J. Rental originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Shan Foster Can't Wait to Play ... in the NBA

Will Brinson — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Western, NBA Draft, NBA Videos, Dallas

During a rather pedestrian draft night last Thursday, one of the more tender moments was Shan "Don't Call Me Shane" Foster's playing of a song he wrote just for the NFL draft. At the time, I may have said something cynical about it, but the more I think about it, rooting against the Joey Harrington of the NBA is just wrong.

Here's Shan's little jam he put together to discuss his feelings about being a professional basketball player.

It's actually kind of catchy, in a very irritating way. And, all Joey H. jokes aside, the dude does have a pretty sick voice. Or, as Dirk said*, "He's no 'Hoff, but he's pretty good."

H/T: Hot Clicks

Shan Foster Can't Wait to Play ... in the NBA originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Josh Howard Talks About Weed, David Stern, Rick Carlisle and Not Being 'Brutally Honest'

Will Brinson — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Western, NBA Media Watch, NBA Videos, Dallas

Southwest Kia has a very nice interview with Josh Howard, who made some late season noise when ESPN decided that his marijuana smoking admission was "news". But hey, when you wield the biggest media sword, that's your prerogative. So you had to see this interview, in which Howard sits down in a friendly venue and speaks at length about his offseason and the lessons he learned, kind of coming. Still, good stuff.

Highlights include: Howard admitting he learned "not to be brutally honest" (3:10), how to deal with the negativity (4:25), David Stern accepting his apology for the marijuana comments (6:11), how Rick Carlisle brings a "new energy" to the Mavericks (7:26) and the fact that he's a big fan of The Wire (8:50).

Most of the talk about the marijuana issue kicks in about 5:30 through the interview.

Big Ups to Odenized for the find.

Josh Howard Talks About Weed, David Stern, Rick Carlisle and Not Being 'Brutally Honest' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Avery Johnson Is Slinging Nissans Now

Will Brinson — Tue, 27 May 2008 22:10:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, NBA Media Watch, NBA Videos, Dallas

You know what? If I was getting paid several million dollars to coach NBA basketball, without actually even coaching, I would probably announce for a year and set up shop in a car dealership in North Texas. Avery Johnson, clearly an unemployed millionaire after my own heart, has done just that, as you can see from the new, enthusiastic ad he has fired up on the Youtubery.

I tell you what ... I agree with his philosophy here, but if Avery won't even let Devin Harris control the Mavs' offense, I would hate to see what kind of "suggestions" he makes for people purchasing cars.

H/T: Merkin Sports via SBB

Avery Johnson Is Slinging Nissans Now originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 27 May 2008 22:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Jason Kidd Is [Not] Interning at a New York Investment Firm This Summer, Apparently

Will Brinson — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Western, NBA Gossip, NBA Media Watch, Dallas, New York, Summer League

When reading this article in the Dallas Morning News (passed along by Ziller), you really have to do a double take on "Kidd said from New York, where he's an intern for a hedge fund company", even if you know it's coming. Because, you know, that would mean that Jason Kidd is actually interning at an investment firm in New York this summer.

Kidd is with Avenue Capital Group, a global investment firm that manages assets estimated at $19.5 billion. The group invests in distressed and undervalued securities, a description that applies to the Mavericks at the moment.

That is what the DMN says. Avenue Capital Group would not comment either way on Kidd's employment. But if this is true (apparently it is not, see update after the jump), well, it may not be some newsbreaking chunk of excitement, but I still want answers. Or at the very least, a reality show.

What is Kidd's background in finance? Is he the NBA's Lenny Dykstra? Does ACG have a summer rec basketball league? Has he interned anywhere before? Is there a guy a few cubicles down who keeps making "assist" jokes every time Kidd helps him with a client?

See? Tons of questions. Very few answers. Obviously, it is going to have to do with Kidd's plans for post-retirement; adding a significantly impressive internship to his resume will only help him get a job once he hangs up the sneakers. But that does not make the vision of Kidd in a short sleeve button up with a tie sitting behind a desk any less funny.

Oh, and go right ahead and cue the Josh Howard-summer job in a head shop-jokes. They're coming.

Update: ACG's PR firm states that "Jason Kidd does not work at Avenue Capital Group in any capacity" which kind of conflicts with the whole idea stated above and in the DMN. Weird. I will so be all over this non-story for the next few days. And continue to keep my fingers crossed that Jason Kidd doesn't wear shirt sleeves.

