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Southwest Notes: Ariza, Cuban, Scandal

May 27th, 2018 at 4:56pm CST by marksuleymanov

Rockets veteran Trevor Ariza has suited up for seven teams in his NBA career, including two separate stints in Houston. As he heads for unrestricted free agency this summer, and the possibility of an eighth team in his future looms, ESPN’s Zach Lowe chronicled Ariza’s well-traveled and decorated career.

As Lowe writes, after various trades early in his career, Ariza questioned why he was constantly changing uniforms and couldn’t stick with one team. It all started coming together for Ariza when he joined the Lakers and evolved his style to the now invaluable “3-and-D,” where you shoot well from the perimeter and play solid defense. Ariza’s former teammate Kobe Bryant spoke glowingly of Ariza in the story.

“We were inseparable,” Bryant said. “If you saw Trevor, you saw me. He didn’t need me to show him how to work. He had it already — that ambition.”

In Houston, Ariza’s role, and therefore his style of play, has been altered to suit the Rockets’ needs. And it has worked so far as the team is one win away from the NBA Finals. Lowe’s piece is well worth the read and provides further insight into how Ariza has become a self-described chameleon in the NBA.

Check out more Southwest Division notes below:

Brandon George and Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News conducted an investigation into a former team employee, nicknamed “Pants DJ,” who allegedly showed and viewed pornographic content at work and made inappropriate gestures. Chris Hyde, a former account executive with the Mavericks, allegedly carried on this behavior for six years and, despite a warning from team owner Mark Cuban, continued it.
As the Mavericks enter the summer, the team has cap space to utilize in free agency and Cuban does not see a reason to save if upgrades are available, even before the NBA Draft, Sefko writes.
In case you missed it, Rockets point guard Chris Paul will likely miss Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals tomorrow night as he nurses an injured hamstring.

Mavericks Notes: Lottery, Cuban, Free Agency, Porter

May 16th, 2018 at 10:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

Michael Finley joked that he was tempted to demand a recount when the Mavericks landed the fifth pick at Tuesday’s lottery, relays Dwain Price of Mavs.com. Dallas’ VP of basketball operations decided to remain professional at the event and is optimistic the team can land an impact player. The Mavs came into the lottery with the third best chance to win the top choice and a guarantee to fall no lower than sixth.

“It’s a deep draft with some great young talent, so at the fifth pick I think we’ll still be able to get a player that can come in and help us immediately,” Finley said. “It’s a wide variety of sizes and talent in the draft when you look at some of the point guards, some of the wing guys and the big guys.

“Like I said, it’ll give us a great opportunity to get one of those players, and hopefully that player can help us so we won’t be at this lottery next year.”

There’s more tonight from Dallas:

The ping pong balls didn’t bounce the Mavericks’ way, but there’s no guarantee the team will hold onto the No. 5 pick, owner Mark Cuban tells Dalton Trigg of 247Sports.com. “We are never content,” Cuban said. “We will be open to any and all options.”
The Mavericks should be careful not to try to make up for the lottery disappointment by becoming overly aggressive in free agency, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. He advises the team to build slowly and not do something risky like offering a max deal to DeMarcus Cousins, who continues to recover from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Dallas will take a long look at Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. with the fifth pick, Sefko states in a separate piece. Porter missed almost the entire college season with back problems, but his physical gifts still make him a promising NBA prospect. Magic executive Pat Williams, whose team owns the sixth pick, said DeAndre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley III and Jaren Jackson Jr. are expected to be the first four taken, with Porter, Mo Bamba, Wendell Carter and maybe Trae Young going right afterward.

And-Ones: Silver, Cuban, NBPA, Coaching Changes

May 14th, 2018 at 9:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A New York resident was arrested for sending a threatening email to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Steve Gardner of USA Today relays via a New York Post report. David Pyant, who has served to time for robbery and has 13 prior arrests, sent the email to Silver last summer. He was charged with aggravated harassment for threatening to shoot Silver if he wasn’t allowed to play in the NBA.

In other NBA-related news:

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the sports gambling ban will be a boon to sports owners, AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today reports. Cuban made the comments in a CNBC interview. “I think everybody who owns a top four professional sports team just basically saw the value of their team double, at least,” Cuban said, adding “I think this is something that benefits everybody.” The Supreme Court issued its decision on Monday.
The Players’ Association will “work to ensure our players’ rights are protected and promoted” now that states beyond Nevada can take legal sports bets, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal tweets. The NBPA issued a brief statement on the issue, saying it would work with other sports players’ unions to reach that goal.
Impatience from owners and GMs has led to the head coaching carousel currently going on in the NBA, Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders opines. It takes more than three or four years to build toward a championship, Davies continues, citing the Sixers’ Brett Brown as a prime example. Knee-jerk decisions from teams that take baby steps but don’t take a full step forward are misguided, Davies adds.

