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In some ways 2011-12 was a very disappointing season for the Dallas Mavericks. After all, they were the defending NBA champions and they were swept out of the playoffs in the first round. That might have been a little more disappointing if the team that lost in the first round was more like the team that won the championship, but as it was, the two teams bore little resemblance to each other.

Indeed, rather than approaching this season as an opportunity to defend a championship, the Mavs front office approached this season as a year of preparing for 2012 free agency. They signed a bunch of older veteran players to short-term deals and hoped it would be enough to appease their fans as they unofficially started rebuilding.

At the end, that veteran group was not nearly a match for the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder.

Now we turn the page.

Coaching

Before the start of the 2011-12 season Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle played good soldier, saying he enjoyed a challenge when he was asked about the departure of so many key pieces of his championship team. Of course, Carlisle had his own exit clause. Despite leading the Mavericks to their first franchise championship Carlisle’s contract was not extended, meaning he is now a free agent.

Just as players grow and develop with each passing season, coaches do, too. Carlisle has shown the ability to adapt and grow, as well, using elaborate stats to help push his players to new heights. He also became a master of utilizing strong assistant coaches while heading up the Mavericks. If Dallas decides not to bring Carlisle back he will have no shortage of offers from other teams looking for championship-caliber leadership from the sidelines.

The Mavericks should make a decision on the coaching front soon, as coaches almost always want to have input into the draft process, not to mention free agency.

The Draft

The Mavericks have not been a team that builds through the draft, and that isn’t likely to change as the team looks to maximize the last couple of years of Dirk Nowitzki’s prime. The Mavs own the 17th pick, which could turn out to be a contributing player, and also have three second round picks as things stand today. Still, this is a team that’s looking to put Nowitzki in a position to win another championship before he retires, so developing young players is unlikely to be a priority unless the Mavericks simply have no other choice. If the Mavs do plan to make young players a part of the solution going forward – even current players like Roddy Beaubois and Dominique Jones – Carlisle might not be the right coach going forward. He has a very short leash and a small tolerance for mistakes, making it hard for young players to carve out a role.

Free Agency

It is, perhaps, the worst-kept secret in the NBA that the Mavericks have their sights set on Deron Williams in free agency. The Brooklyn Nets have done everything but hand Williams the deed to their new arena in an effort to assure he stays with the team, yet sources close to the situation tell HOOPSWORLD that Williams is very much leaning towards his home town of Dallas.

On paper it’s hard to see why Williams would choose the Mavericks’ vacuous roster over that of the Nets, who have some significant pieces already in place. The Mavericks don’t have the cap space to sign Williams outright and they don’t have the pieces to offer in a potential sign-and-trade with Brooklyn. It’s being assumed that Brendan Haywood and Shawn Marion will be the subject of an amnesty and a trade, respectively, but then you have even bigger holes to fill and little cap space to do it. Haywood isn’t much, but he is the only starting center the Mavericks have. They certainly can’t afford to get into a bidding war for players like Roy Hibbert, Chris Kaman and JaVale McGee, some of the cream of this summer’s available centers.

The back-up plan if Williams can’t be convinced to come to Dallas is rumored to be Steve Nash, and while reuniting Nash and Nowitzki makes a great story, it’s hard to see how Dallas is a contender with Nash, either. Nash would cost less than Williams, but he is also a notch below due to age and the wear and tear his body has taken over the years. If they could get Nash for something like $10 million versus a max deal for Williams, the Mavericks would have a little more breathing room, but they would also be a much more vulnerable team in terms of injuries.

Needless to say, free agency will absolutely determine whether or not Nowitzki will get another shot at a title before he retires, and that will start with the point guard position.

Conclusion

The Dallas Mavericks got Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd their championships, and that’s no small thing. It was disappointing to see them opt not to truly defend that title with the players they allowed to walk away, but then again the new Collective Bargaining Agreement would have made that a very expensive proposition. When you hear the deep-pocketed Mark Cuban talking about not wanting to pay the luxury tax penalty, you know it’s bad. But fans and players don’t care about that, they only care about winning.

