No 'Team Tank' For Mavericks, Says Owner Mark Cuban
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DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN) - The Dallas Mavericks spent a moment reeling from the near-knockout blow delivered to them by The DeAndre Defection. But now they are back in attack mode, believing they have a puncher's chance to recover and are therefore avoiding "Team Tank.''
"No,'' owner Mark Cuban told me when I asked him about the Mavs opting for "Team Tank,'' the concept that has an NBA club losing on purpose hoping there is a draft-pick reward at the end of an ugly rainbow. "We've added Wes ... we're getting a center ... We are not (tanking). We're moving forward.''
Dallas lost DeAndre Jordan when he executed an unprecedented about-face and reneged on his agreement with the Mavs to return to the Clippers. But they've won Wes Matthews with a huge contract, and they've acquired Zaza Pachulia from the Bucks for a second-round pick and now they are prepared to nab point guard Deron Williams if he's bought out by Brooklyn.
This is far from the original "Plan A''; the Pachulia pickup makes it more like "Plan ZZ.'' But I bet coach Rick Carlisle wants no part of "Team Tank.'' The moves make it look like Dallas isn't going that direction. And now Cuban's words confirm the bet and the look.
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