By Matt Moore

The Mavericks have pretty much freaked everyone out. The Mavericks not only held off signing three of their major championship components to long-term deals, presumably because of the luxury-tax implications in two years under the new CBA, they didn't re-sign th

Mark Cuban says the Mavs won't be ringing up other teams at the deadline. (Getty Images)

em, period. They moved a trade exception to get Lamar Odom, despite knowing Odom has never really had a lot of success outside of the cocoon of L.A. and Phil Jackson (though there was absolutely no way to predict how many personal issues Odom would unfortunately undergo which have impacted his play). They are rumored to be pursuing Dwight Howard and Deron Williams, but if so, why aren't they active on the trade market? To put it the way one Western Conference exec told the San Francisco Chronicle: 

"I can't tell what Dallas is doing. I'm as confused as everybody else," one Warriors source said.

via Considering the Warriors' trade possibilities.

And the subterfuge continues. Mark Cuban himself told reporters before the Mavs' win over the Knicks that if fans are waiting for the Mavericks to dive into the trade pool with the deadline a week away, they shouldn't hold their breath.

If Mark Cuban can be believed, the Mavericks are only going to be players before the March 15 trade deadline if somebody blows them away with an offer.

It will not happen if teams are waiting on the Mavericks to start proposing deals.

"We're not calling anybody,'' Cuban said before Tuesday's game against New York. "I told Donnie (Nelson) to take calls, but we're not making any calls. There you have it.''

via Mark Cuban: Mavericks are not making trade calls | Dallas Mavericks Blog | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | The Dallas Morning News.

I know, I know. Cuban always says this. Teams always says this. Cuban said Saturday at the Sloan Sports Analytic Conference that they take pride in never letting trade talks leak. If we believed every GM, trades just spontaneously happen because no one ever calls anyone. But let's for the moment take his word. The Mavericks are closing in on a potential top-four seed and homecourt advantage in the first round. But from watching them, it's easy to see there's a big gap between them and the championship-caliber team of last year (in the shape of Tyson Chandler, specifically). And yet, the Mavericks remain painfully patient. So what gives?

Maybe it's the luxury tax and Cuban wanting to get space to make careful moves before the punitive measures take effect. Maybe it really is the big dream chase of Deron Williams and Dwight Howard in free agency, and wanting to boost Marion's value as much as possible. Maybe it's just a conceptual approach to flexibility. It may be smarter to simply allow yourself options down the road than aggressively pursue a plan.

But the fact remains, the Mavericks are baffling everyone and it's kind of freaking us out.

Deron Williams could be considering Dallas in free agency. (Getty Images)

By Matt Moore 

Hold on, let me barricade this post against the Nets fans hordes who freak out when you talk about any scenario other than Dwight Howard going to Brooklyn. There. Everything has been all quiet on the Dwight Howard front this weekend at All-Star Weekend. No trade rumors, no trade demands, no explosive quotes, no late night meetings between general managers and Howard. But the New York Daily Newsreports of an indication that seems to be gaining steam with a lot of experts, including NBA.com's David Aldridge, among others, that the Mavericks are very much in the heart and mind of Deron Williams. From the Daily News (emphasis mine): 

The ultimate disaster for New Jersey would be if Williams and Howard end up playing together, but not in Brooklyn. With some roster alterations that are doable, including using their one amnesty move on Brendan Haywood, the Mavs could be set up, cap-wise, to accommodate both players.
“The Mavs want to do what Miami did and put together their own big three,’’ said another GM. “That’s their goal.”

Williams privately told members of the Mavs last June during their Finals celebration that he would love to go back home and be a part of team with Dirk Nowitzki. But he said Friday he wants to continue to be a Net. So until further notice, the Nets think they still have a good shot to move into Brooklyn with Williams and Howard.

via Dwight Howard center of attention in Orlando as March 15 deadline to ship Magic Superstar looms - NY Daily News.

You'll remember that Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported last year during All-Star Weekend that Williams had told people close to him he wanted to play in a bigger market. He denied the reports. Then he was traded a few weeks later to the Nets. Williams was indeed in the locker room during the Finals, and his body language certainly indicated a warmth and desire to be a part of the Mavericks.

Know why? They were in the Finals. It could have been Washington Generals and he would have wanted to be a part of it. The Bobcats would look good after taking a lead in the Finals 3-2. 

Williams is from Dallas, that's where all this starts. A return home would make sense. It would also make sense for Dwight Howard, who wants a big market, to compete for a title, supporting stars, and warm weather. (Howard grew up in Georgia and has played in Florida his whole life; you ever tried randomly trying to adjust from that kind of weather to anything north of the Mason-Dixon? It's a nightmare.) So to review, the Mavericks offer:

A super-active owner who often acts as GM and who has shown a committment not only to spending, but spending wisely.

