Full-Court Press

Is P.J. Brown really that important?

So you're wondering what the Mavericks are up to and various media outlets in the area are acting like someone like P.J. Brown is fascinating news?

Well, not really. The Mavericks are still interested in Brown, who is deciding whether or not he wants to play, Chris Webber and sign-and-trade possibilities like Mickael Pietrus of Golden State or Sasha Pavlovic of Cleveland.

But Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson makes it clear that whoever the Mavericks sign is going to add depth and not much more.

"The bottom line is guys we're talking about," Nelson said, "they are accent pieces. So what you don't want to do is add a piece, a guy that's going to play a support role, and all of a sudden he gets bent out of shape either because of money or attitude or playing time."

Translation: The Mavericks have a good group of guys and a deep team. They do not want to mess with chemistry. So they'd like to add one of the above, but if they don't, they'll be OK with that, too.

-- Jan Hubbard

 

Diff'rent Cuban opinion

Yes, we know, give the Cubs fans the vote and Mark Cuban will run the franchise from now until eternity, surely breaking the hex and bringing World Series championships to Wrigley before you can say broadcast.com.

Well, here's a different take. Of course, Bob Smizik isn't a fan, he's a columnist in Pittsburgh. Perhaps Smizik just wants Cuban to buy the Pirates instead. Here's his quick hitter:

"The notion that Mark Cuban would be a great owner for the Chicago Cubs is about 10 miles off the mark. The last thing Major League Baseball needs is an owner in a major market lavishing extravagant salaries on free agents, which Cuban would surely do. As for Cuban's exceptional marketing acumen, the Cubs don't need it. They're playing to 97 percent capacity at Wrigley Field."

The Pirates aren't.

-- Jeff

Pinto on the move again

Remember Mavs play-by-play man Matt Pinto? He spent eight years with the Mavs on radio and then TV before leaving for the bright lights of L.A. with the, uh, Clippers.

Now he's headed north, up to Seattle, hired as the Sonics' radio voice. Of course, with the franchise on shaky ground, it could be just a matter of time before Pinto's on the move again.

-- Jeff

JET: bringing sandwiches to the masses?

Mavs guard Jason Terry is becoming quite the businessman. He recently launched his own clothing line and there's his record label, Tha Reason Records, and a travel agency.

Now, it's all about sandwiches.

Terry is part of the franchise group bringing "Which Wich" to Main Gate Square, next to the University of Arizona campus.

Terry, who won the national championship with the Wildcats in 1997, has teamed up with Donnie Nelson, the Mavs' president of basketball operations and former Phoenix Suns coach, to bring the sandwich chain to the Phx area.

The location is set to open on August 19. Jet and Donnie will be on hand for the opening.

See, no way Donnie could have traded Jet. They're business partners.

-- Jeff

Durant and his Team USA future

Kevin Durant is currently practicing with the USA Basketball national team, but with a roster loaded with veterans, he may not yet be ready to win a roster spot. There are 15 places on the current roster, which has to be cut to 12 before the FIBA Americas Tournament starts Aug. 22.

Durant may, in fact, slide over to the select team of young NBA players that is practicing against the regular team.

"He had a terrific minicamp in July," said Jerry Colangelo, managing director of the national team, "but we have to make some choices regarding who's going to be on our 12-man roster. Kevin has a real, legitimate shot based on his performance in the minicamp, but if that doesn't continue, we'll slide him over to the select group."

One local player who may surprise and make the roster is Deron Williams of the Colony and Utah Jazz. The U.S. team already has Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups, but Colangelo likes Williams.

"He's a real comer," Colangelo said. "I've been impressed."

-- Jan Hubbard

PJ in PHX?

Hopefully P.J. Brown will decide if he wants to play another season before training camps start in October -- this is getting tiresome. Clearly, the Mavs and Suns are his top suitors and it sounds as if the Suns are pushing hard to sign him after dealing Kurt Thomas to Seattle in a payroll move.

Amare's already chimed in with his support of signing the veteran big man and it would seem that the Suns could offer more playing time. That is unless Brandon Bass/Nick Fazekas/Pops can't sufficiently back up Dirk.

While Brown continues to weigh retirement vs. another go-round, there's a rumor spreading in the Valley of the Sun that Brown has been spotted in the city and is close to signing with the Suns.

Before you put too much stock in it, remember two Sundays ago when C-Webb was a dotted-i away from joining the Mavs. Yeah, right.

So, sit back and wait.

