The Cuban Plan

[lupin]

We hear a lot about the OKC way to build a good team, but has anyone done any in-depth analysis of the Cuban Way? Just curious. I'm pretty sure his method is a bit different. I don't think it's just "Draft Dirk Nowitzki and make something-from-nothing-ie-Wizards-castoffs."

from wikipedia.com:

On January 4, 2000, Cuban purchased a majority stake in the NBA Dallas Mavericks basketball team for $285 million from H. Ross Perot, Jr..
In the 20 years before Cuban bought the team, the Mavs had a winning percentage of 40%, and playoff record of 21–32. In the ten years following, the team won 69% of their regular season games and reached the playoffs in each of those seasons. The Mavs playoff record with Cuban is 49 wins and 57 losses, including their first trip to the NBA Finals in 2006, where they lost to the Miami Heat.
Historically, NBA team owners publicly play more passive roles and watch basketball games from skyboxes; Cuban sits alongside fans while donning team jerseys. Cuban flies his private Gulfstream V to attend road games.

[MJG]

The Plan
Step 1: Draft all-time great big.
Step 2: Do whatever else you want, making sure the average of all these moves is > bonehead.
Result: A pretty successful decade.

I don't mean to sound dismissive, because really, The Plan can be trickier than it sounds; just ask Glen Taylor.

[leswizards]

In Cuban's defense, I don't beleive the Mavs actually drafted Dirk Nowitzki. They drafted "Tractor" Traylor, and traded him for Dirk Nowitzki.

[LyricalRico]

^ Yep, they traded for Dirk. The Dirk-for-Tractor trade was one of the all time fleecings but back then scouting Euros was really just becoming chic. I don't think a guy like Dirk lasts to #8 or #9 now, so a little luck might have been involved in that.

Actually, when you look at it, all of the Mavs big moves were trades. They dealt Kidd to the Suns, which is how they got Finley. And don't forget about the deal for Steve Nash. He was a low mpg backup for Kidd in Phoenix and they plucked him to be their starter. The year they made it to the Finals, they had a very productive Stackhouse on their bench who they got via trade. And their current 6th man Jason Terry was also acquired via trade. Heck, their current starting PG and C were also both traded for (Kidd and Chandler).

One big difference between OKC and DAL is that the Thunder have done it without breaking the bank. That's the advantage of building through the draft - all of your stud players are dirt cheap for the first four seasons. If Dallas wasn't so willing to pay the luxury tax, half of their moves would never have even been made.

[verbal8]

^ Yep, they traded for Dirk. The Dirk-for-Tractor trade was one of the all time fleecings but back then scouting Euros was really just becoming chic. I don't think a guy like Dirk lasts to #8 or #9 now, so a little luck might have been involved in that.

Actually, when you look at it, all of the Mavs big moves were trades. They dealt Kidd to the Suns, which is how they got Finley. And don't forget about the deal for Steve Nash. He was a low mpg backup for Kidd in Phoenix and they plucked him to be their starter. The year they made it to the Finals, they had a very productive Stackhouse on their bench who they got via trade. And their current 6th man Jason Terry was also acquired via trade. Heck, their current starting PG and C were also both traded for (Kidd and Chandler).

One big difference between OKC and DAL is that the Thunder have done it without breaking the bank. That's the advantage of building through the draft - all of your stud players are dirt cheap for the first four seasons. If Dallas wasn't so willing to pay the luxury tax, half of their moves would never have even been made.

In addition to his willingness to pay the luxury tax, Cuban also negotiates favorable terms in a lot of his contracts. The "DUST" chip (Dampier) deal is the most famous, but a lot of the contracts end with a team option or less than full guarantee.

[LyricalRico]

^ Great observation. He overpays on the front end but gives himself an out later on. And those contract "outs" enable him to make more trades, thus beginning the cycle all over again.

But it is true that none of if would work if he didn't have Dirk as a constant. When he's no longer a superstar caliber player, Dallas is going to fall HARD because there isn't any young talent being groomed for the future. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cuban be active in buying first round picks for the next few drafts.

[verbal8]

^ Great observation. He overpays on the front end but gives himself an out later on. And those contract "outs" enable him to make more trades, thus beginning the cycle all over again.

But it is true that none of if would work if he didn't have Dirk as a constant. When he's no longer a superstar caliber player, Dallas is going to fall HARD because there isn't any young talent being groomed for the future. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cuban be active in buying first round picks for the next few drafts.

Rodrigue Beaubois is pretty promising for them. It will be interesting if they try to reload once Dirk is done or if they completely start from scratch.

[Kanyewest]

While Dallas did draft Dirk- they haven't been shy to make trades. Here is my recollection of what they have done.

- Traded Tractor Traylor for Dirk

- Traded Pat Garrity and a future first rounder (which turned into Shawn Marion) for Steve Nash

- Traded a bunch of stuff (Courtney Alexander and Etan Thomas) for the untradable "Juwan Howard"

- Turned around and traded Juwan Howard to the Nuggets for Raef Lafrentz and Nick Van Exel. The Mavericks made it to the conference finals and may have had a good chance of winning had Dirk not gone down with a knee injury. Then again, the biggest reason they were in the conference finals in the first place was because Chris Webber went down with a knee injury. Mavericks almost went to game 7 but Steve Kerr saved the day for the Spurs.

- The Dallas Mavericks wanted to cash their chips- traded Nick Van Exel for Jamison and Lafrentz for Antoine Walker. Drafted Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels. The following season the Mavericks made it to the first round.

- Let Steve Nash walked. Signed Erik Dampier. Traded Jamison for Devin Harris (#5 pick), Jerry Stackhouse, and Christian Laetner. Mavericks make the coaching change from Don Nelson to Avery Johnson- they keep the same offense in place but change their defensive philosophy. Trade Antoine Walker for Jason Terry. The Mavericks end up making the finals in 2006 but lose their mojo to the Spurs.

- In 2007, Keep their roster the same, but lose to the Warriors in the first round in 2007.

- In 2008, drafted Brandon Bass and traded for Jason Kidd. Again lose in the first round to the Hornets

- In 2009- no major changes but manage to get past the first round- past the Spurs- lose in the 2nd to the Nuggets.

- 2010, draft Beaubois, trade Josh Howard, Singleton, and Ross for Butler, Haywood, and Stevenson. Lose in the first round to the Spurs in 6 games.

- 2011- traded Dampier for Tyson Chandler but have lost Butler to a significant injury.