Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:59 pm
DALLAS (AP) -- Mark Cuban, Don Nelson and the Dallas Mavericks are always eager to make trades. And their team desperately needs a big man.
But with the league's most dominant center asking to be dealt, Cuban said Monday he hadn't even talked to the Lakers about Shaquille O'Neal.
"Will we? Most likely,'' Cuban said. "But, you know, we also have to ascertain what's real and what's not real. Believe it or not, just because you read it in the press doesn't mean that a situation is really there. Sometimes, it is. We'll have to find out and see.''If the Lakers are serious about trading O'Neal, the Mavericks could be an ideal partner.
Dallas has one of the league's most talent-laden rosters, including several players whose combined salaries would be within the league-mandated 15 percent of O'Neal's paycheck. The Mavs also have a management team that has shown the creativity to pull off wild, complicated deals.
The hangup would be the players involved. The Lakers would start by asking for Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavericks would be more willing to package Antoine Walker, Antawn Jamison or Michael Finley.
Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:10 pm
Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:31 am
Andrew wrote:The Lakers could certainly get what might feel like a fairly good deal, but Dallas is in the West. He's close enough to punish the Lakers more than twice a year, and will definitely stand in their way of advancing in the playoffs should the teams meet in the postseason.
Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:45 pm