By Earl Sneed
Pro Basketball News
They say everything is bigger in the state of Texas. Hats. Hairdos. Cars. None of them compare to the massive expectations that follow the NBA’s three teams in the Texas Triangle. In Texas, you win, and win now.
So after a season where Dallas, Houston and San Antonio were not participants in the NBA Finals, this summer became BIGGER than any in recent memory. As history has shown, if you win the state you become the favorite in the Southwest division and a serious contender in the Western Conference. While none of the three teams have made an earth-shattering move this offseason, each has made vital steps toward winning now, while building for the future. With expectations high, all three teams understand that making the playoffs does not signify a successful season. In Texas it takes winning a championship. With teams getting younger and better in the West, the question is which Texas team is closer to winning a title after offseason moves thus far, and which teams still have some work to do?
Have the Mavs done enough to be contenders?
Unfortunately for new Head Coach Rick Carlisle, the Mavs roster seemed pretty set in stone before his arrival, and blowing everything up doesn’t seem like a realistic option. With that said, the window of opportunity for this group of Mavericks may only be a one or two year timeframe. Jason Kidd is getting older and Dirk Nowitzki may only have a couple of seasons left in his prime, so Dallas’ offseason moves have to allow for them to compete now while quietly adding pieces to the team’s future, something that the Mavs’ have not done a good job of if you look at their recent history with young promising players. Enter a young athletic swingman in Gerald Green.
Green is seemingly the perfect fit for the Mavericks’ needs, now that Jason Kidd will be looking to push the ball and run a high-tempo offense. Despite landing on his fourth team in as many years, the 22-year-old is showing in the Las Vegas’ summer league that he can still play above the rim, unlike anyone in a Dallas uniform, and that he just may develop a consistent jump shot to accompany his athletic ability. If Green manages to do so, he could be a key contributor off the bench and a piece of the Mavs’ future.
While Green will grab the headlines, re-signing Jose Barea and Antoine Wright, along with DeSagana Diop coming back to Dallas, are moves that were more about necessity and less about flash. The Mavs now have trusted backups behind Jason Kidd, Josh Howard and Eric Dampier.
The Mavs are counting on the continued emergence of Brandon Bass, and a dark horse in forward James Singleton, who is averaging 15 points in summer league play, reminding Dallas fans of Bass a year ago.
While it remains to be seen if Ron Artest will become available, Carlisle and Owner Mark Cuban have made it no secret that they will be major players should Artest force his way out of Sacramento. Should that happen, everyone is expendable with the exception of Nowitski and Kidd, including Josh Howard despite how hard he’s worked to repair a relationship with the franchise after his controversial radio commits and lackluster playoff performance.
Have the Spurs added enough talent around the Big 3?
San Antonio came into this offseason with the easiest task of the Texas teams. The Spurs know that they have three stars in Duncan, Parker and Giniboli, and they have a perennial All-Defensive first-teamer in Bruce Bowen. But they’re getting older and they lack youth and athleticism off the bench. For GM R.C. Buford and Coach Greg Popovich, signing former Wizards’ guard Roger Mason, Jr. addresses those needs, but that is not enough.
Mason played 80 of 82 games with Washington last season, racking up 9.1 points in 21.4 minutes a game, and knocking down 39 percent from behind the arch. The Spurs are confident that he can add that to the Spurs’ bench, but where does that leave an aging Michael Finley? The Spurs still have to decide whether or not to cut ties with Finley, Robert Horry, DerMarr Johnson, Damon Stoudamire and Kurt Thomas, who are all free agents. Not keeping Brent Barry playing next to the River Walk was detrimental to the Spurs’ bench, but losing him to their interstate rival in Houston may prove to be deadly. The Spurs have not done enough to help their Big 3, and their role players could all have new homes come the end of the summer.
Houston is making moves to win now and later …
You have to like what Rockets’ GM Daryl Morey is doing. First, making a bevy of Draft Day trades to bring in Donte Greene and Joey Dorsey to address the future of the team, and later stealing sharpshooter Brent Barry away from San Antonio to compete to win a championship now.
Barry brings to the table consistent outside shooting when teams go to double team Yao Ming in the paint, or if they trap Tracy McGrady on the wings. Despite the whispers that T-Mac could be bound for Detroit for Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace, the Rockets are looking to secure talent around McGrady and Yao to get the team out of the first round.
The Rockets are close to re- inking Dikembe Mutombo to a deal, but they are wavering on whether or not to invest in re-signing free agent forward Carl Landry, who has avoided getting a MRI on his injured knee. Not knowing the true extent of Landry’s injury could open the door for Houston to become serious players in the James Posey sweepstakes, which would add more perimeter shooting and toughness to a team that seems stacked for years.
The offseason figures to have many more loops and turns left ahead, but thus far Houston is in the driver’s seat with their foot on the gas to take the state of Texas and the league by storm.
Earl Sneed is a regular contributor to Pro Basketball News, covering the “Texas Triangle” of the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. He can be reached at earlksneed@aol.com.
Copyright 2008 Pro Basketball News. All rights reserved.
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NBA: July 23, 2008
Who will be the talk of Texas?