Given Nowitzki’s age and the Mavs’ standing as one of the NBA’s elite teams over Dirk’s tenure, the Mavericks might just have the most questions to answer and the most pressure to answer them correctly of any team in basketball. This summer is going to determine the face of the Mavericks for the rest of Nowitzki’s career, and that’s a daunting challenge to Cuban and his front office team.

NBA Chat With Alex Kennedy 5/12/12 Last Article>
NBA Chat With Susan Bible 5/12/12 --

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Join HOOPSWORLD’s Alex Kennedy for his weekly NBA chat this Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Submit your questions early because this chat fills up fast!

Deven

You tweeted a few days ago about how the Suns will offer Steve Nash a two-year contract. Please tell me that won’t happen.

Alex Kennedy

What’s up everyone? Thanks for submitting your questions. I’ll be here for the next hour and I’ll try to get to as many as possible. Let’s get started.

The Phoenix Suns love Steve Nash and, as I tweeted, I’m told that they’ll offer him a two-year deal worth $20 million. They love the impact that he has on and off the court. With that said, I think Nash is going to leave money on the table to sign with a contender. He has made it clear that he wants to contend and I don’t think that’s going to happen in Phoenix anytime soon.

Deven

Will Boston consider breaking up the Big Three, or Four to put it that way, this summer, regardless of what happens to them in the playoffs further down the road?

Alex Kennedy

Boston may not have a choice. The Big Three may decide to go their separate ways this offseason. Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are free agents. Paul Pierce has hinted on several occasions that he’ll consider retirement this summer. This postseason could be the final time we see Pierce, Allen and Garnett on the floor together.

Maurice

Will you be talking to Larry Sanders again this offseason

Alex Kennedy

I’ll catch up with Larry Sanders at some point during the offseason. I’ll either do an article on him or I’ll do a video similar to the one we filmed last year. Larry is a good dude. He struggled this season, but I’m confident that he’ll work hard this summer and bounce back next year.

Cliff

Just got My tickets to games 3,4 and 6 here in Indiana. Do you think that the Pacers take the Heat to 6 or 7 games?

Alex Kennedy

I’ve seen the Pacers a lot this season and I think they’re going to surprise some people in the second round. Nobody expects them to put up a fight against Miami, but I think they’ll make things interesting. I predicted Heat in five games, but I think each game will be close and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pacers make it a six or seven game series. Indiana has played well all season long and they haven’t gotten the credit they deserve. Danny Granger, David West, Roy Hibbert, George Hill and others have stepped up and I like this team a lot. In a few years, they’re going to be a very scary team.

jayjay

I’m a big Cavs fans and keep searching rosters to see who might trade their first if the Cavs take on a big salary (and/or possibly throw in a late first or early second).

Childress with the Suns seems to be among the worst contracts out there. Can you think of any other players where the team might give up their first too unload the contract?

Alex Kennedy

Orlando has a couple of contracts like that. They may decide to package the #19 pick with Chris Duhon or Jason Richardson. They need cap space more than they need a rookie, especially if they’re trying to persuade Dwight Howard to stay and win now.

Deven

If the Lakers lose tomorrow, what’s next for them? Do they fire Mike Brown, trade Pau or Bynum? Thoughts?

Alex Kennedy

I can’t see Kobe Bryant reacting well to a first-round exit. I think they’ll have to consider firing Mike Brown. Trading Pau Gasol wouldn’t make much sense at this point. His trade value is at an all-time low. The Lakers will have a tough time finding a team that’s willing to give up quality pieces in exchange for an underachieving Gasol, who is turning 32 years old this summer and owed $38,285,850 over the next two years. I can’t see the team moving Andrew Bynum. If the Lakers lose, they’ll have to make some changes, but I’m not sure where they would start.

Mark ryan

For some reason I keep looking at Austin River’s tapes and the kid seems to have star written all over him. He reminds me a bit of Steph Curry but more athletic (with a worse shot).. Would a backcourt of him and Rubio work? I tend to think it’d be amazing.

