No Way

- Would be the worst move made in the organization in a long time.

- For a rising Devin Harris, the nutsack of your team (Stackhouse), and the 1st athletic Dirk-backup you've ever had (Bass).......you get a 35 year old past his prime PG who can't shoot, will shorten your window to 2 years, and will cost you $21 mil and whatever else in luxury tax.

- No need to make this deal. Stand pat, get healthy, get bench players minutes so they're ready for the playoffs, get your rotation set, and roll with this team.

- San Antonio is struggling and getting older. Phoenix is a broken chemistry set who routinely gives up 110 points. And New Orleans is in no way as good as their record suggests. The West is there. This team has proven it can win the West, leave it alone.

Kidd trade doesn't add up for Dallas Mavericks

Talks have cooled for now, source says; Stack, Harris rumored in deal


11:36 PM CST on Wednesday, January 30, 2008
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com

BOSTON – Officials from the Mavericks and New Jersey have been in contact, just like the Nets and just about every other NBA team have had conversations since it became public knowledge that Jason Kidd has requested a trade.

An NBA source said that, while the Mavericks and Nets have talked, none of the scenarios have been to the Mavs' liking.

As it stands, all trade talks involving the Mavericks are dead, although the source said it's possible things could rekindle quickly.

The hottest rumor Wednesday involved the Mavericks, Nets and Portland Trail Blazers and would have sent Devin Harris to the Blazers and Jerry Stackhouse and others to the Nets, along with several players from the Blazers going to the Nets.

Several aspects of that proposal, including a possible buyout of the remainder of Stackhouse's three-year $21 million contract he signed in the summer, would make that deal problematic, to say the least.

Several NBA executives said Wednesday that they expect this process to drag on, although the Nets apparently are working feverishly to make something happen quickly.


- ESPN.com

Obstacles in way of deal that sends Kidd back to Dallas

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

Updated: January 31, 2008, 10:25 AM ET

The growing feeling among league executives that the Dallas Mavericks are the most likely winners in the Jason Kidd trade sweepstakes is even stronger now.

Reason being: Within 24 hours of Kidd saying that it's time for him and the New Jersey Nets "all to move on" in separate directions, New Jersey and Dallas engaged in advanced trade discussions with Portland on a three-way deal that would land Kidd back with the team that drafted him in 1994.

Such a trade would involve at least a dozen players, cash sweeteners and future draft picks. In a breakdown of the most noteworthy principles, Portland would land Mavericks guard Devin Harris and possibly Mavs forward Brandon Bass, New Jersey would receive draft and financial considerations, Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse and a trio of young prospects from Portland (Travis Outlaw, Channing Frye and Jarrett Jack) while the Mavericks would score Kidd.

The talks were very active Tuesday, as reported Tuesday night on ESPN2's "NBA Coast to Coast" by ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard. But dialogue between the three clubs had cooled Wednesday to the point that sources close to the situation described them as "pretty much dead."

But another source insisted that the deal still has life and noted that the "pretty much" disclaimer leaves open the possibility that the dialogue can be reheated to Tuesday's levels, especially since the league's Feb. 21 trading deadline is still three weeks away. And what most observers considered to be one of the biggest obstacles for New Jersey and Dallas to either moving or acquiring Kidd -- finding the third team they needed to broaden the deal -- might be less of an impediment than anticipated if Portland could be recruited so quickly.

Some reluctance from the Blazers, sources said, is one of the factors that has stalled the talks. In addition to the short-term concerns about the ankle injury that has sidelined Harris, Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard told The Oregonian newspaper last week that "we're not making any trades" to break up a roster of youngsters that rebounded from Greg Oden's season-ending injury to rank as the biggest surprise team so far in a league filled with surprise teams. Sources say Portland has been shopping Jack on his own, but parting with three or four players is something else, with guard Sergio Rodriguez also potentially involved. Outlaw's development, furthermore, is one of the stories of the Blazers' season.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, might also have some hesitation, even knowing that Kidd has made it clear behind the scenes that a return to Dallas and the opportunity to play alongside Dirk Nowitzki is his preferred outcome, ahead of a move to Cleveland to play with Team USA teammate and close friend LeBron James.

