Erick Dampier is a big, strong, center. He's had career highs in rebounds and blocks last year. He looks like just the thing the Dallas Mavericks need to get over their playoffs woes.
Eduardo Najera is an undersized forward who isn't very fast, isn't very athletic, and isn't a very good shot.
A proposed multi-player trade which is, essentially, Dampier for Najera is the dumbest thing Dallas can do right now.
Why? Because Dampier is a career underachiever. He only seems to play well in contract years. Najera, on the other hand, is a career overachiever. He's the kind of guy who does more with less. And he actually plays defense. He actually CARES about defense, a mindset which is unbelievably rare in Big D. After letting go of Steve Nash, the heart and soul of the Dallas offense, the smartest player on the team, and the key to almost everything they do, trading Najera for a guy even my beloved (but congenitally stupid) Knicks decided not to sign, in order to re-sign Vin freakin' Baker, is a stupid, stupid move. Dampier has never won in the NBA. Nash and Najera are winners, and almost more importantly, they're fighters.
I've loved Dallas ever since Mark Cuban took over. He's a wonderful owner, with brains, money, and a great attitude (he's also a pretty good, if infrequent, blogger). But Cuban needs to shift gears, and get some more brains and toughness in his team. He's had the talent to win for a few years now, and he'll have the talent to win after this trade. He just won't have a motor to drive his shiny, shiny car.
Friday, August 20, 2004
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Josh howard does not play D as well as Najera. And more importantly, absolutely no one is afraid of him. Najera gave the mavs the only thing vaguely resembling an edge they had.
On its own, I can't criticize them for the Nash decision. Sure, they've overspent on lesser players, but at his age, there was no way they could match the money the Suns are paying him. But losing both Nash and Najera in one off season is bad news. And Daniels... I like him. He's a great athlete. But I have no idea if he can actually RUN a basketball team. There aren't nearly enough true points in the L. Nash was the second best of those. Daniels is nowhere in that league. And as for Stack... I've always liked him, but he was only a true team player during one season in his career, during his last year as a Piston. The Mavs moves this off season improved their athleticism, and their power. I just don't think that balances out the loss of brains and toughness. Mental and physical toughness win in the NBA. Athletic talent wins dunking contests.
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