Dallas Mavericks

Mr. Seriousface challenged the MMB staff to come up with the worst possible representatives for the Mavericks at the NBA draft and once I started, I couldn't stop. So, here's my top ten: 10. H. Ross Perot, Jr. and Don Nelson: "Hi, Mark asked everybody who has pending litigation against him to come announce the pick today..." 9. RC Buford: "Thanks for inviting me. 'Round the Spurs compound we used to joke that late June was the only time of year we WEREN'T worried about what the Mavericks were doing, haha. I mean, that was a tough team to get past! Imagine if they'd ever drafted anybody after Dirk. Actually, these four rings make it hard for me to open envelopes, so I'm going to hand this over to Kawhi Leonard, Tiago Splitter, DeJuan Blair, Cory Joseph, Goran Dragic, even though we traded his rights, George Hill...." 8. Erick Dampier: "Hi guys, Steve Nash couldn't be here tonight, so the Mavericks got me instead..." 7. Mike James: "Hi guys, Deron Williams couldn't be here tonight, so..." 6. A smiling Rodrigue Beaubois from 2010, presenting with a weeping Rodrigue Beaubois from 2013 (ht Marktobo) 5. Bennett Salvatore: "Ahahahahahah. AHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHA. I PEED ON YOUR FRANCHISE. I WILL DO IT AGAIN. I WILL PEE ON THIS DRAFT PICK RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU, THEN GIVE DWYANE WADE FREE THROWS. I'M BENNETT SALVATORE, I SLEEP SOUNDLY EVERY NIGHT." 4. Avery Johnson: "Ohhhh, we're going to draft whoever the Golden State Warriors draft" 3. Shan Foster, who crumples up the pick and tries to shoot it long range to Maurice Ager, missing wildly, then Ager picks it up and shoots it towards Nick Fazekas, bouncing it off an audience member's face, after which Jared Cunningham fails to lay it up back on stage in the direction of three guys, who turn out to be Nick Calathes, Renaldas Seibutis and Mladen Secularic, while Jordan Hamilton and Corey Brewer look on, amused. 2. Dom Jones, just like, screaming and flexing. 1. Josh Howard: "I'm about to open this envelope, but before I do, I just wanted to remind all of you that I, Josh Howard, am the best draft pick the Mavericks have made in a decade by a factor of like 50. I mean, by a LOT, so....you know, what could go wrong"

The Mavericks will need a lot of luck to avoid owning the 13th pick of the NBA draft. There is about a two percent chance that a Mavs ping pong ball will pop up in the top three picks during Tuesday night’s lottery. Dallas has a 0.6 percent chance to get the No. 1 pick. President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, who will represent the Mavs at the drawing along with assistant general manager Keith Grant, plans to do everything in his power to improve those odds.

ESPNDallas.com will compare the Mavericks and Clippers in five facets -- other than money -- that could play a role in Chris Paul's free agency decision in a one-per-day series: owners/front office, coaches, co-stars, supporting casts and franchise tradition. We'll focus on Dwight Howard next week. Is Donald Sterling seriously considering giving Vinny Del Negro a new contract? If that’s the case, Mark Cuban ought to offer to pay half of Del Negro’s salary.

Last week we reported that Mark Cuban was asking Mavericks fans for new uniform ideas. Now we have an exclusive first look at the designs that have been submitted so far, some of which are pretty good and some of which are, well, interesting. Click here for a look at some of the more notable ones.