Jason Kidd Is [Not] Interning at a New York Investment Firm This Summer, Apparently originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 27 May 2008 11:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Mark Cuban Admits He's Smoked Weed, Thus Justifying Josh Howard's Habit

Tom Ziller — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:08:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Dallas

The ~~smoke~~ dust from Josh Howard's postseason marijuana saga has mostly settled, though trade rumors have unsurprisingly centered around the forward. In a radio interview with Dan Patrick, a clip of which has been posted at SI.com (the top right corner), Mavericks owner Mark Cuban addresses the situation by admitting his own past usage. A cleaned-up transcript of the key passage:

Patrick: Do you care if he smokes pot?

Cuban: I'd be a hypocrite if I said 'yes' because I've inhaled, and when I inhaled I coughed a couple lungs out. And so I was never a big fan of smoking, but if I've tried it I can't look at somebody and say, 'How can you try it?' That's just terrible. [...] Again, I'd just be hypocritical if I said, 'Josh, smoking pot is just the worst thing you could possibly do.'

Cuban also said he doesn't believe Howard smoked during the season and revealed his team has had players for whom smoking pot became a performance issue. Cuban said those players were removed by trade or waiver.

It doesn't sound like Howard will face punishment from the team (a good thing, in my eyes), but you still wouldn't be surprised to see him moved due to the team's actual performance issues.

Latest NBA Photos

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James reacts during the fourth quarter of a 97-92 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of an NBA Eastern Conference semifinal basketball series in Boston on Sunday, May 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady sits courtside during Game 7 of an NBA Eastern Conference semifinal basketball series between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Boston on Sunday, May 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Fans watch as New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady applauds during Game 7 of an NBA Eastern Conference semifinal basketball series between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers in Boston on Sunday, May 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON - MAY 18: Kevin Garnett #5 of the Boston Celtics smiles as he looks towards teammate Paul Pierce #34 during their post game press conference after their 97-92 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden May 18, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - MAY 18: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during his post game press conference after the Cavaliers lost 97-92 against the Boston Celtics in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden May 18, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - MAY 18: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers wipes his face during his post game press conference after the Cavaliers lost 97-92 against the Boston Celtics in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden May 18, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James stands over teammate Ben Wallace after a foul on Wallace during the fourth quarter of their 97-92 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of an NBA Eastern Conference semifinal basketball series in Boston on Sunday, May 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Cleveland Cavaliers' Lebron James reacts after he was fouled during the fourth quarter of Game 7 of their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final basketball playoff series against the Boston Celtics in Boston, Massachusetts May 18, 2008. REUTERS/Adam Hunger (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

BOSTON - MAY 18: Head coach Mike Brown of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during his post game press conference after they lost 97-92 against the Boston Celtics in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden May 18, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BOSTON - MAY 18: Head coach Mike Brown of the Cleveland Cavaliers answers questions from the media during his post game press conference after they lost 97-92 against the Boston Celtics in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden May 18, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Mark Cuban Admits He's Smoked Weed, Thus Justifying Josh Howard's Habit originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 22 May 2008 13:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Carlisle Really Wants to Coach Artest Again

Matt Watson — Thu, 15 May 2008 04:30:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, Mavericks, Western, NBA Rumors, Dallas

Rick Carlisle was asked in a Dallas radio interview this week if he'd ever consider a reunion with Ron Artest, and he wasn't able to hide his enthusiasm about the idea. Tim McMahon of the Dallas Morning News transcribed Carlisle's thoughts:

"Of course," said Carlisle, who coached Artest in Indiana. "This guy is one of the real difference-makers that we have in this league. He's had one all-star year; that's when he played for me. I've had a chance to reconnect with Ronnie a couple times over the last couple of years. I love him and I love his family, so yeah. This guy was one of the most physical, intimidating players that I've ever seen at the small forward position, so he'd be a player that any team would want to have."

Now that Carlisle has left his gig as an ESPN analyst and is once again gainfully employed by an NBA team, someone might want to remind him that he doesn't have to say exactly what's on his mind all of the time. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if Carlisle isn't guilty of tampering, he's certainly toeing the line.

