Full-Court Press

P.J. Brown to retire?

So I just read a blurb in Florida Today that the agent for P.J. Brown, who would be Mark Bartelstein, has informed Orlando GM Otis Smith that, hark, P.J. Brown is going to retire after all.

Wow, it sure took a long time for P.J. to weigh his options. He had suitors, including the Mavs, and the Suns would probably still gladly take him since they traded away Kurt Thomas to cut salary and some inside help.

Congratulations on your decision P.J. Here's to retirement.

-- Jeff Caplan

Get this week's Sporting News

Check out the Oct. 15 edition of The Sporting News and turn to Page 11. There you'll find a larger-than-life and rather peculiar color photo of Mavs center DeSagana Diop standing back-to-back with very pregnant Star-Telegram reporter Mercedes Mayer. The caption reads:

"Diop is expecting big things this season, though not quite the same things as this Dallas-area reporter."

Mercedes delivered an 8 lb., 6 oz., baby girl named Breleigh Jean almost two weeks ago. Diop, on the other hand, well, the photo speaks for itself.

-- Jeff Caplan

Howard waiting

Josh Howard will find out from the league on Thursday if he's suspended for the season opener at Cleveland on Oct. 31. There's a pretty good feeling that he won't be matching up against LeBron.

Devin Harris, who was initially shoved to the floor by the Kings' Brad Miller, prompting Howard to retaliate with a hard forearm shove to the back of Miller's neck and head, was all about protecting your teammate and they'll deal with the consequences.

"We accept it as a team," Harris said. "The situation escalated, he reacted and we'll live with that."

-- Jeff Caplan

No Kobe: Devin, Jet want Mavs to stick together

By now, anyone interested in the Mavs and can read has seen that "sources" have the Mavs as the lead horse in the Kobe sweepstakes. Seems hard to believe as any deal for the petulent superstar will be complicated and cost the Mavs at least two of its core players that they've maintained they want to live and die with, but nothing is impossible, especially with Mark Cuban at the controls, and if they can get Kobe without sacrificing Dirk, then the Mavs could be something like the Celtics of the West.

But, if it's up to Jason Terry and Devin Harris, two players who could be pawns in a Kobe trade they want nothing of it.

"If we're forced to do it we'll have to live with it," Harris said. "Over the course of the years, the team camaraderie that we've built, the experience with the core group of guys, going through the ups and the downs, we're definitely in place to do what we need to do and hopefully it will stay that."

Jet said he's having as much fun right now as he's had in his career. He said he's loose, he loves his teammates and believes in this team. He also said he's confident that he won't be dealt.

"I'm very confident. I'm very optimistic," Terry said. "My confidence comes from within, comes from Avery Johnson. Until Avery Johnson tells me anything different, he's the reason why I'm here in Dallas and he'll be the reason why I stay, and I believe in him. I'm not concerned about it. I'm focusing on having fun and playing as hard as I possibly can every night out."

The Lakers' first choice would be Dirk Nowitzki, but the Mavs have tabbed him, at least publicly in the past, as off limits. So it stands to reason that a Jason Terry and/or Devin Harris/Josh Howard/others combo would be the deal. And a Dirk/Kobe combo is one interesting scenario without a doubt. Even Terry can't deny that: "Maybe I need to go try that out on my NBA Live video game," he said. "Definitely don't want to see that happen [in real life] though."

-- Jeff Caplan

Josh ejected

If you were listening on the radio you heard it, a rare fight in a preseason game that definitely adds some spice to the Mavs' home opener on Nov. 3 against these Kings.

7-footer Brad Miller started the fiasco after he and Nick Fazekas bumped bodies and tangled arms going for a rebound on the Kings' end of the court. Miller turned around to see how had banged him, but when he turned around, 6-foot-3 Devin Harris happened to be there. Miller shoved Harris to the court and then Harris bounced up and got in Miller's face, but didn't touch him.

Out of nowhere, Josh Howard flew in and retaliated with a forearm shove to the back of Miller's neck and head. That set off chaos that took the refs quite some time to sift through.

Through it all, Ron Artest sat on the scorer's table, making sure he stayed away from the fracas.

When the dust settled, Miller drew a Flagrant 1. Howard got hit with the Flagrant 2, an automatic ejection. The Kings' Etan Thomas got a technical foul.

Howard's flagrant isn't an automatic suspension, but he can be sure the league police will take a hard look.

-- Jeff Caplan

JJ's how tall?

J.J. Barea is having a strong preseason and if he improves his defense and some other areas that Avery Johnson is working with him, he could carve out some playing time this season.

But, one thing that's always been really funny about J.J. is his official height that the Mavs use in media guides. He's listed at 6-foot even.

"If he's 6-foot," Avery said, "I'm 6-4."

For the record, Avery is 5-11.

Also for the record, J.J. said he didn't tell anyone to list him at 6-foot and he's not even sure why he is. He said he's 5-10 1/2, maybe 5-11. But if that's the case, then that would mean he's as tall as Avery. But, I think Avery's taller.

"You don't have to think on that one. I am," Avery said.

So stick with 5-10 1/2.

-- Jeff Caplan

Popeye at center?

DeSagana Diop came to Las Cruces, N.M., but he didn't stay long. The 7-footer can shake flu-like symptoms and Avery Johnson sent him home to rest. That's too bad because Gana's been playing pretty good ball and he is the lone center on the team that isn't working his way back from injury.

That means the Mavs will be without a true center in tonight's game against the Kings and Thursday against the Rockets in Houston.

So, coach Johnson, who will play center?

"Popeye Jones," Avery deadpanned.

-- Jeff Caplan

Who knows their football?

So like every team in every sport, an NFL pool goes around the locker room each season. So who's at the top of the heap on the Mavs?

Sure, J.J. Barea of Puerto Rico and DeSagana Diop of Senegal. Those guys are more familiar with the other futbol, so go figure.

-- Jeff Caplan

Who's No. 1 at the 2?

Avery Johnson is having a lot of fun keeping up the suspense about the starting position at shooting guard.

Jerry Stackhouse, the Mavs' sixth man the past three seasons, has gotten the early nod, but everyone knows that Avery wants a strong defender there, so you'd tend to think that Stackhouse will remain coming off the bench for 25 minutes or so of instant offense.

Trenton Hassell and Eddie Jones figure to be in the running. Both are solid defenders. Jones offers more of an offensive upside.

Avery isn't tipping his hand at all. Here's what he said at Monday's practice before heading out for Las Cruces, N.M., to face the Kings on Tuesday.

"I have an idea of who I want to be there, it's just a matter of if it's going to work or not. I have my No. 1 option that I hope it can work with this guy there. If it doesn't then we have a Plan B. We have a guy in mind and we'll just see what happens toward the end of preseason."

Avery's having too much fun with this.

-- Jeff Caplan

Centers of attention

The Mavs have one healthy center, DeSagana Diop, although three will make the road trip to Las Cruces, N.M., to play the Kings on Tuesday, and then to Houston to face the Rockets on Thursday. DJ Mbenga, coming off ACL surgery last season and Erick Dampier, rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery, will be on the trip.

However, Dampier definitely won't play, he's still not participating in contact drills at practice.

"I just wanted him to come and keep me company," Johnson joked.

Mbenga won't play Tuesday and he could play on Thursday, but that's still up in the air. Mbenga said it's still probably too soon.

The guy that needs to play, but won't even be on the trip is longshot Jamal Sampson. He's got a sprained left ankle and that could seriously hurt his chances of making the roster.

-- Jeff Caplan