In September, Mavs Moneyball previewed the upcoming season for Brandan Wright, the athletic, fan-favorite who had electrified Mavs fans with spectacular plays, and helped create indelible moments during the team's lowest points(as an aside, I didn't realize how many alley oops Wright had with Jason Terry). A quick recap: In 2007, the Golden State Warriors traded Jason Richardson to the Charlotte Bobcats for the draft rights to Brandan Wright, the freshman big man from North Carolina and 8th overall pick in the draft. Wright entered the NBA with elite measurables and athletic ability for a power forward: a 6'10 frame with a 7'5 wingspan and the speed and leaping ability of a guard. Despite these tools, Wright did not quite make his mark in Golden State. His rookie season was limited to 38 games due to various injuries, and he managed only 39 games the next year(though he started more than half of them) after dislocating his shoulder midway through. His third year was completely lost, after another shoulder injury required surgery, and by the time he returned, Wright was no longer a fixture in the Warriors' future plans. That season, with his rookie contract in its final year, Wright was traded at the deadline to New Jersey, where he struggled mightily, converting just 40.7% of his shots in 16 games. Unsurprisingly, he was made an unrestricted free agent. Dallas, looking for a cheap, bargain-bin project like Brandon Bass or Desagana Diop, signed Wright to a two year deal for under $2 million. Coming off a championship season and the first phase of post-title free agent exodus, Wright was one of many new faces for the Mavs, and he quickly impressed teammates with athletic gifts not common on a veteran, aged squad. He would go on to set career highs across the board his first year in Dallas, showing off a hyper-efficient around the basket game and the ability to change shots defensively with his length and activity. The decision to pick up his second year option was an easy one. Brandan's numbers: Season Age Tm Lg Pos G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS 2007-08 20 GSW NBA SF 38 6 9.9 1.6 2.9 .554 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.1 .675 1.0 1.6 2.6 0.2 0.2 0.6 0.3 0.9 4.0 2008-09 21 GSW NBA PF 39 23 17.6 3.3 6.3 .528 0.0 0.1 .000 1.6 2.2 .741 1.6 2.4 4.0 0.5 0.6 0.9 0.6 1.9 8.3 2010-11 23 TOT NBA PF 37 2 10.2 1.6 3.2 .513 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.8 .677 0.8 1.6 2.4 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.4 0.9 3.8 2010-11 23 GSW NBA PF 21 1 9.3 1.8 3.0 .603 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.7 .500 0.7 1.3 2.0 0.2 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.9 4.0 2010-11 23 NJN NBA PF 16 1 11.5 1.4 3.4 .407 0.0 0.0 0.9 1.1 .824 1.1 1.9 3.0 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.9 3.6 2011-12 24 DAL NBA C 49 0 16.1 2.9 4.8 .618 0.0 0.0 .000 1.1 1.7 .634 1.3 2.3 3.6 0.3 0.4 1.3 0.4 1.2 6.9 2012-13 25 DAL NBA C 64 16 18.0 3.8 6.3 .597 0.0 0.0 .000 0.9 1.5 .615 1.3 2.7 4.1 0.6 0.4 1.2 0.5 1.2 8.5 Career NBA 227 47 14.9 2.8 4.9 .573 0.0 0.0 .000 1.0 1.5 .665 1.2 2.2 3.4 0.4 0.4 0.9 0.5 1.2 6.6 Another year and a lot more of the same from Brandan, who proved his comeback year in Dallas was no fluke and, most importantly, stayed relatively healthy for the second year in a row. The major selling point on Wright is easy to find: he doesn't miss much. He narrowly missed the 60% mark on his field goals for the second year in a row, and among centers playing at least 15 minutes, the only players with better true shooting percentages were Tyson Chandler, Tiago Splitter(last year these were also the only two better), and promising rookie Jonas Valanciunas. Combine this outstanding finishing ability with an extremely low turnover rate(tied for 1st among all centers with Al Jefferson this year, an