-- Jeff

More Cuban commentary

Here's the Mark Cuban who drives NBA executives a little batty. In an item posted on larrybrownsports.com, Cuban is quoted in an interview with Fox Sports Radio saying that he would tank games in order to improve his team's position in the lottery. Cuban was being interviewed by Michael Irvin and said: "I'd be the first to admit Michael, I would tank a lot of games."

Irvin responded by saying: "You would tank games? Mark wait. You would tank games to get the first pick in the draft?"

And Cuban replied: "Yes, see, it depends on where you are."

This is the sort of statement that irritates people like NBA commissioner David Stern, but it's difficult to take Cuban seriously.

First of all, his team is so far from the lottery that it's a joke to even talk about such a prospect. Second, the term "tanking" is a little overblown. That word suggests the players are missing shots on purpose, but the way that NBA teams have historically tried to improve their lottery position is simply by playing younger players or reserves while resting front line players. It's actually no different than what the Rangers are doing right now after trading some of their best players, which, in effect, tanks the rest of the season.

Cuban has written on his blog in the past on ways that the NBA could improve the lottery and stop teams -- like Boston last season -- from manipulating lineups. One suggestion is a good one. Cuban blogged that of the worst team in each conference, the one with the better record got the No. 1 pick. So having the worst record would not ensure a team of getting the No. 1 pick, which means at the end of the season, a team could hurt itself by losing and that would make everyone simply play it straight. For Cuban's entire entertaining suggestion, check out:

http://www.blogmaverick.com/2007/05/24/my-take-on-the-nba-lottery/

As you will see, Cuban has some other good ideas on changing the lottery, but probably the only way the NBA will listen to him is if he makes strong statements on doing exactly what lottery teams have been doing for more than two decades.

-- Jan Hubbard

 

 

Life after Donaghy

The NBA has decided on an ad campaign for the 2007-08 season, according to the Sportsbusiness Journal. It is entitled "Where Amazing Happens" and no one would argue that the NBA has had a pretty amazing offseason, although in this case, amazing is not good.

No matter what the league does, it faces a huge challenge of overcoming the referee scandal. Somehow it has to assure the public that it has an honest product and because of disgraced referee Tim Donaghy, the public is going to be more skeptical than ever.

By characterizing itself as "Amazing," however, the league has invited ridicule. Something perhaps a little less ostentatious might have been appropriate for the Season After Donaghy. You won't find Major League Baseball bragging about the amazing record recently set by Barry Bonds. It is unlikely that the NFL will buy a sponsorship for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, just to divert attention from Michael Vick. Perhaps 2007-08 would have been a good time for the NBA to go retro by revisiting its successful "I Love This Game" promotion.

Because that's what pro basketball is going to be all about this season. A large group of fans, players, referees and team and league officials who love the game and seek to repair its image simply because the game is bigger and better than scandals or slick promotions.


-- Jan Hubbard

Spurs get younger, better?

The Oregonian is reporting that largely unproven, but promising 6-foot-5, 220-pound small forward Ime Udoka is leaving Portland for a two-year deal with the champion Spurs.

If you're a hardcore hoops fan and Udoka's name rings a bell, that's because he was a stud for the Fort Worth Flyers in the NBDL in 2005-06. He was chosen by D-league head coaches as a 2005-06 All-NBA D-League first team selection and was named the winner of the 2005-06 Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award.

He turned 30 last week.

Entering his fourth NBA season, Udoka, an Oregon native, has had an interesting rise through the D-League to starting all 75 games he played last season with the Trail Blazers, averaging 8.4 points and 3.7 rebounds.

His agent told the newspaper that the Mavs, Boston, Miami, Memphis and Cleveland all had interest, with the Celtics, after trading for KG, making the biggest push. But, it was the Spurs who got him. His credentials, good long-range shooter, excellent defender and tireless worker, seem to fit the Spurs' requirements.

-- Jeff

No quick decision from Reggie

Reggie Miller is reportedly working out twice a day to see if his 42-year-old body can handle the rigors of an 82-game NBA schedule. Although the Mavericks seem to be rumored to be interested in every old player with delusions of a comeback, they have not been mentioned as suitors for Miller. It seems he is either going to the Celtics or no one. And the smart money says that he will play. One advantage that the Celtics have, according to the Boston Globe, is that Miller and new Celtic Kevin Garnett are neighbors with off-season homes in Malibu. Kevin will likely be dropping by a lot.

-- Jan Hubbard