Alex Kennedy

When I see Austin Rivers, I see a player that’s similar to Jason Terry or Jamal Crawford. I think he can be a very good scorer in this league, someone who provides instant offense when he checks into the game. I’m not concerned about his size like some people, but his turnovers and defensive struggles worry me. I think he has star potential and there are lot of executives who love his game.

Minnesota would be perfect for him. I’ve had multiple sources tell me that the Timberwolves desperately want to add a scorer this offseason. Rivers may be the answer, unless they’re looking for a veteran.

john

Will Damian Lillard be a better scorer in the NBA than Kyrie Irving. Wat is Lillard better than Irving at coming out?

How good Will Lillard end up being?

Alex Kennedy

Kyrie Irving is a more traditional point guard than Damian Lillard. It’s hard to compare their games because Lillard was in a situation that required him to carry to scoring load and didn’t showcase his abilities as a facilitator. I think Lillard is the best point guard in this draft class though. He’s an exceptional shooter and an underrated passer. I think he’ll end up being a top ten pick and a very good player in this league.

Brad

Are Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon Max Players if not than Close? What kind of offers will they get this summer and What teams are interested?

If both stay with there teams i See them both making the All Star team next year.

Alex Kennedy

I don’t think Brook Lopez or Eric Gordon are max players. They’ve played well at times, but they’ve been limited by injuries and still have some developing to do. As of right now, I think they’ll stay with their current teams.

john

There was some talk last year in the playoffs after Memphis made there run about Rudy Gay possibly getting traded, so if they loose Sunday will Memphis look to trade him and who would be interested?

Alex Kennedy

That’s definitely possible. Rudy Gay isn’t untouchable and Memphis may decide to make a big move this offseason. We’ll see what happens.

eric

Will Kevin Durrant lead the League in Scoring for at least the next 3 season? i just dont see anybody out there who will stop him.

Who are some young up and coming players who could challenge him?

Eric Gordon, Rudy Gay, Marshon Brooks, Paul George, Monta Ellis, Marcus Thornton, Harrison Barnes, Austin Rivers

Alex Kennedy

It’ll either be Kevin Durant or LeBron James for the next couple of years. After those guys start to decline, that’s when you’ll see some of the players you mentioned enter the conversation. I’d throw Bradley Beal on that list as well.

Arthur

Alex, true or false: Dwight Howard will be in a black and white brooklyn nets uniform by the start of next season. Also, do you see a deal as soon as draft night, if the answer is true? thank you.

Alex Kennedy

True. I’ve said all along that Dwight Howard will end up in Brooklyn, it’s just a matter of how and when. It didn’t happen at the trade deadline like everyone predicted, but I still think it’s going to happen at some point. I said it last week and I’ll say it again: When the 2012-13 NBA season starts, I think Howard will be in Brooklyn catching lobs from Deron Williams.

Sweet Dee

Indiana coach Frank Vogel came out and said the Miami HEAT are one of the biggest flopping teams ever. He talked about how Lebron and Wade snap their heads back like they got shot, every time they are touched on a drive to the hoop. I think this was done by Vogel to draw attention to the refs of how bad Miami flops in hopes the refs don’t cave to the HEAT’s star power. Did you think this was a tactic (similar to Phil Jackson)? And do you think it will work?

Alex Kennedy

There’s no doubt that this was a calculated move by Frank Vogel, and a smart one at that. Vogel needs all the help he can get for his balanced attack to take down the star-studded Heat. He definitely wanted to plant a seed and I think he accomplished that. It’s definitely a Phil Jacksonesque move and it was worth a shot. By the way, Vogel clearly hasn’t watched the Los Angeles Clippers if he thinks Miami is the worst team when it comes to flopping.

Mac

Alex Kennedy, you were the only writer on HoopsWorld to predict Los Angeles over Memphis in the first round of the playoffs (despite being at 2.7 underdog). What were the reasons that contributed to this prediction as everyone seemed to favor the Grizz after dismantling the Spurs last year?