A Hall of Fame power forward scoring machine who should be able to keep playing for three-to-four more years at a high level.

A large market that attracts a lot of attention from sponsors and benefits as the economic center of a state which is essentially its own country.

A favorable tax situation.

Warm weather.

A return home for Deron Williams.

An organization that has won a championship in the past 14 months.

That's a pretty solid package.

And yet, the Nets remain in the lead for the services of both. It comes down to convenience. The Nets have movable pieces. Even if their trade assets aren't as impressive as some, they can still move them. The Mavericks' are all older players and unproven guys. They have no prime components to send Orlando. Howard is willing to wait till this summer to make his decision. But if he gets it settled sooner, all the better as long as it's the right decision. The Nets have the best chance at getting him between now and the trade deadline, and they believe they have the deal.

But if this thing goes to the summer, if it's a free ageny tour between Brooklyn and Dallas for both players, things could get very interesting. The Nets would do well to make sure Mr. Cuban doesn't get a shot in the competition.

(HT: IAmAGM.com) 

Mark Cuban questions David Stern's Chris Paul trade. (Getty Images)

Posted by Ben Golliver

The Los Angeles Clippers added Chris Paul and became an instant contender; the New Orleans Hornets traded away Chris Paul and have the worst record in the Western Conference, by far.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants the world to know that the league-owned Hornets, with NBA commissioner David Stern calling the shots as de-facto owner, screwed up in making that trade.

ESPNDallas.com provides Cuban's trade analysis, in which he argues the Hornets should have simply held on to Paul for the duration of his current contract rather than trade him away to the Clippers after previously discussing a 3-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets.

"You're better off just taking the cap room, or whatever," Cuban said.

"I don't think it was about the Lakers, per se," Cuban said before the game. "I think it was just the way they did the deal, which was ridiculous. I don't think it was about which team. I think it was the fact that, even with the Clippers, we just went through this whole (collective bargaining agreement) and said the incumbent team still has the advantage and then the team the league owns (wimps) out. And look how it's worked out for them.

"Bad management gets you bad results."

It's impossible to believe that Cuban actually believes his own cap room argument but it's an absolute certainty that he enjoys reading the "Cuban blasts Stern over management decision" headline on every NBA website. That's probably endless amusement for him.

The recent case studies in handling disgruntled superstars all point to getting maximum value in trade rather than risking flight in free agency. Ask the Toronto Raptors if they could re-do the Chris Bosh departure. Ask the Cleveland Cavaliers if they could re-do the LeBron James departure. Ask the Utah Jazz if they are pleased with the return they got for Deron Williams, who is holding up the future of the New Jersey Nets as he contemplates his next move. Ask the Denver Nuggets if they're constant with the ransom they got for Carmelo Anthony at last year's trade deadline.

There's no question that Stern was operating from the right playbook in moving Paul, who had clearly had enough with the dysfunction and ownership questions in New Orleans. Look no further than the Cavaliers for additional proof. Do you think owner Dan Gilbert is happier with getting nothing but a trade exception in James' departure or getting the No. 1 overall pick and Kyrie Irving, his next franchise player, by trading guard Mo Williams to the Clippers last season? Obviously, getting the rebuilding value back is key for a struggling team that needs to drastically change course.

In addition to a likely lottery pick coming over from the Clippers, the Hornets still hold matching rights on Eric Gordon, who has star potential, and they will have a top-5 pick based on their own performance. That's a potential up-and-coming "Big 3" in New Orleans as soon as next season, depending on what happens with Gordon in free agency and how the lottery balls fall. Al-Farouq Aminu, also acquired in the trade, isn't worth writing home about, but he's probably worth at least a mention here. Meanwhile, if Paul walks, all New Orleans has is its own pick plus cap space to chase free agents that don't want to play for the Western Conference's worst team. The choice is here.

If Cuban's larger argument was that the management decision to trade a superstar for parts continues a bad precedent that was supposed to be fixed during the lockout labor negotiations, he's right, of course. The system was changed but it wasn't entirely overhauled, and Stern and the Hornets had to act in their own self-interest, not take a stand for the greater good of the league. The risk/reward calculus was crystal clear given Paul's years of frustration and the weak Hornets roster that would have surrounded him this year. He had to go as soon as possible. 

The conclusion that Cuban likely wants you to take from his comments is not that Stern, the owner, is an idiot for the trade. It's that the NBA's system is still broken because not even Stern, the commissioner, trusts its new mechanisms for retaining franchise-player talent. That's an excellent point, although everyone seems to have been acting under that assumption since the first day that the lockout was lifted.

By Matt Moore

The NBA announced Friday it has fined Mavericks owner Mark Cuban $75,000 for his comments regarding the officiating during Dallas' loss to the Thunder earlier this week. Cuban had gone on another tirade about "accountability" and how "nothing ever changes" with bad calls. He wasn't very specific in what he was upset about outside of a 3-seconds call on Yi Jianlian. Dallas routinely sends video evidence of what the team feels are questionable calls. 

