but dont think that this doesnt significantly help the fakers in so many ways... how was kwame brown any better at D and how can a 20 and 10 guy not be anything but a HUGE upgrade to be at least LEVEL with they way both us and the suns, and the spurs have all been playing??  

If anything, against us and the suns, I actually think having gasol plays much more to their advantage. IS he any better at D than Dirk, I mean seriously.  Obviously Dirk brings much more at the offensive end, but we seem to get by with Dirks D ok... Im sure Phil Jackson and Co will figure out how to get around that much like we have. Besides, if D is what they REALLY need in a game, I think the all energy and hustle turiaf will fill that roll quite nicely for them.

So when AB went out for the fakers, and KB was not really even playing, they led their division... over the suns.  They CLOBBERED the suns by 31 in their first meeting (and they were up close to 40 in that game at one point if I remember) and by 7 on christmas day.  Remember we have not seen them with AB in their lineup, nor do we know how he is going to bounce back from his injury yet, so its hard to just assume how they would fair against us.  I do know that they went 1-1 vs SA, lost to Boston at home, and beat detroit, so the potential was there before, and this move would seem to make them even better.

So what I am getting at here? I really think this does change things up even more so for the west and for us who is looking to pull ahead and win a damn trophy.  NO is STEAM rolling right now, Utah is catching steam and will be there, Thugs are US will do its thing pending a BD or Sjax season ending injury, and now the fakers are borderline positioning themselves to be in the top 4 of the west or at worst 5 or 6.  Unless they have some huge, and I mean huge chemistry issue with him or someone cuts off kobes legs, they will make noise in the playoffs this year and have as good as chance everyone else to go deep. At this point to think otherwise is obsurd.  Again, this is based off of every teams play in West up until now.  There just hasnt been a dominate enough team to this point to prove anyone otherwise.  

So how do the mavs react to this?  I am 100000% AGAINST going after kidd... but rather we had better offer Cassell a deal that he cant refuse if he becomes available.  That will really tell us how bad this front office is wanting to win.  We CAN NOT ALLOW BOSTON, PHX or anyone else take him... we need a bigger point guard for the Derek Fishers, Deron Williams, and off course the guy who could've hooked shot a half court shot with 5 guys on him and it would've gone in, baron davis's. I think whoever lands cassell of those teams, really takes a step forward... because all of us are in need of a guy like him.