Sources say Dallas is resigned to the fact that it won't be able to reacquire Kidd -- 1994-95's co-Rookie of the Year with Grant Hill as a Mav but who left town in acrimonious circumstances less than two seasons later -- without parting with Harris, who's a fan and Mark Cuban favorite as well as a 24-year-old point guard having by far his best season.

The initial scenarios discussed by the teams, however, also would require Dallas to part with either Bass or center DeSagana Diop. Both are critical role players in the Mavericks' system. Bass ranks as the most effective backup Nowitzki has ever had and Diop operates as one half of the center tandem with Erick Dampier that has been successful against San Antonio and Tim Duncan.

The Mavs, if the deal goes through, would be undertaking the aggressive renovation that many critics have been calling for since they followed up a 67-win regular season with a first-round exit to Golden State last season. Although there would obviously be some risk giving Harris' job to a quarterback who will be 35 in March, Dallas is undoubtedly seduced by the idea of enhancing the scoring abilities of Nowitzki and Josh Howard. Kidd's arrival would likewise address Dallas' team IQ and mental toughness issues after back-to-back epic collapses in the playoffs, first to Miami in the 2006 NBA Finals and then to Golden State.

Yet another potential snag here is that the Nets naturally hope to come out of a Kidd deal with at least one young star. The closest thing to a young star in the scenarios discussed so far -- Harris -- would be going to Portland.

But Outlaw is on the rise, too. Outlaw and Frye, furthermore, are athletic prospects who come with salary cap-friendly contracts in addition to the two future first-round draft picks New Jersey would also likely receive. It's believed that the Nets would immediately buy out Stackhouse and release him if the proposed deal wound up going through.

Yet it seems safe to expect that a Kidd deal involving these three teams will likely happen quickly or fade to all the way dead sooner rather than later. New Jersey has been dealing with speculation about Kidd's future dating to last February's trade deadline, when Kidd was nearly dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers. "But Dallas and Portland," said one source, "won't want this [trade speculation] to linger because then it starts affecting their teams."




- Big one tonight. Leave it to Eddie Sefko to pull a Laura Miller-parade route column out of his ass.



Dallas Mavericks might be gazing into Finals crystal ball

Three-game trip vs. East's three beasts just may offer hint of June

01:26 AM CST on Thursday, January 31, 2008
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com

BOSTON – Jump forward, for a moment, to June. The Mavericks already are champions of the Western Conference and are preparing for the NBA Finals.

Hey, it's a hypothetical. Work with us here.

It's not a mortal lock, but there's a major chance that the team they will line up against is one they will see on the rest of this disjointed road trip. They visit Boston tonight, and the Celtics lead the Atlantic Division with the NBA's best record. After this, it's on to Detroit and Orlando, who lead the other Eastern Conference divisions.

Call this trip the NBA Finals test drive.

Washington or Cleveland or maybe even Toronto or Chicago could still shock everybody in the East. But the smart money says the division leaders are the favorites to represent the conference.

These are the heavyweights, and the Mavericks will get a great gauge on just how tough their future NBA Finals opponent will be.

Like we said, it's a hypothetical.

"It's great," coach Avery Johnson said. "They could be heavyweights, lightweights, middleweights, any weights. We just need to get back on the floor after two days off. It's good to get back, and it should be some exciting games.

"Going on the road is a tough test for us no matter who we're playing."

That much is true, although things have started to turn around. The Mavericks don't have to apologize for anything lately as they have won 12 of their last 14 games and are 5-2 on the road in that stretch.

They may not have completely fixed their road woes of earlier in the season. But they have improved. And Johnson hit on a crucial point after a lively practice Wednesday.

The Mavericks, he said, aren't the only team having problems on the road this season. Their 11-10 record away from home is indicative of how tough it is to win away from home. That links with other problems that have surfaced away from home.

"First of all, teams are playing better at home," Johnson said. "A lot of teams that have struggled at home in previous years, they've been playing pretty good at home.