And of course, due to the public nature of Cuban's comments, the fine hammer came down Friday. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle was also fined $35,000. Carlisle had also actually punted the ball into the stands, kind of on accident, in fourth quarter and apologized afterwards. Cuban's is pretty routine, and Carlisle's may be procedural, but seems a bit excessive. Video doesn't exactly show Carlisle going Shane Lechler on the ball or anything. 

Carlisle took responsibility for his actions on Friday, according to the Associated Press.

 "I think it's fair. It's irresponsible for a ball to go in the stands. You're subject to a fine," Carlisle said during the shootaround before Friday night's game against Indiana. "So I accept it and regret that the situation happened even though it was accidental."

 Right after the game against the Thunder, Carlisle said the "incident where the ball got kicked into the stands, that can't happen."

Sometime someone should do a total count on how much money the Mavericks have contributed to charity through NBA fines. The number must be stunning. The Mavericks are exceptionally active in charity works anyway, so you have to think they're one of the most active donors of charity works in the country over the past decade at this point.

Mark Cuban should probably warm up that checkbook. (Getty Images)

Posted by Royce Young

Mark Cuban has been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years for things said about and to officials. And I think he better prepare to get that checkbook ready to write another check to the league office.

Cuban, upset about the officiating and the Mavericks 95-86 loss Wednesday to the Thunder, let loose after game. Via ESPN Dallas:

"Look, I haven't said a whole lot about the officiating in a long, long time, but I haven't seen it this bad in a long, long time," Cuban said. "Guys miss calls; that's part of the game. You're not always going to have a great crew. Officials have got to learn that's part of the game.

"But these were officials that have been part of the league for years, and it was just off-the-charts bad. And, if no one ever says anything, nothing ever happens."

Mavs coach Rick Carlisle was ejected early in the fourth quarter for picking up a second technical foul, the last one for punting the ball into the stands.  The crew who tossed Carlisle weren't household names -- Ron Garretson, Michael Smith and Mark Ayote.

"It all comes down to this: I understand that it's tough for the officials now," Cuban said. "They're going through the same travel stress as everybody else, but there's absolutely no transparency right now. I mean, you get games like tonight where it was just horrible. Who knows, I'm not saying it impacted the game, but you can just start naming the calls.

"All I'm saying is some of these guys are bad. Let me rephrase that. Some of these guys are having really bad nights, and it's having an impact. The league's got to come out and say, 'OK, look, we understand they're going through some tough travel or whatever. It's just the way it is.' Otherwise, if that's not an impact, you have to wonder how some of these crews are still on the court."

The free throw disparity really wasn't anything outrageous as Oklahoma City went to the line 33 times compared to Dallas's 25. And that's with the Mavs fouling a little at the end because of the Thunder's lead. But it was a couple of other calls that irked Cuban.

"Then they'll call three seconds on Yi [Jianlian] because it's Yi, and that's it. I mean, it's just ridiculous. Something needs to be done; someone needs to stand up and say something. So here I is.

"If no one ever says anything, nothing ever happens. We turn in stuff not after every game, but we turn in stuff all the time and we get 'inconclusive; inconclusive; yeah, we missed this; yeah, we got it right.' That's all fine and good, but there's nobody reporting to us on accountability. And that needs to change.

"There's a lot of guys and teams that aren't having great starts to the season and there's a lot of crews that aren't having great starts to the season," he said. "The league needs to make some adjustments, because you can't have it like this all the time."

By Matt Moore

We knew there would be effects on the quality of play in the NBA after a five-month lockout. We knew that a compacted season would lead to more fatigue, more injuries, less cohesiveness and an effect on stats. 

We just didn't know it would be quite this bad.

From the Miami Herald:  

Field-goal shooting, free-throw shooting and three-point shooting in the NBA are all down... . Turnovers have increased by an average of .8 per game, the largest jump in 29 years.Bosh said that in addition to the increased miscues, players have less time to learn from their mistakes.“We have to really pay attention to film, you have to pick things up on the fly, you’re not always able to go through live situations all the time,” Bosh said. “It’s a moment where you have to use your experience as a basketball player and pick things up without actually practicing them.”

via Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade will travel to Detroit but playing status unclear - Miami Heat - MiamiHerald.com.

The biggest problem seems to be that when things go badly for a team, they don't just go bad, they turn into an abject disaster. The Magic's 56-point outburst Monday is a prime example. The Celtics' defense definitely deserves credit, but that kind of output stands alongside a handful of Charlotte and Sacramento games in terms of how bad things can get. Tuesday night the Grizzlies only scored three field goals in the third quarter. The signs are everywhere. The exhaustion is hammering teams' abilities to recover, especially when it's not just games on back-to-backs, but often road trips that involve multiple games on a different coast. 

