Dallas Mavericks reached a deal with free agent Jamaal Magloire

[WayOutWest]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3265069

Center Magloire, waived by Nets, joins Mavericks
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: February 26, 2008, 10:07 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks reached a deal with free agent Jamaal Magloire on Tuesday night.

Magloire will practice with the Mavericks on Wednesday and be available for Thursday night's visit to San Antonio.

Magloire was waived by New Jersey on Friday after the trading deadline passed. Although he was expected to supply the Nets with some much-needed bulk and experience on the front line, Magloire only managed to get into 24 games for the Nets, averaging a mere 1.8 points and 3.4 rebounds.

Sources told ESPN.com that the 6-foot-11 center had the Mavericks at the top of his list when he was released by New Jersey.

But Dallas has a fresh opening for a proven center after being forced to part with DeSagana Diop in its recent trade for Jason Kidd. Erick Dampier is the only true center left on the Mavs' roster.

After earning a surprise spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team in 2004, Magloire has struggled to stay put, lasting just one season each in Milwaukee and Portland before signing a one-year deal with the Nets last summer worth $4 million. But the recent influx of size in the Western Conference after a flurry of trades this month apparently created a new job market for him.

"I've never seen a guy work so hard when he isn't playing," Kidd said Monday night in Dallas of Magloire, who was Kidd's teammate with the Nets as recently as a week ago.

The Mavericks are also among the playoff contenders lining up to sign veteran guard Brent Barry, who was waived last week by Seattle after the Sonics acquired him, Francisco Elson and a 2009 first-round pick in a swap with San Antonio for Kurt Thomas. But Phoenix, Houston, Golden State and Boston -- as well as the Spurs, who must wait 30 days to re-sign him according to league rules -- are also making a strong push for Barry.

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

[WayOutWest]

I don't know how this guy compares to Diop nor do I know why this guy has moved around so much.  Seems like he doesn't put much effort into his game, he's a perfect match for Dampier.  Still, it looks like a good pickup after losing Diop.

[Lurker]

I don't know how this guy compares to Diop nor do I know why this guy has moved around so much.  Seems like he doesn't put much effort into his game, he's a perfect match for Dampier.  Still, it looks like a good pickup after losing Diop.

He couldn't take away the starting job in NJ from Jason Collins or Josh Boone...or even earn much floor time.  But of courser he should be motivated to play with Kidd...wait he was playing with Kidd in Jersey.  He should do great against Shaq; neither one has any foot speed left.

[Randy]

Hmm, Dallas has upgraded their frontcourt by trading Diop and signing Magloire.  Umm, anyone else going 

[WayOutWest]

Hmm, Dallas has upgraded their frontcourt by trading Diop and signing Magloire.  Umm, anyone else going 

Who posted that?

[ziggy]

Jamaal Magloire has the worst hands of any player in the NBA, Kwame Brown included.  This guy has 2 granite slabs at the ends of his arms.  He is unathletic, I would be stunned if could jump more than 15".  He also has to lead the league in traveling calls per 48 minutes, probably close to 24 every 48 minutes.

He is a good rebounder, sets great picks, and can block shots.  He is a very different player from Diop.  He can score down low, and he is a BIG body, takes up a lot of space, and will make other centers work hard.

This whole thing though stinks to high heaven.  They could not include Magloire in the Kidd deal, and make salaries work, but Dallas wouldn't do the deal, unless they got a big to replace Diop.  You will never hear about a side deal being in place, but if there ever was one, this is the case, and in this case the side deal, was set up to circumvent the CBA trade rules.  I hope like hell that something comes out on this, because Sternfish will make a major example out of Mark Cuban.  He will go after him with both guns a blazing.

[Lurker]

Jamaal Magloire has the worst hands of any player in the NBA, Kwame Brown included.  This guy has 2 granite slabs at the ends of his arms.  He is unathletic, I would be stunned if could jump more than 15".  He also has to lead the league in traveling calls per 48 minutes, probably close to 24 every 48 minutes.

He is a good rebounder, sets great picks, and can block shots.  He is a very different player from Diop.  He can score down low, and he is a BIG body, takes up a lot of space, and will make other centers work hard.

This whole thing though stinks to high heaven.  They could not include Magloire in the Kidd deal, and make salaries work, but Dallas wouldn't do the deal, unless they got a big to replace Diop.  You will never hear about a side deal being in place, but if there ever was one, this is the case, and in this case the side deal, was set up to circumvent the CBA trade rules.  I hope like hell that something comes out on this, because Sternfish will make a major example out of Mark Cuban.  He will go after him with both guns a blazing.

Are you suggesting collusion?

[ziggy]

Jamaal Magloire has the worst hands of any player in the NBA, Kwame Brown included.  This guy has 2 granite slabs at the ends of his arms.  He is unathletic, I would be stunned if could jump more than 15".  He also has to lead the league in traveling calls per 48 minutes, probably close to 24 every 48 minutes.

He is a good rebounder, sets great picks, and can block shots.  He is a very different player from Diop.  He can score down low, and he is a BIG body, takes up a lot of space, and will make other centers work hard.

This whole thing though stinks to high heaven.  They could not include Magloire in the Kidd deal, and make salaries work, but Dallas wouldn't do the deal, unless they got a big to replace Diop.  You will never hear about a side deal being in place, but if there ever was one, this is the case, and in this case the side deal, was set up to circumvent the CBA trade rules.  I hope like hell that something comes out on this, because Sternfish will make a major example out of Mark Cuban.  He will go after him with both guns a blazing.

Are you suggesting collusion?

Far be it from to suggest.  The only thing that maybe gives me pause is that Rod thorn was involved, and I just don't see Thorn willfully breaking a CBA rule.

I am not sure exactly what that deal was (if there was one), maybe a guarantee of a 3 year deal, maybe they agreed to pay him their veteran exemption if they hadn't used it etc, as opposed to just paying him the minimum, and make NJ eat the rest.  How the whole thing played out just seems way to obvious.  In this case, if there was collusion, then it was a far bigger transgression than Brent Barry, or Jerry Stackhouse.  In this case they couldn't do the deal, unless it was agreed to up front, and it was a direct attempt to side step the CBA trade rules.  That is the kind of deal much like Minnesota.  Major fine (in the millions), Cuban is suspended for a year, and they lose draft picks, and maybe NJ loses some of the drafts picks they got in the deal.  If it is proven then it will get really really ugly.