As we saw yesterday, the Mavs look like they're putting the finishing touches on their training camp roster, adding Josh Akognon, D.J. Mbenga and Tu Holloway to what look to be non-guaranteed deals. The team, coming off a dissapointing offseason, held their media day on Friday. Here are some of the links that have come across the wire since:
- Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram has some additional quotes from Rick Carlisle, who thinks that the Mavs have what it takes to win an NBA championship this season. Carlisle references the NFL and MLB as leagues where wild cards routinely win titles, and he likens it to his 2011 title team. It is a tough sell, as those leagues are parity striken unlike the NBA. But Carlisle's optimism should nevertheless be encouraging for the Mavericks faithful.
Earlier updates:
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News provides us with some more content from Rick Carlisle and Elton Brand. With the presence of Nowitzki and Kaman, Brand is excited to, for once, not draw the opposition's best defensive big. Carlisle expects good chemistry to develop between Brand and Kaman.
- Dirk Nowitzki was predictably the most popular quote of the day. According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas, Nowitzki addressed the loss of former running mates in Jason Terry and Jason Kidd, and was particularly surprised with Kidd's departure. Nowitzki said: “We won the championship together, so they’re like brothers to me. That was tough to see those two guys go somewhere else. It’s going to be weird to see them in different uniforms, for sure.”
- MacMahon adds that Nowitzki said that the Mavs, despite missing out on Dwight Howard and Deron Williams, are still of a "heck of a team" without either of them.
- After missing out on Howard and Williams, the Mavs added Elton Brand, Darren Collison, Chris Kaman and O.J. Mayo. Brand said that group could combine to give Dallas what adding two superstars could have, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. Earl Sneed of NBA.com tweets that Brand looks in "insane shape" entering camp.
- Nowitzki also commented on the Lakers compilation of stars, and more specifically on their addition of his good friend and former teammate, Steve Nash, via Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. “On paper, they’re really, really good,’’ he said. “You look at their starting lineup, it’s almost an All-Star Game starting lineup. They’re stacked. They’re going to be great. They’re going to be tough to beat if they stay injury free.’’