The biggest miscalculation of all by the Dallas Mavericks was that homegrown point guard Deron Williams would feel some sort of loyalty to an organization he's never played for. Surely the Mavs knew that loyalty hasn't always been the centerpiece of Williams' career.
In fact, former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan may have been able to help them on that front. Williams reportedly drove Sloan into early retirement with all his grumbling behind the scenes.
But in this case, it's hard to blame Williams for not feeling a special kinship with the Mavs. It would be one thing if he spent his offseasons in The Colony, hanging with his old high school pals. Instead, Williams and his family spend their offseasons in San Diego, which features slightly cooler temperatures as well as a large of body of water.
That's why blowing up a championship team can be a bit risky in this or any other era. Dirk Nowitzki knows this all too well and that's why he told me during the first round of the playoffs that if the Mavs missed out on a "big fish," they should've just kept the title team together. Of course, the self-proclaimed collective-bargaining agreement experts will say that was an impossible dream, but some of us seem to recall a time when Mark Cuban scoffed at the luxury tax and other potential financial hurdles.
The Mavs asked their fan base to trust them based on years of success that ultimately led to a title. Unfortunately, some of us have trust issues. All this talk of "financial flexibility" never felt right. And now that we're seeing it in practice, it seems downright silly.
If the Mavs are somehow able to reel in Williams this week, then maybe it's time for me to stand down. But it appears that the Brooklyn Nets still have the inside track. They can guarantee Williams an extra year worth $25 million, which has always put the Mavs in a poor spot. Dirk Nowitzki has always been Dallas' best recruiting tool because of his singular greatness. But Dirk has reached the twilight of his career and would be 38 by the time Williams' contract expired.
Williams wouldn't be joining a team that has a ton of upside. Recent first-round pick Jared Cunningham is being hailed as a poor man's Russell Westbrook in some circles. He's a defensive-minded combo guard who the Mavs secured after trading down seven spots in the first round. They also selected Marquette's Jai Crowder and a shot-blocking forward named Bernard James who served in the Air Force for seven years before attending college. I'm sure Williams is patriotic as the next guy, but this isn't the type of draft haul that can jump-start a franchise.
Nowitzki has been a little reluctant to put the full-court press on Williams, although he's obviously a big fan of his game.
"We need another guy you can get the ball to and can make stuff happen for himself," Nowitzki told reporters while appearing at a charity event Saturday. "He's a great pick-and-roll player, he can break down the defenses on his drive, he's a good 3-point shooter, so we feel like he's got a lot of weapons he can bring to the team."
Nowitzki's probably a bit reserved in the recruiting process because he realizes the Mavs aren't the frontrunners. If the Mavs star dropped everything and flew to New York to meet Williams, it would come across as desperate. And that's not Dirk's style. The former tennis standout is headed to Wimbledon as we speak.
Meanwhile, Donnie Nelson, Rick Carlisle and former Mavs star Michael Finley were set to meet with Williams in New York on Monday. Unfortunately, this feels more like a courtesy meeting from Williams' standpoint. Don't you think Mavs owner Mark Cuban would be in attendance if he thought his team had a great shot at landing Williams?
You might think the Mavs' best recruiter would be veteran point guard Jason Kidd, who shares the same agent as Williams. Kidd's been known to undermine a coach or two in his day and he didn't exactly hit it off with Nets coach Avery Johnson when the two were with the Mavs.
The Mavs have a much better track record than the Nets and they offer the comforts of home. But it's hard to overcome $25 million in guaranteed money and the opportunity to play in a brand new arena and town.
So what is Plan B if Williams signs with the Nets? Well, there's talk of a reunion with Josh Howard, which seems like a horrible idea. The Mavs have also talked to Jazz free agent C.J. Miles, who went straight to the NBA from Dallas Skyline High School. Dallas has already picked up the option on Vince Carter's contract and there's a chance Jason Terry could return if Williams signs with the Nets.
All this takes us back to the original question: Does it ever make sense to blow up a championship team?
And with each passing day, the answer continues to be a resounding no.