Last night news broke that Dwight Howard was not a lock to resign Los Angeles. I don't really know how this is news or how it broke, considering this is what we've been hearing for well over a year now. But because we inch closer to free agency every day and we have little else to talk about in Mavsland, it's worth looking into. Again. As much as we don't want to hear this, that Dallas is listed as a secondary option for Howard matters. That we're on his radar is fantastic; with all the work Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson have done over the years to make Dallas a first class operation, the Mavericks should be on any free agent's wish list. This is just the first time in the Cuban era that Dallas has had money to burn, so for once it actually matters. But that Dallas is on his list can't matter more than the other facts at hand. Let's start with his current club. The Lakers, as much as I am pained to admit, are the single best professional basketball franchise. Between the location and the rich history of the organization, the Lakers often act like they are on a different plane of existence because they ARE. Everyone in the basketball blogosphere used to make jokes about Dwight going to LA until it freaking happened. Try to think back about how you felt when you heard about the trade. It was probably some variation of "They did it AGAIN?" Despite the fact that the Lakers will have some sort term obstacles to get over, from 2014 and on the Lakers have nearly a blank slate. Toss in the additional money Howard is going to make from his contract and endorsements (I hope he signs a lucrative deal with Passages; I'm just sure they treat narcissism) it's so hard for me to imagine him walking away. Next, let's consider his probably number one location on his wish list. The opportunity to play with James Harden, Chandler Parsons, and Omer Asik while being coached by Kevin McHale sounds incredible. Until Asik and Jeremy Lin's back-loaded deals ring up on the salary cap, Houston is going to be a force (Heck, I'm sure GM Darryl Morey will figure something out to get Lin's contract off their books). They play the kind of basketball that the league is trending towards. A strong guard in Harden who can both get to the rim and facilitate an offense is something Howard craves. Houston is on an upward trajectory and this is a huge selling point for any young free agent. Finally, let's talk Dallas. In order to make room for the big man, the Maverick front office would have to strip the team down, giving up rights to all of the free agents currently on the team. That would leave Dirk Nowitizki, Shawn Marion, and Vince Carter. I love all three of these guys. But that's not a team on the rise. That's a team in need of youth. And a point guard. We all saw what happened when a talented team is guided by a hapless point guard this season. Would Dwight be willing to play out another year until Dirk takes his paycut and Dallas can sign more talent? I don't know. Given his tendency to vocalize his complaints with the media, I certainly don't think another frustrating season is something he'd be willing to undergo. From a basketball point of view only, Howard's options in order of preference should be Houston, Los Angeles, then Dallas. Including money, it's probably Los Angeles, Houston, and then Dallas. Unless Dwight values an aging Dirk over a young Harden, I don't see how or why Howard would choose the Mavericks. This is not to say it won't happen. Dwight is not really an astute judge of anything, so I certainly think it's in the realm of possibilities. The Dallas front office knows all this though, which is partially why Chris Paul is the number one option. In the days and weeks ahead you'll probably see more and more about why and how Howard might make his way into a Maverick uniform, mainly because it's fun to talk about. The reasons why it's unlikely are less fun and less covered. Just because something can happen doesn't mean that it will. Un

The game of basketball has turned into the business of basketball. Players are still slowly learning that fact. Fans should understand that now. The 2010-11 Mavs are a great example of how business could get in the way of a good thing. Dallas won the title that year and decided that it wasn’t a safe risk to “bring the band back” for another run at the title. Giving the core a chance to defend their title would have been enjoyable, but there was clear and reasonable logic behind the move the front office made. Mark Cuban has gotten a lot of heat for that decision, but the results of the playoffs this year suggest he was right for letting everyone go. As the Conference Finals are in motion, the Indiana Pacers’ Ian Mahinmi is the lone former Mav from the championship roster who still is playing. Let’s look at what the Mavs would have theoretically had to do to bring most of the band back. Remember, Brian Cardinal and Peja Stojakovic are out of the league now. That leaves J.J. Barea, Caron Butler, Tyson Chandler, Jason Kidd, Ian Mahinmi, DeShawn Stevenson and Jason Terry. One guy to remember but won’t exactly be figured into this equation – Corey Brewer. He signed a three-year, $9,177,000 deal. He is now a free agent. - Caron Butler signed a three-year, $24 million contract after the title. He still has one year left on the deal at $8 million. - J.J. Barea signed a three-year, $24 million contract after the title. He still has one year left on the deal at $9,206,500 million. - Tyson Chandler departed via sign-and-trade to a four-year, $47,098,100 contract with an $8,311,350 signing bonus. He still has $28,697,426 left on the deal over the next two years. - Jason Kidd signed a three-year, $9.27 million contract after the title. He still has $6,180,000 left on the deal over the next two years. - Ian Mahinmi departed via sign-and-trade to a four-year, $16 million contract. He still has $12 million left on the deal over the next three years. - DeShawn Stevenson signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract after the title. He was eventually part of a sign-and-trade that led to him getting a three-year, $6,721,350 contract in 2012. He still has $4,480,900 left on the deal over the next two years, but the two years are unguaranteed. - Jason Terry signed a three-year, $15,675,000 million contract with a 7.5 percent trade kicker after the title. He still has $10,675,000 left on the deal over the next two years. Just taking Butler, Barea, Chandler, Kidd, Mahinmi and Terry have a combined $74,758,926 left on their deals. As a comparison, that total would rank as the fifth highest payroll for the 2012-13 season. If you just want to look at next season, the group would have totaled out at $39,102,538. That’s not even taking into account Dirk Nowitzki or Shawn Marion. For next year, that group with Dirk and Marion balloons over the $70 million mark. The numbers would have gone up even more with the luxury tax implications. Cuban has cited a team like the Boston Celtics, a team that has won a title and has kept their collective core together. Some would wonder if they kept their core together too long and are forced to restrictive moves based on their cap situation. You don’t hear about many teams getting ahead of the curve, like the Mavs did, but you do hear about teams like Boston who might have held on for too long. With Memphis, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Golden State still strong and relatively young in some areas, would Dallas be primed to compete against those squads by bringing the band back together? It’s a harsh reality some have to face, but the business of basketball forced the hand of the Mavs. They made a decision to go with flexibility for the future. They look better today by seeing how the departed champs ultimately did with their new teams. Another fact is that Dallas is still in a rough spot, but they have room to improve. You can make all the right moves as you move through the minefields and still come out as a loser. That’