Mavs Notes: Smith Jr., Noel, Discrimination

April 1st, 2018 at 6:57pm CST by Austin Kent

Despite the Mavs’ disappointing 23-53 mark through 76 games, it’s hard to consider Dennis Smith Jr.‘s rookie season anything less than a success, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. The 20-year-old has put forth 15.2 points and 5.0 assists per game, which both rank among the top five for first-year players.

More importantly, however, Smith Jr. has been healthy for the majority of the season. Considering the high-flying guard tore his left ACL back in 2015, it bodes well that he has made it through the bulk of an entire NBA campaign in relatively good shape. With the exception of a few instances of soreness, the guard’s knee has held up and he’s played in 86% of the team’s games so far.

“A lot of rookie point guards who have the responsibility of starting would be worn down mentally and really banged up physically,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s neither. He’s very strong and has worked very hard on his body and his mind is fresh. He wants to be one of those guys that’s really depended on by a franchise and he’s gained is a real knowledge of the amount of work that’s going to go into that.”

There’s more news out of Dallas this evening:

While it seemed as though Nerlens Noel‘s exit from Dallas was a foregone conclusion a couple months ago, the fact that the injured big man has done so little over the course of the 2017/18 campaign may mean that there isn’t much of a market for him in free agency. Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News writes that he doesn’t believe the franchise views Noel as a building block anymore but that the club could use him as a placeholder.
A woman fired by Arena Operating Co., the company that operates the American Airlines Center, is following up a January complaint alleging gender, sexual and racial issues by seeking information from Mark Cuban about a 2011 incident involving a noose hung in the Mavs’ stadium, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. It’s alleged that Cuban disposed of the noose at the time, but did not “make a big deal of it.”
Under the leadership of new CEO Cynthia Marshall, the Mavs have hired a pair of executive leadership employees and officially launched an initial “100-Day Plan” to improve the culture of the disgraced organization. A team-issued press release states that the Mavs plan to position the organization as a standard bearer for inclusion and diversity.

Mavericks Notes: Hopson, Nowitzki, Mejri, Matthews

March 11th, 2018 at 8:54am CST by Arthur Hill

As expected, the Mavericks opted not to offer a second 10-day contract to shooting guard Scotty Hopson, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Hopson appeared in just one game and played eight minutes during his time in Dallas.

The open roster spot will be used to extend a 10-day deal to Jameel Warney, possibly today. The 6’9″ power forward/center has been playing in the G League, averaging 19.8 points and 9.5 rebounds for the Texas Legends.

There’s more this morning from Dallas:

Coach Rick Carlisle told reporters Saturday there’s a good chance that Dirk Nowitzki will return for a 21st season, Sefko relays in a separate story. Carlisle said he hasn’t talked to Nowitzki about the topic, but there are reasons to believe he will be back. “At this point, it looks promising that he’ll play another year,” Carlisle said. “But it’s his decision and he’s got to think of everything involved. I’m personally 100 percent supportive of it because you just don’t want to see a guy like this go away. So we’ll see. Time will tell.” Nowitzki, who said in December that he’s leaning toward another season, is averaging 12.4 points in 65 games.
The Mavericks may face a tricky market for center Salah Mejri this summer, Sefko states in another piece. Mejri has shown he can be a valuable backup, but his effectiveness is limited to about 15 to 20 minutes per game. Some team may be willing to offer the $3.5MM bi-annual exception or even the $4.5MM room exception, which may be more than the Mavs want to pay. They like Dwight Powell more and may land a center in the draft, so Mejri’s return for next season seems iffy.
Wesley Matthews is likely to be back for another season in Dallas, Sefko adds in the same story. He has a player option worth more than $18.6MM and doesn’t want to leave before helping turn the Mavericks around.
The NBA may choose to use the NFL’s punishment of Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott as a model in sanctioning Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, writes Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News. The sexual misconduct allegations against the team’s front office and Cuban’s alleged sexual abuse in Oregon could cause commissioner Adam Silver to send a message with a harsh sanction, Cowlishaw adds.

Southwest Notes: Spurs, Leonard, Mavericks, Evans

March 8th, 2018 at 8:09pm CST by clarkcrum

The Spurs have made the playoffs every year for the past 20 seasons and won five titles along the way, but as Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer writes, the NBA’s model franchise is in the midst of its worst season since 1996/97 – Tim Duncan‘s senior season at Wake Forest – and is in serious danger of missing the playoffs.