Alex Kennedy

Chris Paul. As much as I love the Grizzlies, I felt that the Clippers would win the series because Paul is an absolute stud in the postseason. He always elevates his game in the playoffs and I thought he was going to cause a lot of problems for Memphis. He was honestly the reason I picked L.A. With that said, I don’t think I could pick the Clippers in the next round against the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have just been too good.

Will

What about Orlando going after Joe Johnson he should be easy to get,Turk,Jrich,Duhon for Johnson?

Alex Kennedy

I can’t see Atlanta giving away Joe Johnson for Orlando’s scraps.

bigguy

yo yo yo yo A to the K….
Dallas needs a new team and it looks like there going for free agency other then Deron Williams, who can they snag to get back on championship road? Also where do you think Tyreke Evans would go hes on the trading block right?

Alex Kennedy

Dallas has put themselves in position to be very active in free agency. While Deron Williams is the name that always comes up, they could also throw money at Steve Nash, Eric Gordon, Nic Batum, Roy Hibbert, Brook Lopez, O.J. Mayo and others. It’ll be an interesting summer for the Mavericks.

As far as Tyreke Evans goes, I don’t think he’ll be traded. There are executives who would deal for him, but I don’t think Sacramento is ready to part ways with him just yet.

john

How good is Anthony Davis really? I see the potential defensively, and hints of potential offensively. Is he a Franchise player (legitimate superstar) a la LeBron James, Kevin Durant etc? Or is he simply a perennial allstar?

Alex Kennedy

I think he’s a franchise player. I’ve talked to scouts and trainers who can rave about his game for hours. He’s capable of dominating on both ends of the court, which is why he has drawn comparisons to Kevin Garnett. If he lives up to his potential, I think he’s a franchise-changing player. Whichever team lands him will be very lucky and it’s going to be a lot of fun watching him develop over the years.

Thanks for all of the questions! If I missed you, hit me up on Twitter and I’ll do my best to answer. Have a great week!

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Covering all things NBA from the city of Dallas, join HOOPSWORLD NBA Writer Derek Page for his weekly chat this Saturday at 5:00 pm EST. Shoot your questions in now.

Maurice

What do the Bucks need to address this offseason?

Derek Page

Welcome to the chat NBA fans. Plenty to get to today so let’s get started.

Brandon Jennings development will be huge moving forward but I believe, especially in a weak Eastern Conference, that the Bucks have the possibility of being a legit playoff team next season. Ersan Ilyasova will be a free agent this summer and he’s shown that he could be a big part of this team but Ilyasova may command more on the open market than the Bucks are willing to spend. The center position is also an area Milwaukee needs to address with no real answer currently on the roster.

calvinzero

What will be the next move for the Mavs after they are eliminated in the playoffs over the Thunder? If there is a fresher news, can you inform me? Please. Thanks, Derek.

Derek Page

The first move should be to re-sign head coach Rick Carlisle. I really don’t understand why Mark Cuban is dragging his feet on this, especially considering his remarks stating that Carlisle was one of the three best coaches in the NBA right now. The Mavs’ coaching situation needs to be addressed quickly because the draft and free agency are right around the corner.

Sweet Dee

Live on telecast, commentator Mike Fratello (former NBA head coach) knew immediately that free throws should have been awarded at the end of the Boston – Atlanta game. Yet 3 NBA referees who huddled up after the play to discuss didn’t think so. Nor was the replay checked to determine the correct call. In your opinion, suspicious or not suspicious?

Derek Page

Suspicious. But this isn’t the first time the NBA has been the subject of scrutiny of questionable officiating that seemingly benefits what could be considered a “league approved” team. Just go back and watch the 2005-2006 NBA Finals.

Maurice

Should the Bucks trade Brandon Jennings or MOnta Ellis this summer

Derek Page

Presumably they keep both. Unless you can find a deal that blows you away on Ellis I don’t see that trade as absolutely necessary. It’s not like Ellis has the value to bring back something that vaults the Bucks to championship contention. Could be a better idea to see how Ellis and Brandon Jennings gel together after a full training camp.

Deven

Hi Derek. Sorry about the Mavs be swept in the first round. Anyway, what series would you perfer: LAC-SAS OR Memphis-SAS?

