Did 'Otis' Eleven' Leave Mavs Pants-Less & Plan-Less?

   So the Magic GM pulled a high-stakes fast one on the Mavs, huh? Orlando is Frank Sinatra/George Clooney and this was all “Ocean’s Eleven,’’ huh?

   Or better, “Otis’ Eleven,’’ huh?

   Three quickie defenses of Mavs management here (which might cause you to again accuse me of Washing Donnie’s Truck) … truly based on the facts, the logic and the rules:

    There was no “secret deal.’’ The Mavs are not “pants-less.’’ The Mavs are not “plan-less.’’

   1. There was no “secret side deal’’ between the two clubs to work together on the Mavs’ four-team acquisition of Shawn Marion and Orlando’s feigned disinterest in Marcin Gortat. No wink-wink. No trick-‘em/dick-‘em, as my ol’ Cowboys buddy Kevin “Pup’’ Smith used to say. No dollars thrown onto the Marion trade pile as an “incentive’’ for Orlando to let Gortat come free. No backstabbing by Smith when he match-and-retained Gortat.

  How do I know there was no such cigar-smoky-backroom arrangement?

    Because THE NBA RULES STRICTLY PROHIBIT ANY SIDE COMPENSATION TO INDUCE A TEAM TO NOT MATCH AN OFFER SHEET.

   The Magic got cash in the Marion deal. That cash goes into the pockets of the Orlando ownership. … and it might eventually help finance the payroll or it might be used for Rich DeVos to buy a yacht. But that money was NOT part of a sidedeal.

  2. The Mavericks did not “lose’’ Brandon Bass to Orlando because Dallas “got caught with its pants down.’’ Dallas made a strong bid for its top target, Gortat. In a not-related move, Dallas decided exactly how much it was prepared to pay to keep Bass. When Orlando offered him four years and $18 $16 million, Dallas found that excessive.

    You can argue that the Mavs will be proven wrong, that Bass should have been retained, or even that Bass should have been retained at any cost. You can argue that Brandon Bass is the next Karl Malone if you want to. But Dallas disagreeing with you does not constitute the Mavs being “caught with their pants down.’’

   They might end up being wrong. But unprepared? No.

   Along the same lines are the critics who are insisting Dallas should’ve Sign-and-Traded Bass for Gortat. As we discussed previous to the incredibly complex Marion deal that eventually went down, BYC issues make that very, very difficult – and end up using additional assets.

   The Mavs set a value for Gortat. The Mavs set a value for Bass. Orlando set a higher value on both of them – so Orlando wins the players. Our man David Lord was lukewarm on Gortat. (No sour grapes or revisionist history there, let the record show.) I was reliant on what the Mavs people said and that was good enough for me, so I was high on him and join many Mavs followers in my disappointment.

    But for now, Orlando wins in the court of public opinion. But … for now. … only there.

   3. “What is Plan B?’’ “The Mavs don’t have a plan!’’ I have no idea how any outsider would possibly pretend to know that. I do know that readers of DB.com are being informed on a daily basis of just how many assets the Mavs really do have, and how cleverly those assets have been structured and acquired (and in the case of Greg Buckner’s contract, structured and then re-acquired as it matures into “The Buck Shot.’’)

   Actually, all of this except for Gortat’s non-acquisition IS part of an apparent plan.

   *Why over-value Bass when you are acquiring Shawn Marion, who (you watch) will end up playing some backup 4 behind Dirk?

    That’s the Mavs’ thinking. … you are free to disagree with it.

   *Why commit $18 million to Bass when you think James Singleton might be able to do a comparable job for a fraction of the price? (Another “you watch’’: Singleton’s camp thinks James is too far on the back burner so far this summer, but post-Gortat, his turn will come – and it’s no coincidence he’s been told to add weight and bulk this summer … weight and bulk that will help him try to take some of Bass’ old minutes.)

   That’s the Mavs’ thinking there. You are free to disagree with that, too.

   *It is simply too early to assume “the plan’’ is failed … or, worse, non-existent. The Mavs did not get Gortat, and it seems were out-foxed and/or misjudged Orlando’s intentions. Pending Mr. DeVos having to double the price of Amway products, kudos to Otis Smith for that. (All kidding aside, the Magic decision to load up for another shot at The Big One is to be applauded.) But Dallas still has in its arsenal this move and that, this asset and that.

   There are so many moving parts, so many possibilities. We broke the idea of “The Buck Shot’’ as it relates specifically to someone like Lamar Odom, but then followed up with a dozen other ways to utilize it. The MLE not used on Gortat? It can be used elsewhere, on one guy, or split. The BAE? Use it this year, or next. The DUST Chip? It was born here and you know what we think of our baby’s greatest value (Summer of 2010) … but still, it sits in the Mavs’ piggy bank, too.

   With all the moving parts and all the assets, DB.com could construct and write about 1,000 do-able deals. Hey, ESPN is saying Dallas is talking about swapping Kris Humphries for a guard! Hey, I've got a friend who has constructed a helluva way for Dallas to get Elton Brand!  

   All 1,000 of this concepts are potentially real.

   *Feel free to be skeptical about whether Dallas will use the assets properly. That’s fair. But if you are of the opinion that Cuban and Donnie just got snookered AND are now without alternatives, you are misinformed.

   Think of it this way: Had Orlando NOT gotten Bass, for whatever reason, would Otis Smith then be an idiot? Nah. He’d simply go bid on Glen “Big Baby’’ Davis, is all. Plan B.

   *In the NBA, "genius'' is fluid. On the very first night of FA Shopping, you know who was touted EVERYWHERE as The Smartest Guy in the Room? Houston's Daryl Morey, who was going to re-sign Artest, use emails to charm Gortat and swap T-Mac's One Good Leg for a superstar.

   It's a week later. Do you know where your Rockets are?

   Morey will be smart again. Maybe tomorrow. Otis will be dumb again. Maybe tomorrow.

   Donnie and Cuban have been working this thing for a decade. Plenty of time to be dumb and to be smart. 

  In summary: Again, feel free to judge the Mavs on their judgment. But the only thing they really “lost’’ here for certain, so far, was guessing wrong on Marcin Gortat’s NBA financial ceiling. That doesn’t mean they got “Otis’ Eleven’ed’’ by the Magic and it doesn’t mean they are caught without pants and without plans.

   OK. That’s it. That’s my defense of the supposed victims of this “ingenious Magic scam.’’

   Now, if you must, proceed with your conspiracy theories, your Triangle of Trust hate and your public hangings. I'm going back to Washing Donnie's Truck. ... because admittedly, it has gotten a bit muddied this week. ;)