Free agency and trades. AHH…it’s the NBA offseason

Well…we are approaching the close of Day 1 of free agency. What have the Mavs accomplished? Essentially nothing but it seems as if they are trying to at least make contact with some free agents.

The #1 offseason priority is resigning Jason Kidd. Cuban proved that by flying to New York to essentially be on Kidd’s doorstep when the clock struck 12:01 a.m. eastern time. At least Cuban is being aggressive.

This afternoon, ESPN’s Marc Stein reported that the Mavs have offered Kidd a 3-year deal worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $21-$25 million. Many people in the know thought that the deal would be worth $8 or $9 mil a year.

Kidd met with the Knicks and could possibly be meeting with a few other teams. But the bottom line is no one can offer him more than the Mavs. I’m sure there are a few teams willing to offer him the full mid-level exception (MLE), but if he wants to get paid then expect him to be suiting up for the Mavs again next year.

Let’s move on to the other Mavs free agents…

If I was a member of the Mavs’ front office, I would try to lock up Brandon Bass as soon as possible. This kid is already a very respectable backup and has limitless potential. Supposedly the Magic have contacted Bass but that’s all I’ve heard. I think that the Mavs will resign him. I would be extremely disappointed if they let someone else grab him.

The other free agents are James Singleton, Gerald Green and Ryan Hollins (restricted).

I don’t have a feel for what the Mavs are going to do about Singleton. He is a decent role player that provides some good hustle off then bench. If they can get him on the cheap then I have no problem bringing him back.

Green will not be back. He is a great athlete but a pretty crappy basketball player. He has admirable cheerleader skills but not of the caliber that would make it worth bringing him back.

Hollins is a restricted free agent which means in order for the Mavs to keep him they would have to match any offer Hollins receives from another team. The good news is there will not be many teams making him an offer. I think the Mavs will resign him to a small contract and continue with the project.

Reports surfaced today that Rick Carlisle was aboard a plane on his way to meet with Marcin Gortat. I would love to see him in a Mavs uniform next year. If they could land him, you would more than likely see Dampier packaged with Stackhouse in a trade (more on that later).

The Rockets have shown a considerable amount of interest in Gortat. They even went as far as creating an e-mail address for fans to send notes that Gortat can read himself. I’m hoping that Cuban (or even Carlisle) can charm him and convince him that Dallas is the place he needs to be.

Another player that the Mavs have spoken to is Quinton Ross. Ross is a 6’6” swingman that played for Memphis last year. He is not a superstar by any means but he would provide a nice defensive presence off the bench.

With the exception of Gortat, I do not think any of these potential signees are exactly the splash Mavs fans are seeking…understandable. When you see San Antonio acquire someone like Richard Jefferson, a sense of panic can ensue and thoughts of retaliation quickly enter the mind. If you trust Donnie, he says and I paraphrase, “Silence isn’t a sign of inactivity.” I hope that is still true.

On the first day of free agency some teams have been active…

After trading Chauncey “The Solution” Billups last season, the Pistons have attempted to redeem themselves. They made the biggest splash on Day 1 by signing Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Gordon is receiving a five-year, $55 million dollar deal and Villanueva inked a deal for five-years and $40 million.

This makes you wonder what the future holds for Richard “Rip” Hamilton. Gordon and Hamilton both play the 2 and you’re not paying someone $55 mil to come off the bench. The Pistons fired their head coach Michael Curry a few days ago. Much had been made of Hamilton’s dislike of Curry and first thing came to mind when I heard about the firing was that this was done to appease Rip.

Does this mean that the Pistons plan on trading Hamilton? I guess only time will tell.

The only other transaction worth noting is a trade between the Clippers and Grizzlies. The Grizzlies sent Quentin Richardson to LA for Zach Randolph. This is Richardson’s second trade in a week after New York sent him to Memphis on draft day for Darko. The Clippers made this move to open up a spot in the starting rotation for #1 overall draft pick Blake Griffin.

Now it’s time for the Mavs to start dealing.

August 10 is an important date for the Mavs. That is the day the “Stack Chip” expires. This is the most important aspect of the offseason. If Donnie does not use it properly…well…off with his head. I do not see the Mavs signing any free agent that demands more than the MLE. That makes the “Stack Chip” even more important. Many teams are looking for opportunities to dump players in an effort to free up some cap for the 2010 free agency period. Pairing the “Stack Chip” with Dampier’s expiring contract should produce a pretty good player.

Some free agents out there that would look great in a Mavs uniform…

Rasheed Wallace
Anderson Varejao
Ron Artest
Trevor Ariza
Antonio McDyess

Who do YOU think the Mavs should sign? Keep it real.

Until next time…

Peace. Be good.

Tags: Anderson Varejao, Antonio McDyess, Ben Gordon, Blake Griffin, Brandon Bass, Charlie Villanueva, Chauncey Billups, Dallas Mavericks, Darko Milicic, Detriot Pistons, Donnie Nelson, Erick Dampier, ESPN, Free agency, Gerald Green, Houston Rockets, James Singleton, Los Angeles Clippers, Marc Stein, Marcin Gortat, Mark Cuban, Memphis Grizzlies, Michael Curry, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Quentin Richardson, Quinton Ross, Richard Hamilton, Richard Jefferson, Rick Carlisle, Ron Artest, Ryan Hollins, San Antonio Spurs, Trevor Ariza, Zach Randolph