The consensus opinion is that the Mavericks didn't attempt to re-sign Tyson Chandler because they wanted the cap space to go after New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams and Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, the two biggest stars in this summer's class of free agents.
But Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says that's not necessarily his line of thinking.
"There's nothing that says we don't just keep our same guys, right? Again, there's a variety of options," Cuban said last week during an interview with Bill Simmons on his podcast, "The B.S. Report."
"It's pure market theory. You've got to see how the market prices itself. If you look at it this year, there's a ton of cap room. Chances are because everybody's got so much cap room, it's going to be inflationary and that's not a good time to buy.
"Sure, Deron Williams, Dwight Howard, all these guys that people talk about are out there, but that might not be the best decision for us. It may be better for us to pay our existing guys, keep our existing guys. It may be better for us to wait another year, because in the third year of the CBA, the new tax kicks in with the big escalators and then that pushes down the price of players, so we might be in a better position waiting for Year 3 or Year 4 just depending on what it is, to go out and get that complement to Dirk or the next Dirk or whatever it may be."
Cuban added that he has several ideas in mind, which is a wise move, considering he might need to use a couple of backup plans. As of Monday, Howard's most likely trade destination was New Jersey. If that move occurred, both he and Williams would likely sign long-term deals with the Nets, leaving the Mavericks searching for secondary options in free agency.
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