Hov's Kings - Retired

[Fresh8]

Wow, LeBron's PER are out of this World. Crazy!

[puttincomputers]

I like Cuban's way of doing business!

[Houndy]

Gotta love Cuban

[Axel The Great]

Odd (but good) to see K-Mart in the MVP Candidates, his numbers aren't as good as the K-Mart from my story. Wonder what Cuban's gonna offer you. Surely with the Mavs' depth, it can't be that bad, right?

[hova-]

Big D in Seattle Part II
December 1st, Morning before the game against Dallas

....

I was pretty late. In fact it was like 9:20 and our team shoot around was at 10 o'clock.
The night at the office was horrible, I was looking pretty tired and did not even have time to get a coffee after getting up.
Further, it was raining outside. I had no umbrella and was running from the parking lot to my goal - Starbuck's Cafe.

I took off my coat and had a look around. There he was - Mark Cuban - in the darkest corner of the whole cafe. He was wearing sun glasses and it even took me two looks to notice him.
I went straight forward and sat down calmly.
"Hey, Mr. Cuban", I said trying to keep the voice level down - it was better if no one would recognize us.
"Call me Mark", he said. "Hi Chris, how ya doin'?", he was not really trying to be quiet.
"Honestly, I had a shitty night at office and I really need a coffee right now", I answered. His likable aura helped me being more open-minded.
"Okay, you want anything else?", he asked.
"No, thanks", I replied as he raised his hand and put up two fingers in the direction of the cafe's counter. The waitress nodded.

"So what do you want from me, what do you have to offer?", I asked curiously.
Cuban leaned back and I realized that he had been getting pretty fat over the last two years.
"Well, how are things going in Seattle, Chris?", he asked me.
"It's fine", I answered quickly. "We are young and still developing", I backed up my answer.
"Okay.", he replied.
"So what's the offer", I demanded the proposal.
"Ahh well, I heard that things aren't going that well lately for you", he said. "The Maloofs are making some problems?", he was taking down his sun glasses a little bit so that they were sitting on his nose's tip. He looked into my eyes.
"Nah, things are fine. You know that's all rumours", I appeased him.
"So so ... rumours". He put on his glasses properly as the waitress came over to hand us our coffees. Cuban took six sugar cubes. He stirred his coffee and took two big sips.
"Yeah, rumours", I confirmed. "We're doing fine. Now what's your problem, Mark. What's the offer you've been talking about?", I took a sip of my coffee and almost burnt my tongue. How could he drink this hot shit?
"Okay, I want to be honest with you", Cuban said. "Come a bit closer." We put our heads together.

"Chris, I lied to you on the phone. Nellie jr. isn't ill. Actually he isn't sick physically", he was staring at me.
"So? What's wrong with him? Just speak to me, I have a shoot around with the team in like 15 minutes", I pushed him to put his cards on the table.
"Okay", he answered.
"Donnie is mentally sick, at least if you ask me. He is turning more and more into a copy of his father. Drinking all day long, getting fat. He's leaning back, he has no interest in the club and plays golf rather than watching my team play. I want to relieve him from his duties. I want to fire that fat sucker", Cuban talked himself into rage.
"Okay ... and now you make those trade negotiations?", I asked.
"No. I want you to make those trade negotiations!", Cuban shouted. The neighbouring tables were already looking at us.
"Me? What the hell?", I shouted out even more loudly.
"You. Chris, look. I'm owning this team for like 10 years now. We changed everything. The colors, the arena, the players, the coaches. The only thing left I can change to finally win with this team is the GM", Cuban explained.
"I want you to be the new General Manager of the Dallas Mavericks!", he went on. "Rather now than later", he added.
"Me? I have work to do in Seattle? How do you even think about me?", I said pretty surprised.
"Dirk. Dirk told me you are good. And c'mon, it's on national TV, on radio, it's in the newspapers. You and the Sonics, it does not seem to work", he said.
"Dirk", I mumbled. I knew Dirk from the German national squad as I spent some time there as an assistant executive. We were pretty close to each other since I joined the NBA.