"And for us, we tend to be more of a jump-shooting team on the road. I think our offense has just as much to do with our defense as our defense itself. We tend to be a little less aggressive.

"But we've played a little better recently, because we're much more aggressive, we attack the basket more and we defend the paint better, and that's what you've got to do on the road."

Boston coach Doc Rivers has turned back the clock to the Larry Bird '80s with the addition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Along with Paul Pierce, they have dominated the East. Unknown is whether Garnett or Allen will play tonight. Both missed the Celtics' easy win in Miami on Tuesday.

When whole, however, the Celtics are the team everybody is watching in the East, not that the Mavs are overly fixated on them.

"It's a great test," Dirk Nowitzki said. "That's all it is, a great regular-season road trip. There are some good teams out there. But I focus more on the Western Conference."

Added Jason Terry: "All these games are critical. We're all battling to position ourselves for home-court advantage. Each game is critical, whether it's an East or West team."

Nevertheless, it's hard to look at the Celtics and not be impressed.

"They jumped out pretty hard, set a great tone," Johnson said. "They've had a solid year. Doc's always been a terrific coach. He was a great coach in Orlando, and he was a great coach before Garnett and Allen got there. Now he has more talent to work with."

Mavericks (31-13) at Boston Celtics (35-8), 7 p.m. today (Ch. 21/TNT; ESPN-FM 103.3, KFLC-AM 1270 in Spanish)


SIZING THEM UP
Staff writer Eddie Sefko evaluates the Mavericks' best advantages and biggest shortcoming against the three Eastern Conference divisional leaders they will see on this road trip.

Boston (tonight)
Advantage: Solid matchups at each position vs. the Celtics' Big Three, including Kevin Garnett.

Shortcoming: Celts' D would snuff out Dirk. Anybody else stepping up?


Detroit (Sunday)
Advantage: Nowitzki always comes up huge against them.

Shortcoming: In a long series, can any Mav stay with Chauncey Billups?


Orlando (Monday)
Advantage: Mavs have the experience of having been to the Finals.

Shortcoming: Magic has Dwight Howard, the new beast of the East.




- Ranger's 2008 starting rotation preview.



Around the Horn: Starting rotation
Pitching staff looks to rebound behind healthy Millwood

ARLINGTON -- Rangers pitcher Kevin Millwood, a golfing fanatic, has a new hobby.

Kickboxing.

"I started out doing it for fun, but it's an unbelievable workout," Millwood said. "I really enjoy it."

The Rangers need him to do more than just enjoy his offseason workouts. They need him to get the most of those workouts, report to training camp in the best possible shape and assume the role of staff ace.

He wasn't in the best possible shape in 2007 and the results were obvious. Millwood, after winning a club-high 16 games in 2006, was 10-13 with a 5.16 ERA while missing most of May with a strained left hamstring.

"I just want to be in the best possible shape I can be so nobody can say that I wasn't in shape," Millwood said. "If I stink, then I stink, but I don't want people to say that I wasn't in shape."

Rangers manager Ron Washington said he has noticed a significant difference.

"He looks strong," Washington said. "He looks very strong. His demeanor is different. He has a look about him. He's working hard."

Conditioning and health is going to be huge all through the Rangers rotation this season, after the disaster that collectively befell that group in 2007. By every measure the 2007 was a horrible year for the Rangers starting staff, as they finished last in the American League in wins (42), innings (838) and ERA (5.50).

Injuries played a significant role in their problems as Millwood, Vicente Padilla and Brandon McCarthy all spent time on the disabled list because of injuries. Rookie left-hander Kason Gabbard, acquired from the Boston Red Sox on July 31, didn't go on the disabled list, but he was shut down at the end of the season because of a tired arm.

The Rangers only added to their health concerns this offseason by trading pitcher Edinson Volquez to the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Josh Hamilton and then replacing him by signing free-agent pitcher Jason Jennings. A native of Dallas, Jennings is coming off right elbow surgery after going 2-9 with a 6.45 ERA with the Houston Astros.

