What more could you possibly need when youve won an NBA Championship?
Well, when youre the Dallas Mavericks, you face the possibility of having several different needs. Six different players from the reigning world champs will become unrestricted free agents this summer. Several of them played huge roles in the Mavs upset over Miami in the NBA Finals. One of them — Caron Butler — hasnt even suited up since New Years Day, but hes also arguably the second-best player on the roster. For a team many considered to be the deepest in the entire league, Dallas could very well have a bench full of new faces next October (or whenever the inevitable lockout ends and the abbreviated season begins). The advancing age of many key Mavericks and the restructuring of the salary cap could force additional changes to the champs. Now that the celebration is winding to a close, its time to start facing questions about the possibility of a repeat. Heres the offseason shopping list for the reigning world champion Dallas Mavericks.
Top of the List: Re-sign Tyson Chandler
As soon as the DUST Chip was used to bring in Tyson Chandler, one of the main questions being asked was actually: What can we flip him for? Chandler had only played in 72 games in his past two seasons. In 2009, the New Orleans Hornets tried to trade Chandler to Oklahoma City at the trade deadline. But Thunder team doctors believed his left big toe was prone to re-injury and the trade was called off. While the Mavs front office had no doubt about his health or ability, almost everyone else wondered whether Chandler could reach the same level he did in New Orleans.
The first sign that Chandler was back to normal came during the summer, when he competed for Team USA in the FIBA World Championships. By all accounts, Chandler was one of the hardest workers at the summer camps and though he didnt play much during the tournament, he was still an invaluable source of leadership and energy. Chandler brought that same energy to this years Mavericks team, and it turned out to make all the difference. In addition to being a force on the glass and in the middle of the Mavs killer zone defense, Chandler brought a sense of pride and an intimidating presence. He had everyones back, most importantly Dirk Nowitzkis.
Instead of moving Chandlers expiring contract at the trade deadline, Dallas held pat and rode its roster to an NBA Championship. The man in the middle played a huge role in the Mavs title run and has become an invaluable part of the team. The Mavs signed Brendan Haywood to a six-year deal last summer with the hope that he would anchor the center position for the foreseeable future. However, Haywood got off to a rough start and never rebounded to the form he showed when he first arrived from Washington.
Chandler made $12.75 million this season. Its anyones guess as to what his asking price will be this year, but since he is an unrestricted free agent, Dallas will not have any negotiating advantage. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe speculated that the Celtics would try to make a move for Chandler to replace Kendrick Perkins, whom they traded to Oklahoma City. Boston would be one of many teams to go after Chandler now that hes shown he is fully healthy. The Mavs will have additional trouble trying to sign their center because of the cap constraints theyll likely be placed under with the new collective bargaining agreement. Dallas is already on the hook for $61 million in player salaries for the 2011-12 season, without including free agents Chandler, Caron Butler, JJ Barea, DeShawn Stevenson, Brian Cardinal and Peja Stojakovic. Chandler served as the catalyst for the Mavs transformation from playoff competitors to world champions, and its hard to imagine them making another run in May without him.
But if Chandler wants to return, Mark Cuban will have to pony up the dough both to Chandler and the league, due to the luxury tax. By any estimate, the Mavs will easily top the salary-cap limit currently enforced by the league. Last years cap was placed at $58 million, and the luxury tax limit was placed at just over $70 million. Any team that spent more than $70 million on its roster was required to match its excess total dollar-for-dollar. That means Cuban paid over $20 million in luxury tax alone. The Mavs big-spending owner will pay whatever he has to in order to keep his team on top, but the new collective bargaining agreement may hamper his ability. Only time will tell.
Balancing the Budget: To bid or not to bid on JJ Barea?
Outside of lottery winners, nobody else in America has raised his worth more in the past six weeks than JJ Barea. The undrafted free agent who had not played effectively in any playoff series since he came to Dallas in 2007 destroyed defenses in this years playoffs. It looked like Barea hit a wall against the tough Miami defense in the first few games of the Finals, but he responded with monster performances as a starter in games five and six. Barea hit 13 of 23 shots and scored 32 points in the last two games combined.
Barea made $1.8 million this season after Dallas exercised its team option to sign him last summer. As a result, he is now an unrestricted free agent. How much more does Barea stand to make? Speculations range anywhere from $4 million per season to the entire mid-level exception for Bareas services. Either way, Barea is not coming cheap, even if he does have a strong sense of loyalty to the team that gave him a chance in the NBA.
