Jeff Caplan has confirmed the Mavs interest in Steve Francis. Dallas has contacted his agent, but it hasn't advanced to the point of salary negotiations.
"He's pretty edgy," Johnson said. "He's been pretty good when he's been healthy and, obviously, he hasn't had the best situations over the last couple of years. Who knows what's going to happen there."
Stackhouse can see the interest in Steve Francis.
But Stackhouse believes a couple of the names he's hearing - Chris Webber and Steve Francis - are worth exploring.
"Whenever you have a chance to add that kind of talent, you do it," he said of Francis.
"So there's a number of guys who have popped up that could help us. Chris Webber, I hear we're on his short list. To add players of that level, it could take us to another level and maybe that level is a championship."
And,
"Whenever you have a chance to add that kind of talent, you do it," he said of Francis.
"So there's a number of guys who have popped up that could help us. Chris Webber, I hear we're on his short list. To add players of that level, it could take us to another level and maybe that level is a championship."
"There's so many times during the course of a playoff series that you're looking for somebody to do something," Stackhouse said. "If you have a guy that's definitely capable of not only playing at a high level, but he has the ability to take over games when he's healthy [that's big.]"
I'll agree with him there, but I don't consider Francis one of those guys.Also worth noting, after resigning Devean George, that Mavs do still have their full MLE and bi-annual to offer free agents. There aren't any free agents out there who I think the Mavs should sign with the full MLE, but they still could if they wanted to. They can also split the exception between multiple players like they did last year (Buckner and George), but the roster is already full so barring a trade that doesn't seem very likely.
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Caplan has a good article on Diop's offensive goals this summer.
"I would love for him to be 3-for-40," Johnson said in all seriousness. "He’s passed up too many shots. I need more attempts."
"He’s not a post-up guy," Johnson said. "I want him to shoot, not necessarily on the post making post moves, but moving around to different areas where I think he maybe can get shots within our system.
"If he can make a little 12-footer along the baseline, if he can make a 10-footer inside the lane, just anywhere in the paint or 12 or 14 feet on the baseline."
Diop went scoreless again in last nights VSL game vs. Houston, and the Mavs won again. I haven't watched the game yet, but Maurice Ager appears to have had a very nice game, Nick Fazekas was 5-7 and had 4 rebounds in 14 minutes, and non-roster invitee Brandon Bass had another good game as well.
"He’s not a post-up guy," Johnson said. "I want him to shoot, not necessarily on the post making post moves, but moving around to different areas where I think he maybe can get shots within our system.
"If he can make a little 12-footer along the baseline, if he can make a 10-footer inside the lane, just anywhere in the paint or 12 or 14 feet on the baseline."