Artest hasn't decided if he's going to opt-out of the last year of his contract, and hearing Carlisle talk about how he'd welcome another chance to coach him might make the decision to become a free agent a bit easier. A more favorable option for the Kings would be trading Artest to the Mavs and getting something back -- both McMahon and Sacramento Bee beat reporter Sam Amick suggest Josh Howard. After a miserable playoff run (that included birthday- and weed-related drama), Howard might be due a change of scenery.

Stay tuned: between the Jason Kidd trade and the Avery Johnson firing, we know the Mavs aren't afraid to embrace big change.

Carlisle Really Wants to Coach Artest Again originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 15 May 2008 04:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Report: Mavericks Have a 'Done Deal' With Rick Carlisle

Matt Moore — Fri, 09 May 2008 23:21:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Western, NBA Rumors, Dallas

According to a report by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Dallas Mavericks have their man. The paper is reporting that a verbal deal is in place with Rick Carlisle to become the new head coach of the Mavericks. It will be his third head coaching job in the NBA, this time succeeding Avery Johnson who was fired after another disappointing first round exit.

The deal outlined by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram by a source close to the situation is a four year contract that will pay Carlisle a little over $4 million per year, which, if you're keeping score at home, is more than Johnson made. Carlisle has long been considered the front runner for the deal, and today was the expected day of deliverance. He brings with him a 281-211 lifetime coaching record, and a .484 playoff career winning percentage.

Known for coaching a balanced offense-defense philosophy and a strict offensive structure, Carlisle's first priority will be to form some sort of cohesion from the semi-chaotic-chaotic mess the Mavericks devolved into at times after the acquisition of Jason Kidd. Figuring out what to do with Josh Howard after his comments regarding offseason drug use and late-year shooting slump might also be up there. Either way, Mark Cuban got the guy he wanted, the Mavericks have a new head coach, and it's Rick Carlisle.

Report: Mavericks Have a 'Done Deal' With Rick Carlisle originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 09 May 2008 23:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Report: Carlisle to Mavs a 'Done Deal'

Matt Watson — Wed, 07 May 2008 01:10:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Western, NBA Rumors, Dallas

Rick Carlisle isn't officially the next head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, but if you believe his agent, that's pretty much just a technicality. From the Jeff Caplan in Ft. Worth Star Telegram:

"A lot of this is about finding your fit," said agent Warren LeGarie, who is working in Greece. "With Donnie [Nelson] and Mark [Cuban], I think Rick has found a fit."

Nelson, the Mavs' president of basketball operations, reiterated Tuesday night that negotiations are moving forward and that he was optimistic Carlisle would soon be the ninth head coach in Mavs history.

The Dallas Morning News reports that LeGarie, who also represents Mike D'Antoni, has returned from Europe to continue negotiations. Both of these reports jive with the lastes from ESPN's Marc Stein, who cites sources calling a four-year contract a "done deal" and says Carlisle could be officially introduced Friday or Monday.

Carlisle has taken his team to the playoffs in five of his six years coaching, including getting past the first round (a problem for the Mavs in recent years) four times. As my colleague Tom Ziller pointed out, Carlisle isn't exactly known for his offensive acumen, but as I see it a defensive specialist may be able to make more of an impact in a conference that boasts five teams that averaged at least 105 points a game.

Report: Carlisle to Mavs a 'Done Deal' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 07 May 2008 01:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Wonder How Avery Felt About the Kidd Trade?

Tom Ziller — Sat, 03 May 2008 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Nets, Mavericks, Dallas, New York

Just in case there was any question as to how Avery Johnson felt about the February trade which sent Devin Harris and draft picks to New Jersey for Jason Kidd, here are some quotes from the Le Petit General's closing statements to the Dallas media.

[Harris] was going to be an 18-and-8 player. I invested a significant amount of time with him and, again, he was injured and a lot of things were happening around the NBA, and like I said, if we can just hold on a little while, we've got the best record against the West. ... The team was changed and we never really got back on track. [...]

[The trade] was something that was tried and it didn't take us anywhere that was close, we were struggling to make the playoffs, so it didn't nearly bring us the rewards that we wanted.

Now that Dallas is done, it's obvious the trade was a bust. A huge, magnificent bust. Harris for Kidd straight up would have been considered a bust, since, you know, Kidd makes $20 million next year while Harris is locked up until 2012 at a salary that never gets larger than $9.3 million. And also because Kidd is 35 year old and Harris is 25. And also because Harris is arguably a better player today -- a 17.5 PER, 15 points and 6 assists in 32 minutes on the season -- than Kidd, with a 16.7 PER, 11 points and 10 assists in 36 minutes.