"Health is going to be a big factor," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "I feel like a broken record, but if all those guys stay healthy, they have a chance to go deep in the game every night and give us a chance to win. So far, we've had positive reports on everybody."

The three veterans -- Millwood, Padilla and Jennings -- all struggled in 2007, but were solid in 2006. Millwood was 16-12 with a 4.62 ERA, Padilla was 15-10 with a 4.50 ERA and Jennings was 9-13, but had a 3.78 ERA in 212 innings for the Colorado Rockies in 2006.

That at least gives the Rangers some hope that their rotation could be significantly improved in 2007. McCarthy (5-10, 4.87) and Gabbard (6-1, 4.65) had their moments, but need to show they can put together a full season of 160-180 innings.

McCarthy had blister problems and a stress fracture in his right shoulder blade last season that limited him to 22 starts. Gabbard made 29 starts with a career-high 156 1/3 innings between the Red Sox, Rangers and Triple-A Pawtucket.

Both are healthy and should be ready at the beginning of Spring Training. McCarthy has added 15 pounds to his lanky body, with the idea of increasing much-needed endurance. Offseason workouts are much different than regular-season grind, however.

"I think we'll be a stronger club," Millwood said. "Our defense will be better, but we'll go only as far as our pitching takes us. That's no different than any other year. Our pitching can be better."

The rotation does appear set with Millwood, Padilla, Jennings, McCarthy and Gabbard. The Rangers insist there will be competition in Spring Training and health issues could change that scenario. Bullpen candidates Kameron Loe, Jason Davis, Robinson Tejeda and Jamey Wright all have started at the Major League level and the Rangers figure to take a look in Spring Training at two of their top prospects: right-handers Eric Hurley and Luis Mendoza.

Hurley was 11-9 with a 4.00 ERA in 28 games, including 27 starts, at Triple-A Oklahoma and Double-A Frisco in 2007, while Mendoza was 15-4 with a 3.93 ERA at Frisco.

The possibility exists that one or both of those guys could create some excitement in Spring Training and create the impression that the rotation is not quite as locked in place as it appears to be at the end of January.

Those two could also be part of another rarity: an all-prospect rotation at Oklahoma. The RedHawks rotation could consist not only of Hurley and Mendoza, but also A.J. Murray, Thomas Diamond, Matt Harrison and/or Doug Mathis.

Murray pitched in relief most of last year and appeared in 14 games for the Rangers. But the Rangers see him better suited to starting, and want him to build up arm strength and endurance as a starter at Oklahoma. Diamond needs to do the same after missing all of last year, because of Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery on his right arm.

Mathis was 11-7 with a 3.76 ERA in 22 starts at Frisco while Harrison was 5-7 with a 3.39 ERA in 20 starts for Double-A Mississippi before being one of five players acquired from the Atlanta Braves in the Mark Teixeira trade. A problem with turf toe and shoulder tightness kept him from pitching for the Rangers after the trade, but he was 5-0 with a 2.00 ERA in the Arizona Fall League.

Beyond that upper tier of prospects come the "kids" that have the Rangers so excited: a deep list of young arms at the Class A and short-season levels that have everybody excited, but still need substantial development and experience before they get anywhere near Arlington.

The list includes Kasey Kiker (7-4, 2.90 in 2007), Omar Poveda (12-6, 3.22), Zach Phillips (11-7, 2.91), Michael Schlact (8-10, 5.62), Neftali Feliz (2-2, 2.55), Fabio Castillo (3-5, 5.92), Beau Jones (9-1, 4.01), Wilmer Font (2-3, 4.53) and Jacob Brigham (5-4, 3.16). There is also the four first-or-supplemental round picks from the June First-Year Player Draft: Blake Beavan, Michael Main, Tommy Hunter and Neil Ramirez.

It's one of the best groups of young arms the Rangers have ever assembled. But they are years away. The Rangers have enough arms at the big league level right now. What they desperately need is a group of healthy arms and not what they had last year.



- What a concept, recruit high school player, teach and develop player, and not treat player like a spare part to be plugged into some almighty system.



