Larry Sanders to the Mavs, By Way of Las Vegas?

What happens in Vegas … might just come true and make it all the way back to Dallas.

I was in Sin City last summer celebrating a birthday at the Wynn Hotel’s pool. Getting sunburned. Losing money. Drinking too much. And then drinking a lot more. You know, the usual.

As my group of friends huddled to toast another round, an intruder appeared.

“What are we celebrating?!” asked the tall, lanky man with countless tattoos.

Told that one of us – ahem – was turning the big 5-oh, the stranger immediately offered to buy a round of shots.

And that’s how I met Larry Sanders.

We exchanged a couple of NBA stories and Sanders quizzed me about Jason Kidd, since the former Maverick was about to be his new head coach in Milwaukee. As he left Sanders offered flippantly, “Who knows, maybe someday I’ll wind up there (in Dallas.)”

At the time I wouldn’t have bet a nickel on the prospect. But, after a series of quirky events, sure enough, the Mavs are reportedly doing their due diligence to see if they should sign Sanders to a low-risk, high-reward contract for the remainder of the 2015 season.

Sanders is exactly what the Mavs need. And exactly what no pro sports team wants.

Only 26, he’s athletic and long, 6-foot-11 with a wingspan of a Shawn Bradley. He’s a ferocious rebounder and defender. Two years ago, in fact, he averaged 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks per game and injected himself into the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year conversation.

After the trading away of Brandan Wright and despite the acquisition of Amar’e Stoudemire, the Mavs are desperate for interior defense and rebounding. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that Sanders’ agent is Happy Walters, who also represents Monta Ellis, J.J. Barea and Chandler Parsons.

But boy would he arrive with baggage.

Sanders is only available because the Bucks – a team headed to the playoffs – are paying him to go away. Lamar Odom ring a bell?

Since his breakout 2013 there have been two drug suspensions, a bar fight in which he injured his thumb, absences due to personal reasons and a severe attitude problem. In fact, Sanders fought with Ellis while the two were teammates in Milwaukee and – let’s get this straight – if Monta says “no way” to playing with Sanders then this kicking of the tires goes no further.

Adding Stoudemire and Sanders to a depleted frontcourt would seriously upgrade the Mavs’ defense and greatly increase their chances of a deep playoff run. Given his recent decline in play and perception, Sanders should be motivated to play hard and play for a winner.

If not, he might ultimately wind up as merely a tall waste of talent in Las Vegas looking for a pool party to crash. 

A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He currently lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.

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