Mavs Trade Talk - And Stackhouse Is A Cog

    Jerry Stackhouse’s name is frequently being mentioned as a cog in the machinery of the Mavs’ trade ideas, big and small. At one point, trying to “do right by Stack’’ was an issue. At this point, trying to use his expiring contract to upgrade this wildly inconsistent roster should be an infinitely larger issue. And this would all be so easy if only the obviously daft Hubie Brown were still running an NBA team.

   DMNews beat writer Eddie Sefko earns points in our book by daring to names names of players who could be on the block and who could be targeted (see below). But the centerpiece of the move the Mavs will make – and make no mistake, they will attempt to make one or more – is Jerry Stackhouse.

   Too bad he can’t be anything close to the “value’’ that Hubie sees for him. Brown, by reputation a brilliant basketball mind who is now an ABC analyst, spend way too much of the Dallas-Boston broadcast on Sunday discussing how much the Mavs miss the injured Stackhouse.

   “Too much,’’ we say, because virtually every single judgment Hubie made of Stack was dead wrong.

    Hubie characterized Stack as a “19 points-per-game’’ player, someone who Dallas desperately needs on the floor, a potential savior off the bench.

    “What about Jerry Stackhouse?’’ Hubie said, wondering aloud how Dallas could add scoring firepower. “We’re talking about an All-Star player here!’’

     It’s actually quite astounding that only four years ago, Hubie Brown was allowed to be in charge of a real, live NBA team. (Well, it was the Grizzlies. So they were close to being real and live.)

     OK, OK, I'll let up on the Hubie Disconnect.

    Anyway. …well, what about Jerry Stackhouse?

     Most nights this season, he’s been a 1-of-6-type shooter. He is six older than the last time he scored as many as 19 points in a season. He is eight years older than the last time he was an All-Star, which was in 2000, when Jerry was 26.

     And, he’s hurt.

     But otherwise, Hubie, I think you’re onto something!

    Seriously, from what we understand, Jerry himself has a realistic perspective on all this. It is likely not a coincidence that Stack’s name would be involved in trade talks that includes Carolina. (His name was apparently involved at one point in the Diop deal that eventually netted Carroll and Hollins, and we think was definitely involved in talks regarding Raymond Felton.) Jerry, a University of North Carolina product, has a home there and could be re-adopted into the Tar Heel-friendly franchise run by UNC legends Michael Jordan and Larry Brown . We’re told by someone close to Stackhouse that as he moves into retirement, he will live in both North Carolina and Dallas as he pursues post-playing-career opportunities that will almost certainly include basketball.

   Could Stackhouse’s involvement in a three-way land him in OKC? That seems less ideal for him and in fact, one whisper we hear suggests Stack could be moved to the Thunder and then bought out – leaving him to get healthy (he’s been inactive since Nov. 16 with a foot injury and could miss a couple more weeks) and then to sign elsewhere.

   Sefko’s article mentions some of the suspects we’ve discussed at length in this space: Brad Miller, Mike Miller, Felton, Earl Watson. Eddie offers some fresher meat: Jermaine O’Neal, Raja Bell, Darko Milicic, Mike Conley, Andres Nocioni, Arron Afflalo, Stephen Jackson, Kenny Thomas. And his speculation is pretty damn specific involving Mavs: JJB, Damp, Bass, George, Singleton, and even Jet and Josh are also mentioned.

   Let me note it is highly unusual for a quality beat writer to throw stuff against the wall. … unless there is thought, research and substance behind it. (This rule doesn't count for NY beat writers, of course.) Therefore, knowing Sefko, there is thought, research and substance behind this.

   Let me also note that all those speculative acquisitions are made easier by the grease provided by Stack’s expiring deal worth $7 mil.

    And heck, maybe one of those teams gets the flash of the “old Stack’’ that showed up in that hard-fought November loss to the Lakers – the one in which Stack gave Kobe a pretty good run for his money. Maybe that could be recaptured, one last time.

   But the Mavs mustn’t care about that.

   Our impression is that the Mavs are respectful of Jerry’s wishes and, if possible, want to do right by him. That is reflected in GM Donnie Nelson’s recent remarks about the veteran.

   “Our plan is to have him ready for a playoff push," Nelson said. "Our focus is to get him healthy for the playoffs.’’

   That’s a polite offering from Donnie. But there is also enough “focus’’ to want to “keep their powder dry’’ as it relates to Stack’s value as an expiring chip. Logically, if Dallas pulls its next deal, it’d like to do it without including Stackhouse. His value will only increase come the mid-February trade deadline – and will increase against next summer. There is still time to continue to explore how badly other teams want to increase their cap room, and what they might trade away to get that extra spending room in the summer.

   We cannot stress this enough: Some teams will be trying to make those moves in February, and others in June, and Stack's contract is written in such a way that it can be used advantageously at either time.

     Jerry Stackhouse knows all this. He’s dealing with it. And he’s waiting to be auctioned off.

    Ah, if only Hubie Brown was in charge of somebody’s bidding.

850pm jan 26 2009