Y13 [EN]: Chapter 184

2011 Off-Season

Dallas Mavericks’ office.

“Cuban, it’s time to finalize the plan by summarizing all the meetings we’ve had. This isn’t ideal, but we can’t just stand by and do nothing, can we?”

Donnie Nelson, the president and general manager, urged Mark Cuban, who seemed hesitant. Cuban’s face was uncharacteristically somber, a stark contrast to his usual cheerful demeanor.

“Haa, it’s just frustrating. I worked so hard to persuade the hard-line owners not to cancel the season, and now the CBA [Collective Bargaining Agreement, the agreement between the NBA and the players’ union] is being revised like this. It’s not specifically targeting our team, but it’s heading in a direction that prevents big-market teams from consolidating their power, so we’re taking a direct hit. Our salary has consistently been in the top three, after all.”

This CBA agreement wasn’t the worst possible outcome for Dallas, but it significantly hampered the trade strategy they had been using as a growth engine. The strategy of trading for players on expiring contracts and then returning them to their original team was blocked, and cash trades were also prohibited. Both were key strategies that Cuban and Nelson had employed while leading the Dallas Mavericks, so their concerns were understandable. In the past, they could improve the team through trades or rookie acquisitions even while paying the luxury tax, but now it wasn’t just about the luxury tax; it would affect trades and future rookie selections.

“Fortunately, we’ve been acquiring draft picks and securing promising players for years, just in case. It’s a relief that we’ve secured a lot of centers. Our team is aging, but we have some young players who offer hope for the future.”

Donnie Nelson, trying to reassure the disgruntled Cuban, pointed out the positive aspects to calm him down. Rodrigue Beaubois, whose recovery from injury was a concern, had been a successful pick, and Youngjae Yoon was proving to be a huge success. Last season, they had managed to lower the team’s average age to some extent by recruiting Corey Brewer, who was released mid-season.

In addition, even though Brendan Haywood had a terrible season, keeping him on a long-term contract wasn’t a complete loss, as the value of centers was increasing. It was Haywood’s poor performance that made people believe he couldn’t possibly play worse. Just two years prior, Haywood was considered the best center in Dallas history. Having Ian Mahinmi as the third center was a luxury.

“The salary cap situation isn’t terrible, which is what worries me even more. It’s been our strategic direction, but it doesn’t seem easy to contend for the championship next year if we maintain this roster. Miami and the Lakers won’t stand still, and San Antonio, Oklahoma, and Chicago will have younger players developing further.”

Cuban’s biggest concern throughout the off-season was what to do with Tyson Chandler. Dallas had a significant number of players – six – entering free agency (FA, meaning their contracts were expiring): Tyson Chandler, Caron Butler, J.J. Barea, Peja Stojakovic, DeShawn Stevenson, and Brian Cardinal.

The key players among them were Chandler, Butler, and Barea. Peja was contemplating retirement, and Cardinal and Stevenson could be re-signed for the minimum salary or allowed to leave.

Cuban had always emphasized salary cap flexibility. That was the key to being one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference for over a decade. However, the downside was a weakness in the playoffs due to the lack of a true superstar.

Except for Dirk Nowitzki, there was no max-level player, and players were constantly coming and going. While they had many decent players, making them strong in the regular season, Dallas lacked teamwork in high-pressure playoff situations. Last season, due to these factors, experts from various media outlets gave them very little chance of winning, and virtually no one predicted Dallas would win the championship.

The championship last season was an unexpected surprise, a stroke of luck.

2010-2011 Dallas Salary (15 players, Steve Novak non-guaranteed, Pavlovic 10-day contract excluded twice)

Dirk Nowitzki

$17,278,618

Tyson Chandler

$12,600,000

Jason Terry

$10,650,000

Caron Butler

$10,561,960

Jason Kidd

$8,610,500

Shawn Marion

$7,305,500

Brendan Haywood

$6,900,000

DeShawn Stevenson

$4,151,786

J.J. Barea

$1,815,000

Brian Cardinal

$1,352,181

Rodrigue Beaubois

$1,236,720

Corey Brewer

$1,156,080

Youngjae Yoon

$1,106,080

Ian Mahinmi

$762,196

Peja

$636,320

Total

$86,122,941 (3rd in the league, luxury tax over $10 million)

2011-2012 Dallas Salary (10 confirmed contracts, 5 additional contracts needed)

