Dwightmare

Ehsan Azad

Dwightmare

                Remember around this time last year, Mark Cuban sold us on the chances of reuniting Dallas with its hometown kid Deron William. Cuban told us grand stories of how Williams, and soon Dwight were going to join Dirk and create D3! The entire metroplex was excited that they would soon have the team to catapult them back into contention. Then Shark Tank happened, Williams went to the Nets, Dwight got traded to LA, and the Mavs missed the playoffs for the first time in 13 years.  So why are we excited this year?

                Oh right, the chance of getting Dwight or Chris Paul this time. The exact same situation has happened and the odds are not in our favor but Cubes continues to preach about making a splash this summer. It’s good that he delayed taping of Shark Tank, but what are you going to do about the fact that Dallas is not a favorable option now.

                If you are Howard or Paul, you know that this could be one of the last times you sign a huge max extension and you want to get all the money you can sucker out. Both players can re-sign with their current teams and get an extra year and 25 million right in their pocket. Both teams are playoff teams with chances to build off last year, so it would be hard to leave such a great situation.

                Second, if the rumors are true and it seems like both would want to leave, why Dallas? Look at the teams competing with the Mavericks in free agency. The Houston Rockets can make some big moves and get cap space to sign Dwight Howard. Howard would love to play alongside YOUNG superstar James Harden. That team would be in title contention for years to come.  The other team on the list is the Atlanta Hawks, who are the only team with the space to sign both.  I think they could be the leader to get them both since the players have always wanted to play together. It doesn’t hurt that Atlanta is Dwight’s hometown. Atlanta would have to work on signing some good supporting guys, but Dwight and Paul on a team together is scary good.

                Now, what can Dallas offer that can beat all that? Well the only thing either player would love is that they would have one of the best coaches in the league right now in Rick Carlisle. They would get to be the face of the franchise as Dirk would be more than happy to give it up and they would have a great owner. That is about it though for the Mavs. Both players would be coming here and playing with an aging Dirk and he isn’t the same one we saw in the title run. The team isn’t as good surrounding them and it wouldn’t be likely they would be title contenders for long.

                In the end, the Mavs should focus on getting younger and getting exciting dynamic free agents that don’t cost a lot and then move in for the kill next year when a new batch of superstars are ready for free agency.