Q&A with Coach Rick Carlisle

[HMFFL]

What would you consider a quality season for the Mavericks?

I have never put a number on any of that stuff. Maybe you're setting the bar too low. You never know. So for us, it's going to be about competing at a championship level and at the highest possible level and competing our best. If we do that, then the number of wins will take care of itself.

I'm not coming in here trying to set the bar low or anything like that. I don't think you come into a city like Dallas or a franchise like this or to an owner like Mark Cuban trying to curtail expectations. I just think that's sending the wrong message to everybody.

What kind of style will fans see when the season tips off Oct. 30?

Our strength is obviously going to be our trio of top players with Dirk, Jason Kidd and Josh (Howard). And I'd also put Jason Terry and (Jerry) Stackhouse into that mix because those are veteran guys who have been through the wars. I expect those guys to play big for us.

Our center position is terrific. We've got a strength in numbers situation along with some terrific players. We're going to have to perform well in close games. That's an area where, two years ago, the Mavericks won seemingly every close game, and last year there was a falloff. There's a fine line between 67 wins and 51 wins. But that's the way it is. We're going to be in a lot of tight games, and we're going to have to be able to finish.

You mentioned the center position. Is that starting spot open? And is the shooting guard spot open, too?

Possibly. I think we have to look at it and say Jason Kidd, Dirk and Josh are going to be starters. There are possibilities at the other spots. I don't think it's fair to say right now that we've penciled anybody in.

I love the fact that Stackhouse has embraced being a part of this franchise as one of the best sixth men in the game. And I know he's willing to continue to do that. But there's also a chance that maybe he should start. I don't think any kind of prognostication on my part at this point is fair. That's why you have training camp, to figure those things out.

Link

[JES12]

If Stack plays well enough to be a starter, then we should be in good shape. But I doubt that will happen.

I agree with the center position's strength in numbers.

Dampier / Diop / (Dirk, Bass, George all can play emergency center minutes). I would like to see Damp and Diop both hover around 20 min and the Bass/Dirk combo around 8 MPG.

[jlp0807]

I would like to see Damp traded elsewhere for someone that actually plays up to his $$.

We could send him to Indiana or somewhere for someone like Jeff Foster. Virtually the same stats but at $5.5 Mil instead of $11 Mil, it makes much more sense. Plus, we might could get a backup SF out of the deal.

We should also be trying to trade some trash to Memphis, since they do that sort of thing, or one of their back up PGs. They seem to have about 4 and we have 0.

[jwa1107]

I would like to see Damp traded elsewhere for someone that actually plays up to his $$.

We could send him to Indiana or somewhere for someone like Jeff Foster. Virtually the same stats but at $5.5 Mil instead of $11 Mil, it makes much more sense. Plus, we might could get a backup SF out of the deal.

We should also be trying to trade some trash to Memphis, since they do that sort of thing, or one of their back up PGs. They seem to have about 4 and we have 0.

any deal with IND and i'd bet they demand you take DunJr. or Murphy back and that is not a good move for DAL

[jlp0807]

I wouldnt mind having Dun Jr on this team. He or Josh could play the 2.

Kidd
Dunn Jr
Howard
Dirk
Diop

Not bad.

[JES12]

Yeah, there is like no reason for Indy to do that what so ever. I really doubt they would do Dunleavy + Foster for Damp + filler. And IMO, they may be hesitant to do Murphy for Dampier, though I would not do that as a Mavs fan because I do not want to see Murphy next to Dirk.

[italy_23]

dunleavy AND foster for damp and filler??
no way indy does that, no way.

[jwa1107]

if you get DunJr. or Murphy you immediately take on 10m+ in 2010
and with that so goes any hopes of a big FA in DAL

Player 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011
Troy Murphy $10,126,984 $11,047,619 $11,968,254
Mike Dunleavy $9,000,000 $9,780,992 $10,561,984

you've already got 9.8 committed to JET and 6.5 to Diop
TO for Howard at 11.8
ETO for Dirk at 21.5

assuming you waive or trade Damp and don't exercise the JJB 1.7m option
you've got almost 50m committed

current cap is 58m
assume 10% growth for 2 years and cap might be around 70m

so you've got roughly 20m to play with
BUT if you get Murphy or DunJr. you have to be committed to them taking 10m of that 20m away

[Dinty Moore]

Hahaha, wow you aren't getting Dunleavy or Foster for Dampier. Especially not both of them. Larry Bird is pretty slow but not (Please Use More Appropriate Word).