The Mavs’ potential for off-season turnover exists regardless of how deep they go into the playoffs. Given the unique financial circumstances afforded to the Mavericks this summer and the never-ending arms race that exists between NBA teams, no one should be surprised to see Dallas make significant changes this summer even if they somehow stumbled their way to an NBA title.
The reason for that is Erick Dampier. Due to the unique performance-related incentives of Dampier’s contract, he can be traded this off-season and then his entire 2010-2011 salary can be subsequently voided. That makes him an invaluable piece in a potential sign-and-trade, supposing Mark Cuban and the Mavs can entice one of this summer’s bigger talents and manage to convince a rival GM to play ball.
This from Rob Mahoney of ESPN TrueHoop’s Dallas Mavericks blog, The Two Man Game.
It was for the reason explained above that I, among many others, originally felt that Dallas was the most likely destination for Chris Bosh. Any other suitor, such as the Houston Rockets, would need to load up its offer with at least $13million of outgoing salary to make a deal work. The challenge therein would be compliance. While Battier and Jeffries have expiring deals, most clubs are not too fond of paying deadweight salary if even for just a year.
Because of the unique nature of Dampier’s contract, theoretically, a deal with Dallas would have allowed the Raptors to avoid financial burden while picking up someone like Rodrigue Beaubois. (Despite owner Mark Cuban’s claims of his untouchability, you can bet he’d be dealt if someone like Bosh were available.) Such an offer could have trumped any in the field, unless Lakers center Andrew Bynum were in play.
But then Mahoney goes on to say:
Chris Bosh also seems like a pipe dream, mainly due to two factors: Bosh does not want to play center, as he’s expressed time and time again in Toronto, and he wants to be The Man, which he wouldn’t be in Dallas. The key in the Mavs acquiring any signed-and-traded free agent is the player’s desire (not just willingness) to come play for Dallas, and Bosh could be described as lukewarm at best when approached about the possibility of playing in his hometown.
Still no real confirmation on these two latter ‘allegations.’ But if the rumors are true that Chris Bosh indeed envisions himself as a first option building block, and Dallas truly is out of play, it’s hard not to like the Houston Rockets’ chances.
