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Sefko: Mavs have to take swing at Howard; if not, here's other options


Beat writer Eddie Sefko answered questions in a chat Tuesday. Here are some highlights.

Alan ... Eddie, knowing who are free agents this year, give us your best semi-realistic free agent plan that you would pursue going forward into this off-season.

Eddie Sefko: Let's assume for a moment that Utah holds on and gets into the playoffs ahead of the Lakers. The Mavericks absolutely have to take a big swing at Dwight Howard. Unless Howard or his agent tells them to not waste their time, you go for it. If you've watched the Lakers in the last month, Howard has been pretty much a beast. He's the best center in the league. Again. So you try to get him. Now, if the Lakers make the playoffs, things change. Howard might be more inclined to stay with the Lakers. In that case, you line up your money for players like Greivis Vasquez, who has developed into a big-time point guard and might be available even though he has one more year on his contract because the Hornets are going to have to develop Austin Rivers at some point. Or maybe you think Nikola Pekovic is worth building around. Or Josh Smith. Or, well, you get the idea. None of the names after Howard (and Chris Paul, who nobody expects to leave the Clippers) are nearly as enticing. As Mark Cuban has steadfastly said, it may be a sign-and-trade where the Mavericks take back a long-term contract of a young rising player like Marcin Gortat or the aforementioned Cousins. There will be options. They will require creativity and the Mavericks have always been pretty good at that.

Dimunitive Dribbler ... Do you see any parallels between Bynum and Chandler at the same age?

Eddie Sefko: Apart from Bynum being far superior from a pure offensive standpoint, yes, there are lots of parallels. Both have been injury prone. Both have been with franchises that have fell out of love with them. And both were immensely talented physical specimens, when healthy. The only variable is whether or not Bynum has the same fire burning in his gut that Chandler has had his whole career. That guy had drive and would work hard all the time. And he was a superstar in the locker room, too. We don't know if Bynum has those intangibles to capitalize on his unqestioned talent. But somebody's going to have to take a chance on him.

Alan ...  My new rooting focus for this year has now shifted from the Mavs, to beat the Heat. Who from the East would have the best chance of keeping them from the title game? Who from the West would have the best chance of beating them in a 7 game series?

Eddie Sefko: I like it. If the Mavericks can't muster a playoff appearance, let's all try to use karma to take down the Heaters. And I think there could be a couple of very tough series for them in the East. Tyson Chandler knows how to beat Miami. He did it with the Mavericks a couple years ago. He would dominate the interior against the Heat. Also, Indiana is big enough with West and Hibbert to cause serious problems for the Heat. If Derrick Rose was healthy, the Bulls would be in the conversation, too. But you can't ask him to come back now and save the day after missing the whole season. In the West, I still say the Spurs, Lakers and Thunder, in that order, could give the Heat problems. Wouldn't beat them, but could give them problems.


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