Mavs, Again, Hoping to Land a Big Fish in NBA Free Agency

NBA free agency begins Tuesday night at 11:01 p.m. Texas time. Where will Spurs’ coach Greg Popovich be?

“I’ll be in bed,” he joked to the San Antonio media on Monday. “And if that’s the difference in someone coming or not coming, then I don’t want them here.”

When you can brandish five NBA championships in the last 16 years, you can make players come to you. The Dallas Mavericks enjoy no such luxuries.

From Deron Williams to Dwight Howard to Carmelo Anthony, the Mavs have swung-and-missed as big and as much as any team in NBA free agency. Beginning a summer in which they have to replace a starting backcourt and bolster an aging roster, they again have their sights set high.

Targets 1 and 1a: DeAndre Jordan and LaMarcus Aldridge.

With their roster ammunition and salary-cap room, the Mavericks have the possibility to sign them both. But, realistically, will they sign one?

While Popovich gets yet another cozy night’s sleep in his bed, Mavs’ owner Mark Cuban plans to be busy. He’ll be in Los Angeles juggling a complex recruiting strategy that employs Chandler Parsons, Dirk Nowitzki and even Dallas Cowboys Dez Bryant, Tony Romo and Jerry Jones. The Mavs will meet with both Jordan and Aldridge, and will be prepared to do so in either California (both players have homes there) or Texas (Jordan is from Houston; Aldridge Seagoville).

The Mavs may not sign either player. But, again, it won’t be for lack of hard work and effort.

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 lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.

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