Dirk Nowitzki

$19,092,873

Jason Terry

$11,158,000

Jason Kidd

$10,121,000

Shawn Marion

$7,965,500

Brendan Haywood

$7,624,500

Corey Brewer

$2,407,837

Rodrigue Beaubois

$2,027,333

Youngjae Yoon

$1,206,720

Chandler Parsons

$850,800

Ian Mahinmi

$762,196

Total

$63,216,759

Salary Cap: $58,000,000

Luxury Tax: $70,000,000

“This is the salary table for this season. Even with just these 10 players, we’re already over the salary cap of $58 million. Our only options for strengthening the team are through Bird rights [allowing teams to exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents] and trades. The only other exception is the mid-level exception (MLE) [an exception that allows teams over the salary cap to sign a player], but even that has complicated conditions under the current CBA. However, next year’s draft is considered to have the best depth in recent years. Cuban knows it’s going to be difficult to spend as much as we did last year.”

Dallas’s salary situation was precarious. Even with only 10 players under contract, they were already exceeding the salary cap.

“I know, Donnie. That’s why I’m even more worried. Either way, maintaining salary cap flexibility won’t be easy. But if we let go of the free agents this time and use the amnesty clause [a one-time option to waive a player and remove his salary from the cap] on Haywood next year, our 2012 salary will only be around $38 million. That leaves us with plenty of room, $20 million, under the salary cap. We could definitely bring in a max-level free agent.”

“Are you thinking of targeting Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Dwight Howard, who will be free agents in 2012?”

Cuban still seemed focused on the 2012 free agent market. Donnie Nelson admired Cuban’s ambition but knew he had to be realistic.

The 2012 free agent market boasted three players who could be the cornerstone of any team. Chris Paul and Deron Williams were the top point guards, and Dwight Howard was the league’s dominant center, having won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards and considered to be on par with LeBron James. However, even if such outstanding players become available, that’s in 2012. If they force a move to acquire one of those three, potentially sacrificing the 2011-2012 season, the impact on the team could be significant.

“Cuban, it’s best not to overreach. The ‘3D’ [Deron Williams, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwight Howard] plan that you and I originally discussed is essentially impossible due to this CBA. No matter how hard we try, we don’t have the salary or the trade assets. Well, we have enough trade assets if we include Youngjae Yoon, but the salaries don’t align. Besides, honestly, if we have Youngjae Yoon, we don’t really need Deron Williams. If Yoon continues to develop, he’ll be more than an All-Star-caliber player, and he’s still on his rookie contract, so his salary is low. He’s seven years younger than Deron.”

Originally, Donnie Nelson and Mark Cuban had planned to form a ‘Big 3,’ but the CBA revision made it too difficult.

“Then how about just bringing in Howard and forming a ‘Big 3’ with Yoon, Nowitzki, and Howard? Howard has consistently expressed dissatisfaction with Orlando’s efforts to improve the team. Unlike Deron, who is from Texas, he doesn’t have any particular connection to our team, but if we show him the potential to win, I think it’s possible.”

Cuban still seemed unwilling to abandon his vision. Using next year as a transition period and then forming a ‘Big 3′ with Youngjae and Howard as the core, even after Nowitzki’s prime, could ensure long-term success. In theory, it was a sound strategy.

“But, Cuban, there’s no guarantee that Howard will come to our team. If he’s a free agent, we have a chance, but New Jersey could create a Deron-Howard duo by trading Brook Lopez and draft picks, and the Lakers could acquire him by trading Andrew Bynum. If that happens, we’ll be left with nothing. Paul or Deron would be redundant with Yoon. With a minimum-salary center, we’d have to fill the rest of the roster with minimum-salary players, except for Yoon, Nowitzki, and Marion. That would weaken our bench depth, which has always been a strength.”

Since the team’s key big man, Nowitzki, had defensive weaknesses, Dallas needed a strong defensive center. But if they filled that position with minimum-salary players lacking in skill, the interior defense would be vulnerable. Even if Paul or Deron, Youngjae, and Marion provided strong perimeter defense, there would be limitations. Ultimately, the center had to be the anchor of the defense.

“Haa, that’s what I’m most worried about, Nelson. If I were confident that we could sign Howard as a free agent, I’d be willing to sacrifice next year, but the problem is that other teams can acquire Howard through a trade. If that’s the case, I might be willing to sacrifice bench depth.”

The two continued to debate whether to go all-in for the 2011-2012 season or use it as a transition year and rebuild starting in 2012-2013. Donnie Nelson favored trying to strengthen the team as much as possible this season and aiming for back-to-back championships, while Cuban leaned towards developing young players for a year and targeting 2012, since the team was capable of making the playoffs anyway.