So does Dallas need Barea? The easy answer is: absolutely. Jason Kidd has one year left on his contract and turns 39 next March. The young and raw Rodrigue Beaubois looks more like an undersized two guard than a distributor and set-up man. The Mavs traded for Florida point guard Nick Calathes in the 2009 Draft and let him develop in Greece for the past two years. The move paid dividends for Calathes individually, as he was voted Most Improved Player by Eurobasket.com. But Calathes still has one year left on a generous contract, and it would cost $500,000 for Dallas to buy him out of that deal. So other than the ancient Kidd, Barea is the only other realistic option to run the point next season.
The other question: how much is too much when it comes to signing Barea? The full mid-level exception would call for him to make upwards of $7 million per season for the next four to five years. For that kind of money, the Mavs had better be sure that Barea can play 35 minutes per contest when Kidd decides to retire. Barea has only started 45 regular-season games in his five-year career, and he set a career high with 20.6 minutes per game this season.
Its impossible to say just how much JJ Barea is worth objectively. Without him, Dallas probably doesnt win an NBA Championship this year. In that sense, hes invaluable. On the other hand, the Mavs have been burned several times by offering huge contracts to players coming off career years in the final year of a contract. The center duo from Dallas 2006 run to the NBA Finals is a good illustration. The starter that year, Erick Dampier, was in the middle of a seven-year, $73 million deal he collected thanks to a career season he had just before his previous contract expired in 2004. Dampiers backup was Desagana Diop, who signed a six-year, $32 million contract in the summer of 2008.
Obviously, Barea has proven more than those two combined. He stepped up during the Finals and has consistently improved since he entered the league. While several teams will covet Barea for his explosiveness and energy off the bench, theyll have to compete with Cuban, who financed the leagues second-largest payroll last season and will continue to spend to keep the roster together.
Fill the cupboard:
- Depth for Dirk: Although it wasnt discussed much during the season, Rick Carlisle did a fantastic job of limiting Nowitzkis minutes throughout the course of the year. Dirk played fewer minutes per game in 2010-11 than he has in any season since his rookie year. The grind of 21 additional playoff games certainly didnt seem to take their toll on Dirk, who excelled in the fourth quarter during the Finals.
However, the big German is turns 33 on June 19 and has logged over 1,100 games in his NBA career. The Mavs not only need a youngster who can take Dirks place in the long-term; they could use someone who will keep Dirks minute-per-game average around 30 during the regular season. If Dallas is able to re-sign Caron Butler, that will allow Shawn Marion to return to his customary role on the bench and take some time off Dirks hands. Re-signing Brian Cardinal to a minimum contract might also help for five or six minutes per contest. The Mavs wont have much money to spend, and the free agent market doesnt offer many enticing options. If the Mavs choose not to bring back Cardinal, players in his price range who might be able to play more minutes include Josh Powell (Atlanta), Brian Scalabrine (Chicago), Chris Wilcox (Detroit), or Jared Jeffries (New York).
- More role players: Two Mavs who made big contributions at different points in the playoffs will become unrestricted free agents this summer. DeShawn Stevenson shot lights-out from the perimeter in the NBA Finals and also played solid defense against LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Stevenson has a reputation as a sort of loose cannon and may ask for more than Dallas is willing to pay him. Peja Stojakovic torched the Lakers during the Mavs four-game sweep of the reigning champs, but wore down as the playoffs stretched on and was only on the floor for three seconds during the last three games of the Finals.
Dallas needs reliable long-range shooters to keep its dynamic offense running at a high level. If Stevenson and Stojakovic both leave during the offseason, the Mavs will have big holes to fill on the bench: tough on-ball defense and perimeter shooting. Sasha Vujacic is a career 37-percent three-point shooter who spent last season languishing in New Jersey. Hell have to take a substantial pay cut, but Vujacic might be an option in free agency. There are several options in terms of defenders, but none of them have Stevensons versatility.
Stocking Up: NBA Draft Prospects to Look For
The Mavs have the 26th overall pick in this years Draft. Based on the depth of the team and Rick Carlisles track record of being hesitant to play young players, whoever gets picked likely wont see the floor much at all in his rookie season. Dominique Jones spent all of December in the D-League and showed a lot of promise, averaging 18.7 points per game in 10 contests. However, he only appeared in 18 games for the Mavs during his rookie year and played less than eight minutes per outing. With a pick near the end of the first round and a ton of money already invested in the roster, Dallas may opt to sell its selection to avoid taking on a guaranteed contract. The Mavs could also look to go the European route and draft a player who can get playing time without having to come over the States for a couple years. The Mavs have not conducted any player workouts yet, so its impossible to get a read on which way they are leaning. However, if they decide to stand pat and use their pick, here are a few players who make sense and should be available near the end of the first round.