2013 NBA draft lottery team-by-team preview.

ESPNDallas.com will compare the Mavericks and Clippers in five facets -- other than money -- that could play a role in Chris Paul's free agency decision in a one-per-day series: owners/front office, coaches, co-stars, supporting casts and franchise tradition. We'll focus on Dwight Howard next week. There’s one reason why Chris Paul might consider leaving millions of dollars on the table to say farewell to a 56-win team with a lot of young talent.

I didn't think I would ever say this, but the barely six foot guard with suspect knees is more important than the athletic center who is a former defensive player of the year. Nevermind the fact that point guard has become one of the most important positions in the NBA, or that Chris Paul is one of the best ever at managing an offense and getting the ball to players in just the right position. Ignore Dwight Howard's less than polished back-to-the-basket post game and terrible free throw shooting. No, the most important distinction between the two is leadership. Chris Paul has it. Dwight Howard does not. This isn't to say that Howard can't be a valuable piece on a championship team. He's obviously talented and a game changing player. But given what I've seen from him the last couple of years, I wouldn't want him without Chris Paul around to keep him focused. This isn't to say Paul is without faults. He'll increasingly become a defensive liability as he ages, and his demeanor can turn off the wrong teammates, not to mention those mystery box knees (Will they hold up? Will they explode when he pivots? Can he get the number to Kobe Bryant's mad scientist orthopedic surgeon?). But Howard seems to be a less-focused Shaquille O'Neal, and without Paul's vocal leadership D12 could derail a talented team simply by not being focused all season long. I'm hoping the Mavericks understand their priorities. Sign the quarterback first, then go after the superstar diva wide receiver.I didn't think I would ever say this, but the barely six foot guard with suspect knees is more important than the athletic center who is a former defensive player of the year. Nevermind the fact that point guard has become one of the most important positions in the NBA, or that Chris Paul is one of the best ever at managing an offense and getting the ball to players in just the right position. Ignore Dwight Howard's less than polished back-to-the-basket post game and terrible free throw shooting. No, the most important distinction between the two is leadership. Chris Paul has it. Dwight Howard does not. This isn't to say that Howard can't be a valuable piece on a championship team. He's obviously talented and a game changing player. But given what I've seen from him the last couple of years, I wouldn't want him without Chris Paul around to keep him focused. This isn't to say Paul is without faults. He'll increasingly become a defensive liability as he ages, and his demeanor can turn off the wrong teammates, not to mention those mystery box knees (Will they hold up? Will they explode when he pivots? Can he get the number to Kobe Bryant's mad scientist orthopedic surgeon?). But Howard seems to be a less-focused Shaquille O'Neal, and without Paul's vocal leadership D12 could derail a talented team simply by not being focused all season long. I'm hoping the Mavericks understand their priorities. Sign the quarterback first, then go after the superstar diva wide receiver.