Throw in those draft picks (#21 this year, and a 2010 first round selection) and DeSagana Diop? No offense to Pat Riley, but this was a far worse deal than Phoenix's trade for Shaq. The Suns ruined their season. The Mavericks might have ruined their season and their future.

Wonder How Avery Felt About the Kidd Trade? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 03 May 2008 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Dallas May Have Hired Rick Carlisle

Tom Ziller — Sat, 03 May 2008 09:15:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, Pacers, Mavericks, NBA Rumors, Dallas

There's a report this morning -- backed up by an NBA TV talking head last night -- saying Rick Carlisle has been chosen as the next coach of the Dallas Mavericks. We'd accept this as fact if the source weren't Peter Vescey, who in the past week has retracted a column and errantly reported Derrick Coleman needs a heart transplant.

Vescey reports in the New York Post that Carlisle has interviewed with the Knicks on Wednesday, but has since wowed Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson down in Big D. Vescey parroted the same report on NBA TV's postgame festivities last night (via HoopsHype). ESPN.com's Marc Stein (the most plugged-in national reporter when it comes to Dallas) offers Carlisle only as a favorite in the job hunt, one of five candidates Cuban will consider. The Dallas Morning News, for its part, have nothing on the potential hire.

My only concern for the Mavs here: You need some creativity on offense, right? You need a coach who will, at the very least, turn the reins over to Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki and let the points fly, yes? Carlisle spent four seasons in Indiana; here are the Pacers' ranks in leaguewide offensive efficiency each of those seasons, chronologically: 9th, 18th, 21st, 30th. Yep, worst offense in the league in 2006-07. What did Jim O'Brien do with basically the same roster in 2007-08? 19th in the league.

Carlisle can coach defense, and he's not likely to grate on Kidd like Avery Johnson did. But this sure as heck doesn't seem like your typical magical elixir.

Dallas May Have Hired Rick Carlisle originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 03 May 2008 09:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Look at the Losers: Dallas Mavericks

Will Brinson — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Western, NBA Playoffs, Dallas

Gaaaah. 67 wins ... Dwyane Wade ... Golden State!! ... Dirk is "soft" ... Jason Kidd ... Avery Johnson ... Implosion. That's a very rough timeline -- storyline for the Dallas Mavericks over the past few years. The Mavericks got bounced for the second straight year in the first round, this time at the hands of the Hornets and the offseason questions are sure to be endless, while the offseason "answers" are sure to be aggressive and media-attention-grabbing. That's just how Mark Cuban rolls.

How They Got to the Dance: Dallas looked dead in the water immediately following the Kidd trade with New Jersey, which in and of itself was highly questioned in most basketball circles. They got hot in April though, winning five of their last eight, and held onto the seventh seed. It didn't hurt either that the Warriors decided to go 3-6 in April.

How They Got Bounced: The easy answer: Chris Paul is simply not mortal. The longer, and more conspiracy-styled, version is that Jason Kidd is secretly a huge clubhouse cancer and ever since he arrived in the deadline trade, the locker room was against Avery Johnson. You mix in a control-freak coach with a group of guys that don't want to listen and it's your standy recipe for disaster.

Can't Blame This Guy: Dirk Nowitzki had a huge series, averaging 26 points, 12 boards, four dimes, 1.4 blocks and only two turnovers per game. He single handedly won game three in Dallas, and all of this needs to be added onto the fact that he came back from injury early, shredded that "soft" label and did his damnedest to keep the Mavericks alive for as long as he could.

Summer Vacation Plans: They started redoing the vaca-house early, having already bounced Avery Johnson out of town. Again, I think he's closer to a scapegoat than anything, but that doesn't matter now. The team will look to reload for a championship run, most likely with Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd. People will talk about moving Dirk or really blowing this team up, a lot. But Dirk is Cubes' guy and Kidd and his contract aren't exactly tradeable. See: last year.

Look at the Losers: Dallas Mavericks originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 02 May 2008 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Random Rumor: Bobby Knight to the Mavs

Tom Ziller — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, NBA Rumors, Dallas

Craig Ehlo is mint, but I think this theory he tossed out on Sporting News Radio -- documented by Larry Brown Sports -- is a little wacky.