There's no solution to be held this year, but the standards for the league need to be re-evaluated. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has a clue about such things and has said that stats this year are "an aberration." It makes you wonder what teams are benefiting and what teams are struggling more than they would have in a normal season. At this pace, March could be a basketball snuff film.

Posted by Ben Golliver. 

The Lakers legend has reportedly bid on the Dodgers (Getty Images)

The only thing longer and more boring than the NBA lockout is the ongoing sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Good news: the deadline to submit bids finally passed so we just took a major step closer to the finish line.

The Los Angeles Times reports that two major figures in professional basketball -- Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson -- were among the "more than 10" bidders.

Outgoing owner Frank McCourt expects the Dodgers to sell for at least $1.5 billion.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban submitted a bid by Monday's deadline, as did East Coast hedge fund giant Steven Cohen and former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley.

Several groups also turned in bids, including those involving Magic Johnson and longtime baseball executive Stan Kasten; Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso and former Dodgers manager Joe Torre; Los Angeles investor Stanley Gold and the family of the late Roy Disney; and former agent Dennis Gilbert and Los Angeles investors Jason Reese and Randy Wooster.

Both Cuban and Johnson have been linked to the Dodgers, a franchise that has gone through financial crisis following the divorce of the McCourts, for months. Cuban's interest goes back to at least June 2011 although he recently said that he would not bid $1 billion for the club.

"At that price, I wasn't interested," Cuban said. "I don't think the Dodgers franchise is worth twice what the [Texas] Rangers are worth."

Johnson's interest in the club dates to August 2011.

"If the Dodgers ever came up for sale," Johnson said in August, "Would I take a look at it with some other people? Of course you would look at it. Because the brand is so strong. As we speak today, they do have an owner. It's never good to talk about an organization that already has an owner. I will say this: the Dodgers brand is amazing. The O'Malley family were great owners."

Hat tip: IAmAGM.com.

Posted by Ben Golliver 

For years, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been on a one-man crusade to keep NBA players out of international basketball competitions. His reasoning is straightforward and convincing: NBA team are exposed to the risks associated with injury and fatigue during what should be the players' offseason and the players aren't properly compensated for their participation.

With the 2012 Olympics just around the corner, the topic has come up again thanks to Mavericks All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki, who is currently sidelined because he is undergoing a week-long boot camp to get himself back into shape. Nowitzki needs the work after taking some time off during the lockout to rest up after competing for Germany at the 2011 EuroBasket tournament. He hasn't been himself throughout the first month of the season.

ESPNDallas.com reports that Cuban is ramping up the volume of his protest in an effort to get NBA commissioner David Stern to consider removing NBA players from the Olympics.

"It's just the epitome of stupidity that we would allow ourselves to be used so other corporations" -- as Cuban calls the Olympics -- "can make tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars," Cuban said. "There's some guys sitting at the Olympic headquarters going, 'Those dumb-***es, we're taking all their best guys for nothing.' "

Cuban knows he's unlikely to bring change to the system, but he said he will continue "fighting so that we'll pull out."

"The commissioner's office won't open it up to discussion. They just make a unilateral call," Cuban said Monday. "They'll take calls about it, but won't put it up for a vote. Hopefully, I can get him to move it to a vote at some point."

Nowitzki's 2011-2012 salary is $19 million and he's on the books for $20.9 million in 2012-2013 and another $22.7 million in 2013-2014. In that light, it's understandable why Cuban might view this situation as a business-owning entreprenuer rather than a gung-ho patriot.

As fruitless as attempts to convince Stern on this subject might be, there's really no better alternative. International NBA players are often heroes in their homeland, and representing one's country whenever possible is regularly a top priority for them, schedule be damned. Saying "no" would be pure heartbreak. 

Even Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski -- whose team is NBA players top to bottom, rather than one exceptional individual like Nowitzki or a handful of NBA players like those on the French and Spanish national teams -- said recently that he pitches his players on the patriotic importance of their participation. 

"We have used the military as a good example of selfless service and we've had many members of the military speak to our teams," Krzyzewski said on a conference call announcing the 20-man candidate pool for the 2012 London Olympics team. 

Without a system revamp -- Cuban proposes turning the Olympics into a 21-and-under tournament -- there's simply no way for NBA teams to receive the protections Cuban desires. In the geo-basketball world, NBA teams have been stuck with the short stick, and convincing monoliths like Stern and the International Olympics Committee to change course could take decades.

Cuban isn't one to take a slight without a response, so we shouldn't be surprised that Cuban is speaking up. If anything, we should be surprised that he hasn't been able to rally more voices by now given how many of his fellow owners face the same predicament. Their frustrations, though, are likely to continue. This is the mother of uphill battles given the money and national pride at stake.