The Spurs have the NBA’s toughest remaining schedule, with two games left against the Rockets, Warriors, Pelicans, Thunder, and Wizards. Add in the fact that the team is 2-8 over its last 10 games and only 2.5 games ahead of the eight, ninth, and tenth place teams in the Western Conference, and one can see why fans in San Antonio may have reason to worry for the first time in two decades.

Here’s more from around the Southwest Division:

In more positive Spurs‘ news, Michael C. Wright of ESPN is citing a highly knowledgeable source who tells him that Kawhi Leonard is working hard and putting himself through some “insane” workouts in an effort to return to action as quickly as possible.
In a Q&A session, columnist Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News answered some questions on Mavericks‘ owner Mark Cuban and whether NBA commissioner Adam Silver would step in and force Cuban to sell the team a la current Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson or former Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Mavericks‘ swingman Dorian Finney-Smith is expected to return to action this weekend for the first time since injuring his left knee/quadriceps in early November.
The Grizzlies are being cautious with Tyreke Evans‘ recovery from a rib injury, writes Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. Evans, who has been out since late February, remains day-to-day and will not play against the Jazz tomorrow night.

Mavericks Notes: Cuban, Front Office, Warney, Draft

March 7th, 2018 at 10:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks don’t believe there’s any truth behind the sexual misconduct allegations against owner Mark Cuban, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. A team source told Sefko the organization spent a lot of time on the matter today before determining the charges are unfounded.

A report Tuesday night said police in Portland investigated a complaint against Cuban in 2011 that was filed by a woman who claimed inappropriate physical contact. No charges were filed in the case and Cuban has denied the allegation. The team is concerned that more stories of this type will be unearthed as the investigation continues into sexual misconduct at team headquarters, Sefko adds.

There’s more tonight out of Dallas:

Sexual misconduct allegations against former Mavericks CEO Terdema Ussery are still being investigated, and the process could continue into the the summer, Sefko notes in the same story. Ussery was a prominent figure in the Sports Illustrated story on the Mavs’ front office that resulted in the current investigation. Sefko also learned that Roger Caneda, GM of Mavs Gaming, was suspended after a racist tweet from 2016 was discovered. There are unconfirmed reports of similar Twitter comments in 2017, but it’s possible Caneda’s account had been hacked, and the team is continuing to investigate.
Jameel Warney will make history as the first Stony Brook University alumnus ever to reach the NBA, relays Greg Logan of Newsday. The 24-year-old confirmed that he will sign a 10-day contract with the Mavericks on Sunday, allowing him to return to New York next week for road games against the Knicks and Nets. Warney is the university’s all-time scoring leader and a three-time American East Conference Player of the Year.
The Mavericks will have to get better at using their draft choices before they can think about becoming a contender again, writes Shane Rhodes of Basketball Insiders. He notes that last year’s selection of Dennis Smith Jr. marked the team’s best pick since obtaining Dirk Nowitzki in 1998. The most pressing need is in the frontcourt, where DeAndre Ayton, Mo Bamba and Marvin Bagley would all be welcome additions, but the Mavs also need to find a partner for Smith in the backcourt.

Mavericks Notes: Cuban, Noel, Powell, Mejri

March 7th, 2018 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

When a Sports Illustrated report last month detailed a corrosive workplace culture within the Mavericks’ organization, the general consensus was that owner Mark Cuban was partially to blame for not recognizing the issues and moving to address them earlier. However, Cuban himself was not named as an alleged perpetrator of sexual misconduct in SI’s feature.

According to a new report from Nigel Jaquiss of Willamette Week though, Cuban was the subject of a sexual assault investigation back in 2011 — a woman claimed that the Mavs owner “thrust his hand down the back of her jeans and penetrated her vagina with his finger” while they were taking a photo together at a Portland nightclub. The local District Attorney’s office ultimately determined at the time that there was “insufficient evidence to press criminal charges.” For his part, Cuban denies that the incident ever happened, according to a Dallas Morning News report.

Despite Cuban’s denials and the lack of charges filed in 2011, the woman who went to police to report the incident maintains that her account was accurate and that she stands by it “one thousand percent.” The case is unlikely to be reopened years later, but the report itself is another black mark for Cuban and the Mavericks, who have seen their reputations called into question in recent weeks.