"Man, Mark, I don't know. I can't do that. My life is in Seattle right now", I tried to make excuses.
"If you don't want to come now, come next season. Come to a contender, help us building a roster. Help us bringing Dirk his ring. Help me finally winning with my franchise", Cuban sounded like he was begging.
I rolled over my mind. It was really a strange situation. Seattle was all garbage at the moment, a franchise without real stars, injury problems, bad owners. Everything was bad @Seattle right now.
Dallas looked like heaven. An owner who actually spends every amount of money.
"I can give you everything you want", Cuban shook me out of my day dreams. "Money, apartments, assistants, everything", he added.

"I don't know, man. I have to go to the shootaround now. We will see us tonight for the game. I will call you this week. I have to think about the whole situation. I'm pretty fucked right now, sorry", I said.
"It's no problem", he answered. "Just give me a call. I can give you anything you want, remember that. And Chris, please, don't tell it the media right now. It's not a good situation at the moment", Cuban replied.
"I won't. No problem. Bye, Mark.", I said taking my coat and leaving the cafe.
"One creme gateau, please", I heard him calling the waitress when I left.
"For sure a complete gateau!!"
I left the cafe.





...

[puttincomputers]

I would say no way! The Mavs only have a short window and it sounds as though he is setting you up to be a fall guy.

[Houndy]

Go for it. It'd create an interesting story line, and maybe Luis could come along

[kibaxx7]

Do it!!!! Or maybe next year.

[Mavs4Life]

Do it. I also think you can wait though.

[|)e8*]

DO IT

[shadowgrin]

Stick with your team and build!

[Justine.]

Stay on Seattle

[Fresh8]

No deal!

[Cruzerr]

Are you kidding me ? No way.

[Lamrock]

Tough choice you got here. Mavs are your team and provide some interesting storylines (love Mark Cuban) but you gotta love rebuilding. Go with whatever interests you more - I'd be happy either way

[Axel The Great]

Didn't the Maloofs say they'd fire you if you didn't get 9th or 10th place in the conference this season? I say, try to aim for that, and if you can't get there, quit, then go with the Mavs.

[john26]

Do it if you are tired of the team and want a change of scenery

[hova-]

Okay guys, thanks for your opinions - really appreciated. I'm a bit busy lately, but I hope I can find some time to play and update this.

[Fresh8]

I suppose if this is a sign of you bored of Seattle, then jump ship to go to Dallas.

[Valor]

Intriguing, I agree with Sit here Maybe build upon this and the "being competitive for the playoff spots" thing and shove the middle finger at the Maloofs

[hova-]

Big D in Seattle Part III
December 1st, Night after the game against Dallas

....

"Tough game, guys", I was entering the locker room. The Mavericks gave us a horrible defeat. 97-78 - at home! The players were looking at the floor.
"Take your heads up!", I was clapping into my hands.
"This season ain't over yet, in fact it hasn't really begun - 20 games is nothing!", I tried to threw some motivation in the air.
"We will meet for a shoot around tomorrow 10 a.m. as always", I said leaving the locker.

The Mavs were playing without Caron Butler, but Jason Terry stepped up and added 24 points to Dirk's 20 points and 14 rebounds.
For our team, I was really satisfied with Donte Greene putting up 17 points and 6 rebounds and Demarcus Cousins snatching a double-double, 13 points and 16 boards.
The team kept fighting until the end, but there seemed to be no proper replacements for Tyreke Evans and Luis Chase in this game.

On my way through the hallway I saw Jason Kidd speaking with Mark Cuban.
"Hey guys, tough game", I said entering the conversation.
"Really?", Cuban had a smile on his face. Apparently they had been talking about last season when Jason was still with the Mavs.
We went further through the hallway on our way to the parking lot outside.