I think Mark Cuban will actually go after Bobby Knight. You know he just lives in Lubbock, Texas, only 375 miles west of there. Cuban is an Indiana grad and I wouldn't put it past him to offer something to Bobby Knight if Bobby Knight would be willing.

"Only 375 miles west?" Short commute, really. As Larry asks, what exactly would Cuban offer? To relocate the francise to Lubbock? An ownership stake? A two-year supply of Big League Chew and single-malt? I mean, Jason Kidd couldn't swallow his medicine for three months under Avery Johnson's leadership. Knight might not make it out of training camp alive.

There's a subtle truth somewhere in this, though, I think. Cuban won't make a quiet hire. Some Tom Thibodeau character isn't getting this job. It will either be a massive big name (like Mike D'Antoni) or some obscure absurdity (like Charles Oakley).

While we're throwing out completely unsubstantiated guesses, though: What about David Blatt? That'd get Cuban the sufficient amount of accolades.

Random Rumor: Bobby Knight to the Mavs originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 01 May 2008 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Avery Johnson Has No Job ... For Now

Tom Ziller — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:35:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, Bulls, Mavericks, Dallas

Intrepid ESPN.com scribe/Dallas resident Marc Stein has the inevitable scoop: Avery Johnson has been canned by Mark Cuban today. Stein also reports (as he did early this morning) that Cuban considered firing Avery before the playoffs started, which sounds so insane it might actually be true.

Fear not, Johnson Family. Donnie Walsh (of the Knicks) and John Paxson (of the Bulls) would be suckers not to be on Avery's tail immediately. The Knickerbockers desperately need a firm hand to transition the franchise back from Hell; the Bulls have all the defensive talent to combine with The Little General in order to form the league's top defense for the next decade. Hell, the Sonics should fire P.J. Carlesimo, MJ should backtrack on the Larry Brown hire, and any of a half-dozen other squads should make room on the bench, if Johnson will have them.

Understand this: Avery Johnson is one of the league's best coaches, period. And he's 43 years old. You want the next Sloan, the next Popovich ... a guy who can lead your franchise for decades of wins? Then you try to hire Johnson. (Meanwhile, for Dallas ... does it matter who the Mavericks hire? No one is ever going to last more than a few seasons while Cuban owns the team. What top candidate -- like Mike D'Antoni or potentially Flip Saunders -- wants to work for Cuban?)

Avery Johnson Has No Job ... For Now originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source of Mavs Strife: Howard's B-Day Bash

Tom Ziller — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, NBA Rumors, Dallas

Day-after eulogies have a way of making squeaks and squawks of truth peak out from the shadows. It is the day after in Dallas, and hey! there's Jeff Kaplan of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via CSTB) reporting on why Avery Johnson canceled Monday's practice, leading to a team mutiny and bad mojo all around.

A late-night party to celebrate Josh Howard's 28th birthday after Sunday's Game 4 loss turned Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson livid and led him to cancel Monday's practice, two sources confirmed.

Johnson, who stressed no partying during the series, was informed before Monday's scheduled practice that Howard handed out fliers to teammates in the locker room before Game 4, inviting them to his party at a Dallas nightclub. [...]

Upon learning of the party, the sources said, Johnson entered the locker room and asked the players who attended to stand up. Infuriated, Johnson lit into his team and then called off practice. He told the team they'd meet on the flight to New Orleans.

Kaplan reports only a few Mavericks attended Howard's bash, but it seems one was too many for Johnson. But do you blame him? Of course not. It should not this difficult to follow a 'no-parties' decree in the midst of a difficult playoffs series.

Howard shouldn't get killed for (the renewed interest in) his (old news) weed admission last week (the 'bad timing' was not his fault; he got asked a question and he is not a liar), but this incident leaves Maverick blood on his hands. Know your boundaries, man. (It will be worth watching how Mark Cuban responds to this; even if Avery's gone, might Josh also have gone too far?)

Source of Mavs Strife: Howard's B-Day Bash originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Play On, Haters: Hornets Advance Over Dallas

Will Brinson — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:59:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Hornets, Western, NBA Playoffs, Dallas, New Orleans

There's a slew of "new" versus "old" changing of the guard notions buried within the New Orleans Hornets -- Dallas Mavericks series that just ended. The one time perennial contender Maverick team is on the verge of being blown up and something -- something about a change in the league's best point guard.

