Purple Reign
Starter
This according to Mark Stein's Daily Dime on ESPN.com.....
One big reason why the Mavericks are hesitant to make a bid for Ron Artest is that Indiana wants swingman Josh Howard or point guard Devin Harris to headline the package. Dallas is thrilled with its youngsters' progress and rates both as untouchable. When you ask about Howard specifically, the impression that the Mavs give you is that it would probably take Artest and Jermaine O'Neal to pry him away.
Yet there's another reason that the Mavs are unsure about pursuing the unpredictable stopper, even though Artest recently told our ESPN colleague Stephen A. Smith that they're one of the teams on his short list along with New York, Cleveland and Miami. Reason No. 2: Dallas is wary of chemistry problems after an unpleasant experience with Doug Christie.
Christie's career with the Mavericks lasted only seven games, but sources close to the situation say that the 35-year-old's chronic ankle problem is not the only reason they parted company. Christie and wife Jackie, sources say, proved even more high maintenance than expected, and the resultant discord that caused for various members of the staff created a tension that Dallas decided it didn't need.
A left ankle still healing from April surgery clearly limited the former defensive ace's effectiveness and frustrated the ex-Sacramento stopper, but Christie was also suspended briefly by coach Avery Johnson after one blowup before the sides mutually agreed to part.
With the Christies also unhappy with the arrangement and apparently wanting out as well, they came to a fast agreement on an annulment of the four-year, $14 million contract that was only guaranteed this season at $3.15 million. (Aren't these people happy anywhere outside of Sacramento and Seattle
) Christie's roster spot has since been claimed by veteran lefty Adrian Griffin, who was signed in part because he's a proven team guy, having already spent two seasons in Dallas (2001-02 and '02-03).
It's difficult to imagine the Mavs diving into the Artest mix after all that, for all his potential to finally give Dallas an enforcer. If Artest could be pried away from the Pacers for Jerry Stackhouse, maybe. Even then, though, it seems unlikely given that second-year coach Avery Johnson has not forgotten the damage inflicted on Johnson's Spurs in the mid-1990s by Dennis Rodman.
One big reason why the Mavericks are hesitant to make a bid for Ron Artest is that Indiana wants swingman Josh Howard or point guard Devin Harris to headline the package. Dallas is thrilled with its youngsters' progress and rates both as untouchable. When you ask about Howard specifically, the impression that the Mavs give you is that it would probably take Artest and Jermaine O'Neal to pry him away.
Yet there's another reason that the Mavs are unsure about pursuing the unpredictable stopper, even though Artest recently told our ESPN colleague Stephen A. Smith that they're one of the teams on his short list along with New York, Cleveland and Miami. Reason No. 2: Dallas is wary of chemistry problems after an unpleasant experience with Doug Christie.
Christie's career with the Mavericks lasted only seven games, but sources close to the situation say that the 35-year-old's chronic ankle problem is not the only reason they parted company. Christie and wife Jackie, sources say, proved even more high maintenance than expected, and the resultant discord that caused for various members of the staff created a tension that Dallas decided it didn't need.
A left ankle still healing from April surgery clearly limited the former defensive ace's effectiveness and frustrated the ex-Sacramento stopper, but Christie was also suspended briefly by coach Avery Johnson after one blowup before the sides mutually agreed to part.
With the Christies also unhappy with the arrangement and apparently wanting out as well, they came to a fast agreement on an annulment of the four-year, $14 million contract that was only guaranteed this season at $3.15 million. (Aren't these people happy anywhere outside of Sacramento and Seattle
) Christie's roster spot has since been claimed by veteran lefty Adrian Griffin, who was signed in part because he's a proven team guy, having already spent two seasons in Dallas (2001-02 and '02-03).It's difficult to imagine the Mavs diving into the Artest mix after all that, for all his potential to finally give Dallas an enforcer. If Artest could be pried away from the Pacers for Jerry Stackhouse, maybe. Even then, though, it seems unlikely given that second-year coach Avery Johnson has not forgotten the damage inflicted on Johnson's Spurs in the mid-1990s by Dennis Rodman.
