Now we know who wants to sex Mutombo. From today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "The Mavs are aggressively pursuing Houston Rockets free-agent center Dikembe Mutombo, but signing him could be a long shot. 'It looks more and more like he's going to go back to Houston,' said Donnie Nelson, the Mavs' president of basketball operations. 'He's got his family down there.'" At a minimum, the competition will keep us from giving Deke a low-ball offer.
Deke wants to play for JVG - he would be redundant on the Mavs (like Walker was) they just don't want the Rockets to keep him
Mutombo at his age is still better defensively than Dampier, and probably equally as good offensively if given a few more minutes. Shawn Bradley is probably shaking in his Nike's right now. I saw him at a Frisco Rough Riders baseball game a few weeks ago, and asked him where he'd be playing since the Mavs were rumored to buy him out. He looked at me like I was on meth, and said, "I'm here in Dallas of course." SUCKER!
It's at the bottom of this article about Christie.. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=knight-_WWW_SPRT_12356477&prov=knight&type=lgns
Hehe. This is kinda off topic but before Game 6 at the TC I asked Bradley to sign that pic w/ tmac riding him, photoshoped w/ that cowboy hat and he did! I didnt actually expect him to do it, just wanted to ask. And at first he said no, but he would after the game. Then he saw the pic and got all excited and weird and then signed it. My friend said he'd hold it for me while he got other guys autographs, but now he says he lost it! but, it was still kinda cool..
Or to bid up Dikembe's salary and give us some pain in the cap. Either outcome is good from their POV. As someone mentioned a while ago, Les could always donate a few megabucks to Deke's hospital in Kinshasa. This way, Deke could officially accept the vet minimum and still be very happy. Take that, Dallas!
I found Shawn Bradley to be a very cool guy when I met him. I am not surprised he signed that pic for you. He was on his cell phone when I went over to him, and he just held up his finger as if to say, "One second." Then after he got off the phone, I had wandered away a bit, and he came all the way over to me and shook my hand immediately. So I chatted with him for a few. Then a buddy of mine called - a guy I play in a league with, and I asked Shawn to say hi to him. Shawn said, "What's his name?" I told him, and he took the phone from me and talked to my friend for like 5 solid minutes. It was totally cool. That doesn't change the fact that he's an overpaid stiff. But I did gain a new respect for Shawn as a person. A very humble person.
I can just imagine Shawn taking those goofy long strides to come all the way over and shake your hand. Pretty cool story.
At least from Doug Cristie's sources, a signing with Dallas for 3 mil to replace Finley is imminent. That would leave Dallas with only 2 mil to offer Deke. That is no competition at all. If Deke signs a two year deal for 5 mil with us that would be a great value contract. I think 7 or 8 mil total is closer to market.