But I don't know that I have the brain power to wax poetic about it right now, simply because I am in absolute awe of how freaking good Chris Paul is. Say whatever you want about this Dallas team quitting on Avery Johnson -- and they did, no doubt about it -- but this series wasn't about redemption for Dirk or Avery. That's because it was CP3's coming out party.

And it's weird too, because it seemed like no one really believed Dallas could go out like this. I don't understand why that thought process existed -- you never even saw the defeat in Mark Cuban's eyes until about seven minutes of the fourth quarter tonight -- but I have an inkling that involves some sort of disbelief in the Hornets.

Has a number two seed, particularly in this ridiculous Western Conference, ever been so heavily doubted? Couldn't you actually take Dallas as a favorite to win the series at one point? Which is really absurd when you consider that only twice did it ever seem like Dallas might have a prayer to make a run in this series.

There was the first game in Dallas where Dirk went absolutely bonkos, Paul suffered under the pressure of his first road playoff game and a defensive switch

And then there was the final ironic twist of the knife in Dallas' collective back. Here was their team, getting blown out at the end, and lo and freaking behold, Devean George scores 11 points in the final 5:56 to bring the Mavericks almost within reach of making the series 3-2. Of course, they came up short anyway, but you can't blame George for that -- he tried to save them from this sad ending a few months back.

Play On, Haters: Hornets Advance Over Dallas originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

5 Things to Keep an Eye on: Mavericks at New Orleans, Game 5

Matt Moore — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:33:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Hornets, Western, NBA Playoffs, Dallas, New Orleans

In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Mavs-Hornets game tonight.

1. You Don't Have To Go Home But You Can't Stay Here: Fire Avery Johnson? Trade Dirk? Trade Josh Howard? All of those questions have to wait. The Mavericks aren't dead yet, and you don't bury the body till the soul is gone. It doesn't look good for the visitors, though. After an uplifting Game 3 went back and changed ... nothing. Not a thing. They said "We got the looks we wanted, they just didn't fall. They'll go in next time." And they did. All of the "JET can stop Paul!" talk was drowned out by this fact. Even if you stop Chris Paul, you let his weapons beat you. I want to believe, if only for the sake of dramatics, that the Mavs can turn this thing around. But in reality, this entire series has felt like the Mavericks were only a footnote for the Hornets' reclamation project. We'll see if the Mavericks are ready to call it a year or not.

2. Not Only Is The Future Now, The Past Is Then: You have to wonder if Jason Kidd may have irreparably harmed his legacy with this trade to Dallas. In New Jersey, he could have made the playoffs a few more years, collected a few dozen more tri-ple dou-bles and sailed off into the sunset. Now he's the old dude that can't keep up with Paul, who tried to decapitate Jannero Pargo, and may have ruined the Mavs' longterm flexibility. Kidd's still going to go down as one of the best in the game, but perhaps it would have been better to stay somewhere he could divert the criticism to others, like, oh, say, Vince Carter.

3. It Better Be A Mavs-Players Only Game: The Mavs had the day off from practice with the coaches, and so the players got together and practiced alone. Yeah. Doesn't say a lot about Avery, right there. Jerry Stackhouse said "All the X's and O's are good, but sometimes it's the guys coming together and figuring out what works better." Well I got news for you, Stack. Xs and Os are the problem here. The Xs are smarter, better, faster, and know what they're doing better than the O's. However, sometimes motivation like this kind of practice can spark a team, and momentum trumps everything in the playoffs. Since the Mavs are out of strategy at this point, maybe heart's the only thing left to turn to.

4. All Signs Point To West: If David West Shoots 44% or better, the Hornets win. That's pretty much it. In the one loss for the Hornets, West shot 30% from the field. Chris Paul is the engine that makes the Hornets go, but David West is the wheels. If he's not spinning, they're not going anywhere. Dirk Nowitzki cannot leave David West. Brandon Bass cannot leave David West. If they bring the double, they have to bring the weakside man. If you abandon West to double Paul, Paul's going to find him, and West knows immediately that when the double goes to Paul, he has to be ready to shoot. For the player I consider to be the best shooting power forward in the game? That's not exactly a problem.