“And Coach Carlisle said he trusts our plan for next year, but he wants Chandler to stay. He seems to have given up on Haywood. He’s already concluded that Haywood can no longer be a starting-caliber center. Based on his past comments and our last conversation, it’s hard to deny that’s how he feels.”

Donnie Nelson, sensing that he couldn’t persuade Cuban with data alone, brought in Coach Carlisle’s opinion. Soon after, he strongly urged Cuban by conveying the players’ desires.

“Jason Terry has been advocating for Chandler in interviews throughout the off-season. He said that Chandler was crucial to last year’s championship and that he started a charity, arguing that it would be difficult to win next year without him. And Nowitzki and Kidd also want him to stay. Yoon and Brewer are close friends with Chandler and are constantly in touch.”

During the season, Nowitzki had compared Chandler to Kevin Garnett’s impact on the Boston Celtics. Nowitzki pointed out that Ray Allen and Paul Pierce weren’t great defenders until Garnett arrived, and they transformed after Garnett’s arrival. He emphasized Chandler’s influence on himself, Terry, Kidd, Youngjae, and others.

“But, we can’t make important decisions for the club solely based on the players’ wishes. Of course, I understand what they want. Which player would want the previous year’s championship team to rebuild? But, I have to consider the long-term future.”

Cuban knew very well that Carlisle and the players wanted to keep Chandler. He had watched all of Dallas’s games and even attended all the home games in person, so he understood Chandler’s impact. However, as the owner, he had to consider the distant future, and his judgment pointed in a different direction.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

★Thank you to those who pre-ordered, recommended, commented, and gave coupons!!

★Thank you for the sponsorship coupons from Dirty Pair, Blue Kettle, and Goofysoccer!! I will repay you with good writing in the future.

＠The Dallas off-season plan will be revealed until the next episode. The time in the story is the end of November, and contact between the club and players is from December 1st, training camp is from December 9th, and the pre-season is only 2 games in mid-December.

＠From next season, the Dallas roster will change a lot from reality, and some players in the league will also change. However, I don’t plan to make too many changes. Then it will be too difficult for us to write.

＠In reality, both Cuban and Donnie Nelson emphasize salary cap flexibility and avoid overpaying. However, Donnie Nelson is relatively more flexible in his thinking, and Cuban loves big names. As a result, Nelson ends up persuading Cuban.

Kingdom Brothers///Baseball’s major international competitions, such as the Olympics and Asian Games, are during the Major League season. Therefore, the club can refuse to send players. However, in the case of the WBC [World Baseball Classic], even if the club refuses, the player can ignore the club and go to the national team. Of course, this is almost never the case. There is no reason to go to the national team even if it causes friction with the club. In addition, the International Baseball Federation has less power than the MLB [Major League Baseball], so there is no coercion.

Similarly, because the International Basketball Federation has less power than the NBA, it can refuse to send players to tournaments held during the NBA season (East Asia Cup – held in June). However, in the case of the Olympics, the club cannot force the player. Usually, the club and the player coordinate, but there are cases where Ginobili goes to the national team even if the club tells the player not to go. That’s why Ginobili has a statue erected in Argentina and is on par with Maradona. Messi once said a few years ago, “Please call me the Ginobili of the football world.”

In conclusion, the NBA and MLB have coercion over players during the season, but there is no coercion during the off-season. However, the player does not want to clash with the club.

Vanishing Soul, Vanishing Soul, Omarion, Hidden Snowfield/// Thank you for your comments~~~

goimosp/// He seems to be going as a part-time player development coach. The official announcement has not yet been made, but there are many people from Phoenix in the Steve Kerr coach and the Golden State club executives, so it seems that they called him out of friendship. Coach Kerr also invited Nash as a part-time coach, not a full-time coach, to respect Nash’s personal time.

Ultra10/// Novi actually had a hard time this season because he couldn’t get his body in shape. The cause of rapid aging compared to Duncan is also attributed to this 11-12 shortened season. He didn’t get his body in shape properly, but he continued to play a lot of time.

Move Aside/// Yes. The season will start within a few episodes.

Dirt Bear 12/// I’m sorry that you didn’t find the parts outside of the game fun. I have to make even those parts fun ㅠ.ㅠ The game will probably be at least 3~4 episodes away.

h0h/// To compare it to a celebrity, they are receiving sponsorship, but it is not a formal contract stage. They receive shoe sponsorship on a single-year contract, but it is not a contract that receives a contract fee.