Quote:
|
Originally Posted by windward
Exactly, I hated the trades for Jamison and Walker when they were made, and I hate them now. I also wouldn't be shocked if Nellie gets canned after the season too. This team has too much talent not too be contending for the NBA title
|
I could definitely see Cuban firing Don Nelson if/when the Mavs get ousted by the Kings, although I wouldn't agree with it. Sports franchises are too trigger-happy these days. I would like to see Nelson finish out his contract, or at least have one more season with a new group of guys.
The Mavs underachieved this year, but you can't blame Nelson alone because they are not the same team they were last year. They have bigger names and more shooters, but at the expense of gritty and scrappy players like Adrian Griffin and Raja Bell that made the little differences in each game (and played defense!). All they have now like that is Eduarda Najera.
But while we are not, IMHO, a better team because of those trades, I don't necessarily think those were bad moves. Like the Cowboys, I think the Mavs sacrificed title contention this year in order to make a push in the next couple of years, while still remaining competitive in the short term.
Trading LaFrentz and Van Exel for Walker and Jamison is a no-brainer move, as the latter two have much higher trade value - provided we are able to parlay them into something better. Walker is entering the last year on his contract, Nash is a free agent, and Jamison may work a deal to go to Charlotte (for the #4 pick, please?
). Hey, I can dream.