5. Bass Master, For A Limited Time: Brandon Bass has been a joy to watch in the later part of this season. He's the one Maverick who consistently comes off the bench and tries to produce energy. He's got some serious defensive attention deficit problems, and his playbook knowledge could use some expansion. But tonight's the last time this season you may get to see Bass lay down one of his patented thunder dunks. Catch it before it's gone. But if he can get enough of them ...

5 Things to Keep an Eye on: Mavericks at New Orleans, Game 5 originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Mid-Sink Mutiny: Mavericks Practice without Avery Johnson Monday

Will Brinson — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Western, NBA Gossip, NBA Playoffs, NBA Rumors, Dallas

Various Mavericks fans have been calling for Johnson's termination since the Warriors upended Dallas in the first round of last season, but Mark Cuban has stood pretty firmly by his coach.

But you have to figure that if the players suddenly decide to publicly turn on AJ, that things could change drastically. And I may be going out on a limb here, but let's say that 'practicing without your coach and contrary to his orders' qualifies as 'publicly turning on'.

The players stepped out on their own Monday afternoon. After coach Avery Johnson spoke briefly with the team at American Airlines Center, he canceled practice and said he would see everybody at the team plane for the flight to New Orleans.

But several players said that they wanted to practice. So they did, without the coaching staff.

[...] Johnson talked openly Monday about whether the players are still in his corner. He said he will continue to run his team the way he believes it should be run. He said that since the trade for Jason Kidd, the transition has been rocky.

The Morning-News also made it pretty clear that Avery's tone was not that of "pleased" when discussing the players only practice. Avery Johnson isn't the type of guy that would just give up, so it's a little surprising to see him cancel practice.

Not to mention he's a self-admitted control freak, so this type of thing probably would not sit well. Although, maybe his attitude just doesn't sit well with certain players. And honestly, who would be surprised to see Kidd either not succumb to Avery's controlling ways or to just straight up lead a quiet mutiny in Dallas? You can put your hand down, Byron. It was hypothetical.

Mid-Sink Mutiny: Mavericks Practice without Avery Johnson Monday originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

No Suspension For Jason Kidd

Tom Ziller — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:18:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Hornets, Dallas, New Orleans

The Associated Press reports that Jason Kidd will not be suspended for his attempted decapitation of Jannero Pargo last night. This means Dallas can lose Game 5 in New Orleans on Tuesday without J.J. Barea being prominently involved.

No one seemed to call for Brendan Haywood's suspension based on his hit on LeBron last week, though a good chunk of pundits I've read this morning think Kidd deserves a night off. I'd count myself among those. On The Basketball Jones this morning, Kidd's flagrant was called "lazy defense." I disagree. Haywood's hit was lazy defense; he didn't rotate in time, and he gave LeBron a shove ... which was dumb, and could have seriously hurt the league's best player.

Kidd's transition defense was lazy. Once he had Pargo's head in his palm, though, he seemed far from lazy. Lazy people don't keep pushing down on someone's dome once they've horse-collared a guy. Lazy people don't put a little extra oomph into making sure the foul's a "hard, playoff foul." (Trust me, I know lazy defense.)

Just be glad this league decision didn't happen against Phoenix, or the Suns would be seceding from the NBA right about now. (This is a suspendable offense, but this isn't? Goodness.)

No Suspension For Jason Kidd originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Josh Howard Is 28 Years Old Today, So He's Got That Going for Him

Matt Moore — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Western, Dallas

Twenty eight years ago, today, Josh Howard was brought into this world. It would be easy to suggest that Howard might look back on today, however, as a birthday he'd like to forget. Consider the following:

He's shooting 26% in the playoffs, as opposed to his career mark of 46%.
His team is down 3-1 to the New Orleans Hornets, heading back to New Orleans for Game 5,
His star point guard which his team mortgaged its future for was ejected last night and may not even play in Game 5.
He's facing constant questions about a SHOCKING (!) revelation that he smokes marijuana in the offseason.

So yeah, it's not exactly a hip-hop-hooray birthday for Mr. Howard. But you know what? He's still a 28 year-old NBA superstar with a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract playing for a playoff caliber team with two Hall-of-Fame players on it, he's healthy, and an extensive collection of vehicles. So all in all, life still ain't bad for the guy. Happy Birthday, Josh. Try and make sure Kidd doesn't kill anyone and we'll send you a cake, okay?

Josh Howard Is 28 Years Old Today, So He's Got That Going for Him originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments