Whoever It May Be, Mavericks Need Somebody

More news on the free agency market broke yesterday when the New York Knicks announced potential buyout plans for veteran forward-center Amar’e Stoudemire.

Yes, that Amar’e Stoudemire. The stud from 2009. Total stud.

With this announcement came the attached relevancy of the Dallas Mavericks interest. However, like a free agent in the summer transaction period the Mavs name is linked to any player to be available or rumored to be available in the coming weeks.

Stoudemire and Blatche From 2009 and different teams.

Of course, there’s the annual Trade Deadline on February 19 at 2 PM Dallas Mavericks time, but the team exhausted most of its resources, namely it’s draft picks, to acquire Rajon Rondo.

As for the market that Mark Cuban will be endeavoring into — free agency — there are several names out there, but the main ones are Jermaine O’Neal, the aforementioned Amar’e Stoudemire and Andray Blatche.

Blatche is available as of Groundhog’s Day because the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers have been eliminated from the Chinese Basketball Association Playoffs. *Takes Breath*

The Mavericks have a chance to directly overtake the Portland Trail Blazers tonight for 4th place in the Western Conference, a terrific spot that would require a record of 35-18.

But to beat the Blazers, the Mavs would have to notch only their second win all season against a team in the West that resides above them (103-95 win @ Memphis on MLK Day).

The thing was, in that game, Dirk Nowitzki was Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas bench had 26 points, paling in comparison to Mavs teams of the past, but a solid performance for this season’s squad.

Eight days later the Grizzlies floored Dallas at home by 19 points, something that is more often than not for this year’s team. Last Wednesday’s 128-114 loss to Golden State had so much of what is so maddening about this Mavs team.

Even without Rajon Rondo, who’s defense is far, far, far and above Devin Harris and J.J. Barea‘s simply by stepping onto the court, Stephen Curry‘s (rather easy) 51 points made a 42-25 lead after one very, very impressive quarter seem like it never happened.

Anywhoosles, the Mavericks definitely need to refortify their bench. Even with Brandan Wright –the piece they’re missing the most– out of the picture, he wasn’t in the playoff rotation last year vs. the Spurs, usurped by DeJuan Blair who played defense and rebounded but also karate chopped Tiago Splitter.

This team is good. You don’t ascend to 5th with a chance of 4th place 52 games in the brutal NBA season by not being good.

Thankfully, Dallas is feasting on the bad teams of the West and is having success all over the Eastern Conference, but there’s an obvious need for another big –and perhaps a shooter– and there’s going to be a one in three chance that either O’Neal, Stoudemire or Blatche is going to sport “Dallas” on his chest by the end of the month.

Next: Game Grades for Win in Sacramento

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