Deep In The Heart Of Texting

   While you get your pitchforks and torches in the ready position, Donnie Nelson is doing the same with his cellphone. Based on what the Mavs GM told an intimate group of season-ticket holders on the eve of today’s 2 p.m. trade deadline, he is about to receive 100 calls on trades, he is about to receive five proposals of trades, and, probably, he is about to finalize zero agreements on trades.

    Confirmed Fact: Some of those conversations involve Vince Carter.

    Unconfirmed Rumor: How about Erick Dampier and Jerry Stackhouse for the salary-dumpable Net?

   “How many trade offers have you had?’’ Donnie was asked on Wednesday night.

   “Today? Seventy-five. Maybe 100. A lot,’’ he responded. “I just got five in the 45 minutes I’ve been talking to you guys.’’

   Lets allow for just a bit of hyperbole there. At the same time, note that this wasn't a "press-conference'' setting. So make of that "intimate'' setting what you will. But know this: It is simply untrue to suggest that the Mavs are “inactive’’ or that “all’s quiet.’’ There are phone calls  -- or, more specifically in this techno age, there are actually text messages. ... I guess that is a form of “quiet.’’ ...

    (Sidebar I: The Carter stuff is being discussed in Dallas, in San Antonio, and maybe less so now, in Portland. Sidebar II: We haven't yet gotten to what Dallas does for a center if Damp really is swapped out. NJ center Josh Boone balances out the legalities of the trade but hardly fits as a starting-caliber contributor.)

     During a scheduled exchange with select fans, Donnie explained that modern technology allows teams to text each other with trade notions. It’s more rapid-fire, less time-consuming and, Nelson said, less emotional. He explained that there was a time when phone conversations were the rule, of course, and that as a result emotions too often came into play.

   But texting? Well, it allows for 100 quickie discussions and for five offers in 45 minutes. And it matches up exactly with what one exec is telling YahooSports: “It feels like Dallas has 100 different scenarios juggling in the air.’’

   One hundred scenarios, one hundred texts.

   What not even the magic of texting can do, of course, is actually get a deal done.

hat-tip to RJT

1220pm feb 2009