When we reached the Mavs' bus to the airport, Cuban and Kidd shook hands and Jason went over to his car. Cuban took me to a darker corner behind the bus.
"Hey Chris. What about our conversation from yesterday?", Cuban got down to business.
"Well, Mark. It really took me a while and honestly I had an even worse night at my own bed at home than I had the day before in my office ... just because of this decision.", I answered.
"So ...?", Cuban kept looking around as like he did not want to be seen together with me.
"So ... I have to say no. I can't leave this team now. The way we kept fighting tonight despite key guys being injured, the potential of this team, the beautiful city of Seattle ... I can't leave this all alone right now", I tried to make my point.
"Oh man. That's tough right now for me. I wasn't thinking you would reject my offer at all. That hurts, man.", Cuban was whisking the sweat away from his forehead with his forearm.

"I'm sorry, man. The Maloofs are tough to handle, I'm sure you are the better team owner. But I want to build something with this team. I want to bring postseason glory to Seattle", I started to excuse.
"Ah c'mon", Cuban laughed nervously. "Postseason glory - you're at 5-14 now - there will be no postseason basketball in Seattle", he took his iPhone out of his shirt's pocket.
"Chris, I don't know if it's possible to keep this GM spot vacant for you until next season. I just don't like how you aren't interested in it at all", Cuban said grouchily.
"You really blew a chance here", he was starting to play with his cell phone.
"I would have given you everything, money, fame - heck - even girls if you needed. But if you don't appreciated my services, then I doubt that we should work together."
He headed over to the Mavs' airport shuttle with the iPhone on his ear.

There I stood in the corner. A dark corner on the Key Arena parking lot in Seattle. With a 5-14 team. After a blow out loss against a postseason team on which I could be an executive right now.
It started to rain.

...

December 2nd, Morning after the game against Dallas

My alarm clock rang. 7 o'clock in the morning, I still had this bad feeling. This feeling like I may have missed a chance. I went over to the kittchen and made some coffee.
I grabbed the cup and switched on the TV. I zapped around and landed at ESPN sportscenter. They were showing the highlights of yesterday's playing night.
"Gilbert Arenas had set a season record with 50 points in a win over the Indiana Pacers", the moderator said.
I took a sip of my hot coffee and a bite of my sandwich. "50 points, that's wicked", I thought as the reporter also added that Arenas took 39 shots in the game.

"There have also been breaking news in Dallas", the reporter kept speaking.
My eyes got bigger. "News from Dallas?", I mumbled with my mouth full.
Then, before I could swallow my meal, sportscenter switched to a live press conference in Dallas.
I could see Mark Cuban there, there was no chance to overlook him as he was really fat.
As I looked next to him, I could not believe it. "That's not real", I shut out and sat down on my armchair.

Next to Cuban sat Jason Kidd.
"What the fuck is going wrong", I shouted putting my coffee on the table.
Suddenly my phone rang.

"Hova? Ahh hello. Really? Nice, good to hear that. So we have a deal? Oh man, at least something going the right way today. Okay, let's wind up this one quickly. Really appreciating the negotiations. We talk to each other later on, okay? Bye".

"What a day", I said to myself as I leaned back on my armchair and continued with my breakfast.

...





...[

[hova-]

I hope you all like my decision. Thanks for the opinions. I kind of lost interest in the Sonics at first because of losing, but I really appreciated your opinions and noticed that I really wanted to build something here at first and this should be my goal for this season.

Thanks for replying and reading, guys!

[shadowgrin]

My impression was you wanted to play the Mavs after what they did to the back-to-back defending champions. The excitement of real life got you as a fan of the team and you wanted to ditch the Kings, I mean Sonics.

[hova-]

shadowgrin, you're completely right. I think it's no secret that I am a Mavs fan and I loved how the played in RL. They were the reason why I was thinking about switching the team. I just wanted your opinions and most of you said I should stick with my team and build on with it.

So I decided to stay with the team despite the great Mavs run right now.

[Fresh8]

I like this because now it's one less Seattle team for my Stealth to compete with.

EDIT: My bad, I thought you were still going to Dallas. Re-read the chapter after seeing in the post above this ^^

In that case... good you are staying. But I would have understood why you would have changed teams.