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News examines what the unearthed 2011 allegation means for Cuban.
While Nerlens Noel still may not have a long-term future in Dallas, he showed on Tuesday why the team traded for him in the first place, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “Nerlens is doing better and better,” head coach Rick Carlisle said after Noel’s 14-rebound performance. “He’s simplifying things out there. It’s pretty clear he’s getting some rhythm back and he’s getting some familiarity with the guys he’s playing with.”
In a separate article for The Dallas Morning News, Townsend suggests the odds of Noel, Dwight Powell, or Salah Mejri turning into the Mavs’ center of the future are slim. However, Townsend thinks there’s a good chance that at least two of them will be on the roster next season.
On Tuesday, we passed along details on the new advertisement patch the Mavs will wear on their uniforms.

Texas Notes: Nowitzki, Cuban, Parker, J. Johnson

February 24th, 2018 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The workplace misconduct scandal surrounding the Mavericks hasn’t changed Dirk Nowitzki‘s plans to play another season, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. As the organization prepares for an independent investigation, Nowitzki said Friday that he still expects to return for a 21st season.

“I signed up last summer for two years,” he told reporters. “I would love to play next year again. But we’ll kind of see how the rest of the season plays out and how I feel in the summer. But as of now, I want to play again next year. I feel OK. I only missed one game. So the body is holding up OK. I only missed one game and that one I could have played, too. Obviously, I didn’t have any major, major issues.”

There’s more new tonight out of Texas:

Of the possible penalties facing owner Mark Cuban in the wake of the workplace scandal, the NBA isn’t likely to take away the franchise, Sefko adds. That happened to Donald Sterling, who was forced to sell the Clippers in 2014 after several of his racially charged statements became public. Sefko believes it’s more likely Cuban will be suspended or draft picks will be forfeited.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich tells Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News that he likes the way veteran point guard Tony Parker has adapted to a reserve role since Dejounte Murray was named the starter last month. Now 35 and in the final year of his contract, Parker has adopted a new routine to keep him ready to come off the bench. “Tony has handled it fantastically well,” Popovich said. “He’s been a really mature, high-character guy. He understands what’s best for a basketball team.”
Joe Johnson will continue to get playing time in a crowded Rockets rotation, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Johnson logged 22 minutes Friday night in his second game since joining the team and is making a quick impression. “Joe Johnson played really well,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “He’s getting more comfortable, especially in the second half. I’ve known Joe forever and he’s a machine. He just keeps playing, doesn’t get tired, he’s strong, and just really understands his game. If you watch it, he’s really good.” The addition of Johnson may mean a lighter workload for Trevor Ariza, Feigen adds in a separate story. Ariza, who had been averaging 34.8 minutes per night, returned to the lineup Friday after missing nine games with a strained hamstring.

Mavericks Notes: Investigation, Cuban, Noel

February 22nd, 2018 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks are in turmoil. Heading into the home stretch of the NBA season, the club has an 18-40 record and is on pace for its worst showing since going 20-62 in 1997/98. Off the court, Mark Cuban‘s public comments on tanking earned him a staggering $600K fine from the NBA. Both of those issues are on the back burner, however, as the club has moved to respond to a Sports Illustrated report that alleges widespread misconduct within the Mavs’ business offices.

The organization has hired outside counsel to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations in SI’s report and into the team’s workplace in general — that investigation is already underway, per Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News, who tweets that it could take about a month.

According to Jeff Zillgitt and Michael Singer of USA Today, the NBA will be privy to all findings in that independent report. Legal expert Michael McCann notes at SI.com that the league could also opt to proceed with its own investigation if it’s at all uncomfortable with the Mavs paying a firm for an “independent” investigation.

As McCann writes, the NBA’s constitution gives Adam Silver latitude to severely punish any team owner or employee guilty of “conduct prejudicial or detrimental” to the league, but it remains to be seen how hard Silver will come down on Cuban and the Mavs. While Cuban is unlikely to face the same fate as former Clippers owner Donald Sterling, a major suspension and/or fine seems possible.

After rounding up a few Mavs notes on Wednesday night, we’ve got more to pass along today. Let’s dive in…

As Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News relays, Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle and longtime star Dirk Nowitzki addressed the Sports Illustrated report for the first time on Wednesday. Nowitzki called the allegations “disgusting” and “heartbreaking,” while Carlisle said that “no steps will be skipped” in the investigation. On a separate note, Carlisle also said that Mark Cuban has “apologized profusely” for his tanking comments.
As the investigation gets underway, there are still many unanswered questions surrounding the Mavericks and Cuban, Sefko writes in another article for The Dallas Morning News.
While it seems somewhat inconsequential compared to the off-court issues facing the Mavs, the team still has some burning questions to answer on the court during the final two months of the season. According to Sefko, one of those questions will be whether Nerlens Noel will have a regular role the rest of the way, and whether he has any long-term future in Dallas. Carlisle said today that Noel is on track to return from his hand injury as early as Friday (Twitter link via Sefko).da