Mitch Sherman: Pelini won't rely on jucos

BY MITCH SHERMAN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

LINCOLN — Amid the ugliness of the final months of the Bill Callahan era, this comment from the fired Nebraska coach slipped through the cracks: "We really didn't feel like we could bring a guy in at a young age and wait . . . to develop them."

Callahan said it at one of those tense Tuesday press conferences during the Huskers' historic five-game skid. He was defending his practice of recruiting junior college players by the bushel.

"You've got to win," he said. "You've got to win right away."

Callahan signed 29 juco players in four recruiting classes, including 11 in his touted 2005 group.

Somewhere along the way, he determined it more important to "win now" than to develop young talent.

You'll hear no such talk from Bo Pelini and his staff. Nebraska has barely sniffed the junior college ranks since Pelini was hired Dec. 2.

Yes, NU unsuccessfully tried to retain the oral commitments of three California junior college players. And yes, the Huskers signed tight end Tyson Hetzer out of Citrus (Calif.) College in December. They're also expected Wednesday to sign former Omaha Burke lineman Ricky Henry, who now attends the North Dakota State College of Science.

But Hetzer and Henry committed long before Pelini was hired.

Nine players, all high school seniors, have joined the Nebraska class during the past two months.

Jeff Jamrog, NU director of football operations, broke it down Wednesday like this: The Huskers focus first on recruiting Nebraska high schools, then canvass the area within a 500-mile radius of Lincoln. The next focus is national recruiting.

"And then, if we do go the junior college route," Jamrog said, "it's going to be for a specific need. It'll probably be a situation where we're counting on someone coming in right away to play. If it's all equal, we'll tend to probably go toward the high school player just because he has five years to play four."

Junior college players make up an important part of NU history. Think Mike Rozier. Jamrog referenced Demorrio Williams, too. There have been many others, but never in the numbers that Callahan brought.

"Different people subscribe to different ideas about junior college players," said Jeremy Crabtree, recruiting editor for rivals.com. "Some believe that it's a no-no. Some people, you should go heavy. Others think the junior college players can complement a class."

There's always a sense of urgency to win at Nebraska. That hasn't changed.

"This time, I think there's a sense of urgency not to try to find the quick fix," Crabtree said. "I think (Pelini) wants to win for a long time. It looks like they're in this for the long haul."


More planning to be walk-ons

Almost every day, there's word of another Nebraska high school senior who's planning to walk on next year in Lincoln.

Omaha Creighton Prep coach Tom Jaworski on Wednesday said twin defenders Colin McDermott, a linebacker, and defensive end Conor McDermott, have pledged to walk on next season at NU. They visited Lincoln last week with Prep's Matt Manninger and Omaha Bryan's Jeremy Wallace, both of whom are also on board.

"They feel like they'd be shortchanging themselves if they didn't give it a chance," Jaworski said.

If you don't know someone involved in this resurgence of the NU walk-on program, well, you're just not getting out enough. The class of committed walk-ons is up to 23 and may grow by a few more.

The interest has surprised even Jamrog, a former Nebraska walk-on turned starting outside linebacker and assistant coach.

"What we found out is that the percentage we've targeted has been extremely high," he said.

Jamrog is the chief organizer of the walk-on bonanza.

He compiled an impressive list of 28 former Nebraska walk-ons who graduated to the NFL. The collection includes Jimmy Williams, Joel Makovicka, Adam Treu, Jared Tomich and John Parrella, who together played 43 professional seasons.

Not exactly the same recruiting pitch you'll get from the University of Nebraska at Omaha or Northwest Missouri State.

"We really don't want to turn down anyone who comes highly recommended, looks good on film and has been offered some kind of scholarship somewhere else," Jamrog said.

As for the numbers, Jamrog said, the Huskers will "err on the high end this year."

The recruited walk-ons sign a nonbinding agreement with the Huskers.

Only those walk-ons who have been admitted to school at Nebraska and taken other steps toward enrollment will be announced with the NU signing class next week. Jamrog said he expects that to include about half of the walk-on group.

The others will be announced by Nebraska later.




- Dogs and cats living together.