- USC forward Nikola Vucevic: Although he was born overseas, Vucevic is not your typical Euro. He is a product of the American collegiate system, having spent the last three years in Los Angeles playing for the Trojans. Vucevic also isnt the typical European player in that he has the size (610, 260 lbs) and competitiveness to be effective inside. Vucevic certainly isnt the most athletic player available; his 25 inch vertical was the worst at this years draft combine. However, Vucevic has a very versatile game and made huge strides during his three years at USC. In his last year, Vucevic averaged a double-double, averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds per game. He was essentially the only offensive option the Trojans had, but many teams just could not stop him. Vucevic completely dominated the paint in a big victory over Texas, scoring 24 points against defensive specialist and likely lottery pick Tristan Thompson. On the other end, Vucevic limited Thompson to just six points and five rebounds in 38 minutes.
What Vucevic lacks in athleticism, he makes up for with intangibles and intelligence. He has great hands and rarely bobbles passes. He can play with his back to the basket, displaying an assortment of post moves. Vucevic can finish with both hands around the rim, and he can also step out and make 18-20 footers with regularity. He shot over 75 percent from the free throw line last year. As an added bonus, Vucevic is still developing. Hes only 20 years old and still can grow and adapt to the American game.
Vucevic even has the pedigree of a professional basketball player: both of his parents played the game in Europe. Vucevics father played on the Yugoslavian National Team in the 1980s and had a 24-year pro career. His lack of speed and leaping ability may prevent him from becoming a star, but Vucevic has a well-rounded game and can play either the 4 or 5-spot for almost any team in the league. He represents tremendous value this late in the first round and theres a chance he may get snatched up as early as the 14th overall pick, which belongs to division rival Houston.
- Richmond forward Justin Harper: Many people did not get a chance to see Harper play until he and the Spiders arrived on the national stage during March Madness. Harper has the size (69, 230 lbs) of a player who would normally feel comfortable in the paint and around the basket. But Harper is a long-range sniper who can sink shots from 25 feet. He made huge strides as a shooter during his senior season, raising his three-point percentage to 45 percent. He also showed a nice mid-range game and made nearly 60 percent of his two-point attempts.
Harper has one of the smoothest strokes of any player in the Draft. But for a player of his size, Harper didnt show much willingness to bang inside or battle for rebounds. He will need to add bulk if he wants to sustain a lengthy career. A good career pattern for Harper to follow might be that of Channing Frye, who has turned into a sharpshooter in Phoenix. Frye never turned into a good rebounder, but he is a big asset for the Suns. Harper can carve out a place for himself in the league with his skillset. He also fills a need for the Mavs as a player who can provide offensive firepower when Dirk Nowitzki gets a breather during games.
- Real Madrid forward Nikola Mirotic: A prime draft-and-stash candidate, along with Latvian forward Davis Bertans. The 20-year-old Mirotic decided to keep his name in the Draft at the last minute, which means he may have been promised a first-round selection by a team. Before the beginning of the Spanish league season, Mirotic didnt figure to see any meaningful playing time. However, he blossomed down the stretch for Real Madrid and became one of the most consistent players on a very talented team.
Mirotic is more of a typical Euro player in that he excels away from the basket. He has good range on his shot, looks comfortable taking both jumpers and set shots, and he spaces the floor well. Mirotic was blessed with a wingspan of over seven feet and has developed as a rebounder and finisher around the basket. As he began to get more playing time, Mirotic also grew in confidence and became more fiery and aggressive. That will bode well for him when he decides to make the leap to the NBA.
From all accounts, though, Mirotic is perfectly happy with staying in Spain. He has an enormous buyout in his contract, and he also recently became a naturalized Spanish citizen. Thats important because of league rules that limit the amount of foreign players per team. Now that Mirotic is a citizen, he is not restricted by those rules and his value goes up among teams in the league. It was a minor surprise that Mirotic even stayed in the Draft. Whatever team selects him does so with the understanding that he will spend at least the next two years overseas. Dallas can afford to wait and may pull the trigger on Mirotic.
Tags : Shopping