-from ESPN- The Dallas Mavericks have contacted the Miami Heat regarding veteran center Alonzo Mourning, ESPN's David Aldridge reported Wednesday night. Mourning The discussions are very preliminary, and Miami coach and president Pat Riley has said all summer that he will not trade Mourning, who is entering the final year of his contract. It is believed that the Mavericks would offer guard Nick Van Exel as part of a package for Mourning, who returned to action last season after missing most of the 2000-01 season with a kidney disorder. Mourning averaged 15.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 32.7 minutes last season, down from his career numbers of 20.3, 9.8, 3.0 and 35 minutes, but his playing time early in the season was limited because of the kidney disorder. Earlier this summer, the New York Knicks were reported to be pursuing Mourning, but Riley shot down that deal. "Coach (Pat) Riley has gone on record saying that 'Zo will be on the team this year, and it's our intention to re-sign 'Zo at the end of the season," Heat spokesman Tim Donovan told the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel at the time. In the same report from Aug. 9, the newspaper cited Mourning's desire to stay in South Florida. "I want to be (in Miami), but I can deal with change," Mourning told the paper. "I know the business, and I've seen some strange things." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- if the mavs are now focused on zo, that means that they have moved on from wanting lewis. with a lin-up of: zo lafrentz dirk finley nash there really is no room for 'shard there anyway. we will get lewis if this happens. thoughts?
Plus the Sonics have signed Antsy, I believe, as their new Forward that may be a sign that Rashard will not be going back at all. Rashard for the exception is a long shot, but we never know.
The mavs want everybody. If you wrote down the name of every player that is said to be pursued by the mavs, you'd have approximately 352 names on that list by the end of the year. So, I'd be really worried about this new rumor. Because of this, the Mavs will win the midwest for the next 115 years and Yao will commit suicide before the end of his rookie season. After a few monstrous landslide losses against the Mavs with their 352 quality players deep bench (including Wilt Chamberlain who will be resurrected by a foreign voodoo priest hired by Cuban), Francis and Mobley will become heavy drinkers and die in a car accident in Stevie-boy's BMW. Eddie Griffin will be eaten alive by Wilt Chamberlain's zombie and Bostjan Nachbar will stay on the other side of the Atlantic forever, trembling in fear... So, all in all, I'd say : take this rumor seriously and be afraid, very afraid...
The Mavs have to understand that the Heat would lose their salary cap flexibility next year, and so offering YMCA players for Zo won't cut it. Nick + somebody-else-decent (and that excludes Shawn "Mayberry" Bradley).
I think that they won't be that bad because unlike Portland, these players are unselfish. They won't have a good d, but neither do a lot of teams. Take Finley his career averages dropped off considerably, and it's not that he can no longer score cuz he proved that he can against Sac town. They need some enforcers now just like Houston does and they'll be set, but to be honest as long as the Lakers are rolling only the future matters, a 3 peat is just ridiculous.
I'd imagine the Heat would want TONS more than Van Exel. I think a fair deal would be Van Exel and Lafrentz for Zo. That gives Dallas a very good team. Zo Nowitzki Najera Finley Nash If they sign Lewis for the exception, I guess it's all over. But then the Heat can probably win the East: Lafrentz Grant/Laphonso Ellis Butler/Jim Jackson Jones/Jim Jackson Van Exel That's some nice scoring off the bench, and some great Defense.
That may be a good deal talent wise but it wipes out any cap room the Heat would have had next season. I don't think that Riley would go for it.
Why does everyone use Portland as a model for not getting too many good players? Portland doesn't suck because they have too many superstars. They suck because they have too many wannabe superstars with attitude problems and character flaws. You can never have too much talent on a team so long as the talent knows and understands their role on the team.
Ditto. The only superstar Portland has is Rasheed Wallace. Portland sucks because they signed a bunch of old, overated, aging used to be stars.
Sane, I think the Heat should definitely ask for more than just Nick and Lafrentz. First they should ask for Nowitzki, but they will be rejected. Then they should ask for Finley and Nash, they will still get rejected. Then they should ask for Lafrentz and Nash, or Lafrentz and Finley. That should get them closer. Of course, Miami would have to also add a player, maybe House. The reason i say this is because when healthy zo is the 2nd best center in the NBA. Even last year, he was still top 5, and had a good second half. Imagine him and Nowitzky in the same team. Not good for the West. Even w/o finley and Lafrentz, a starting lineup of Zo, Nowitsky, Nash and Griffin i think would be an upgrade from last year i think. they will still have offense, but add much more defense.
HeyDude: The _only_ reason why Zo is so valuable is the cap clearance factor next year. He is not the player he used to be and he's only getting older. Bad deal for both teams.
Ansu Sesay (might be spelling his name wrong) played sparingly for the sonics last season after a few years in the NBDL. He is a back-up who was re-signed. Don't think Rashard is hearing footsteps here...
Zo brings Dallas a defensive presence in the middle. They missed that last year come playoff time. If they let ZO get "injuried" mid-way in the season for say about a month, that would give him time to rest for the playoff run and I think they would give Sac and LA Lakers a run for their money. Even if ZO only gets 15 points per game, thats alot better than what they would be getting from the 5. Also if this deal goes down dont expect Houston to walk out in the Rashard "sweepstakes" cause if Dallas picks up ZO I think he will take the $60 large from Seatle.
Wow, Dallas is starting to scare me now. Zo? If they got him they're a legit title contender. And don't get caught up in "Zo isn't want he used to be an is aging", Zo is still an All-Star player and one of the elite big men in all of the NBA.
Here's Zo's numbers last year, 15.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, and 2.5 bpg, and shot 51% from the field. He also played in 75 games and played over 32 minutes per game. Those are still great numbers.
Sure those number are good. But does that justify giving up Lafrenz + van Exel? Problem#1 is that Nash seems to be not very durable at all. If the Mavs trade van Excel, they have AJ as backup point guard. That means more minutes for Nash which means he'll break down by the second round of the playoffs. Not good. Problem#2 is that the Mavs best bet for a title will probably be in 3-5 years when Nowitzki hits his prime and Finley and Nash are still good while Shaq will be a mere mortal or retired. By then, Zo will probably be rather worthless.