Derek Page

Entertainment-wise I would want to see the Clippers and Spurs. In terms of just a great matchup with plenty of storylines and a chance of an upset I’d go with the Grizz and SA. So, overall, I prefer Memphis and San Antonio going head to head in the semi-finals and I think that’s whats going to happen as well.

Deven

Do you really think that the Lakers will make major changes, like firing Mike Brown, trading Bynum and/or Gasol, if they lose Game 7 tonight?

Derek Page

Would be difficult to comprehend LA firing Brown after just one season. Bynum will almost assuredly stay but I think Gasol will be on the block. He’s not helping his value much though with the egg he laid in Game Six.

Deven

Derek, if the Celtics lose the series to the 76ers, is it time to break up the core and start the re-building process? I’ve been waiting a long time for that team to break it up since they lost in 2010 NBA Finals. As I’m typing this, you can probably tell I’m a Celtics hater.

Derek Page

I think the core gets broken up anyways. This isn’t 2002; these guys are getting old. 2012 is this iteration of the Celtics final shot at a title. Realistically the only team standing in the way of reaching the Finals again is the Miami HEAT and Boston has played the well this season. Will be an interesting ECF, that’s for sure.

Big Kev

What do you think the Dallas Mavericks should do to improve their team this offseason? Aside from the possibility of Deron Williams coming to town.

Derek Page

Everything hinges on signing Williams. If he re-signs in Brooklyn, that means trouble for Dallas. Reuniting Steve Nash with Dirk Nowitzki would be nice and Goran Dragic played well this season (both are options), neither is the big fish Williams is. Whether Mavs sign Williams or not, Chris Kaman at the center position will be on the Mavericks’ radar.

Smash Mouth Diggity

What improvements do you see the Heat making to their roster this offseason?

Derek Page

Because of the big three, free agency is going to be a process of trying to acquire valuable veterans willing to come to South Beach on the cheap. Unless we see some significant trades in the offseason, this team is going to be largely the same.

massey

What free agents can the Celtics go after this off season assuming they keep kg and allen

Derek Page

I highly doubt they keep both. Even if Boston were to miraculously win an NBA Championship, those two players KG (36 at the start of next season) and Allen (37 in July) aren’t likely to be apart of this teams plans.

Joe

Whats up derek? Everyone knows the heat are lacking at the center position. This years draft features some decent big men who do u think the heat are after with our first round pick and which would fit in best?

Derek Page

Our most recent mock draft has the HEAT taking Andrew Nicholson but he’s a bit undersized. If Fab Melo somehow drops to the end of the 1st round, the HEAT would seemingly have a no-brainer there.

Mikel

Is there any chance Phoenix looks to move Gortat if Nash leaves? He could probably fetch some nice picks/young players, and It opens up minutes for Lopez, who they appparently like enough to match offers for.

Derek Page

I doubt it. He’s still a relatively young player at 28 and Gortat could be what the Suns brass features to try and sell tickets next season. If Nash bolts, good luck with that!

Mikel

Is a Dwight-to-Brooklyn trade really that likely? Unless the Nets get a top 3 pick, they don’t have anything to offer. If all you have to beat is an injured Brook Lopez, won’t there be plenty of teams willing to risk a one-year rental?

Derek Page

I don’t see it either, Mikel. Would be a difficult scenario for the Nets to pull that off. Teams will be lining up to take on Howard as a one-year rental, it’s going to be up to the Magic to pull the trigger and make the right decision. Get the right package in return for the best center in basketball is going to be paramount. That’s easier said than done.

Boston 4

I heard a rumour that Nic Batum wouldn’t mind going to San Antonio. Do you think that would help or hinder their team?

Derek Page

I don’t see how it would hinder them. An infusion of young talent is just what SA needs. That being said, I highly doubt Portland lets him go. The Blazers have put all their chips on the core of Lamarcus Aldridge and Batum.

Hurricane Game

now that we see what has happened with the bulls(that the team has no true #2 option, etc) will the bulls finally consider a boozer

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