Why is Dallas Not an Attractive Landing Zone for Free Agents?

The Dallas Mavericks will draft a top talent this year in the NBA Draft, but they strike out bringing A/B-List free agents to the team. Can this be the year they bring big talent to Big D?

Pop quiz: What do DeAndre Jordan, Hassan Whiteside and Dwight Howard all have in common?

All of them were once big time free agents on the verge of signing with the Dallas Mavericks and didn’t.

Ok, so maybe not Dwight Howard as much, but Jordan and Whiteside were right on the verge of coming to the city and starting fresh. But, we know how each story turned out. Whiteside signs a 4 year/ $98 million deal to resign with the Miami Heat. DeAndre Jordan leaves Mavs owner Mark Cuban locked out the house while he’s convinced to go back to the LA Clippers.

It’s quite hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes the city of Dallas not seem alluring. A mecca of good food and fun, dedicated fans and recreational activities at every corner. A place where you are literally a few minutes drive to Jerry’s World or Six Flags. A city that lights up like no other; with it’s signature downtown buildings and lights, you can see that Dallas has a lot to offer any free agent.

Let’s not forget that the star of the team took a dramatic hometown discount just to open up the vaults so the Mavericks can sign talent to max level contracts.

And yet, it’s still not enough.

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The plus side is that Cuban & Co. have been able to get these sit downs and interviews with top notch players, which is half the battle. At least something about the team seems to spark interest for a player to even consider signing. But, what could be the deal closer? They need to strategize an approach to show that Dallas is the place to be above any other city.

With the Mavericks not having much luck in free agency in recent years, the rebuilding process has stalled. Dirk hasn’t had another dominant helper to shoulder the load. Having to use trades and lower caliber talent, the roster hasn’t enticed enough to persuade anyone to come and join.

Now, the future does look somewhat bright.  The Mavericks have a  young core of guys finally coming into the forefront who show promise for years to come. The anticipation of a quality draft pick to help bolster the offense and defense brings excitement to the city. Dirk’s wisdom and monetary flexibility for the team, brand new practice facilities and Cuban’s loyalty should be more than enough to bring in talent that can make an immediate impact for the team.

Next: Frank Ntilikina Might Not Be There for Dallas

At this point, all we can do is wait and see how it unfolds.