Brittney Griner Update: 'Would We Do This to LeBron James?'

Lakers star LeBron has, by the way, campaigned for Griner's release.

JULY 5: LUKA ADDS TRICK

Luka Doncic has more tricks up his sleeve. The latest? While playing for his native Slovenia at qualifiers for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup over the weekend, Doncic went "full-Kareem,'' with a lovely skyhook that he used to help beat Sweden.

Doncic, at 23 a first-team All-Star, averaged 28.4 points per game this past NBA season and helped lead Dallas to the Western Conference finals. Can he really do more in the future?

Sure. Watch out for the skyhook!

JULY 3 DIRK & LUKA HAVE FUN IN SWEDEN

If you’re a Dallas Mavericks fan who has had a cruddy time in free agency so far, set your attention toward the Wold Cup Qualifier in Sweden where two Mavs legends shared some wholesome moments on Sunday.

During Slovenia’s match against Sweden, Luka Doncic went to the free-throw line, where he was greeted with “overrated!” chants from the Sweden crowd. Dirk Nowitzki, who was sitting courtside with his family, didn’t pass up the opportunity to tease Doncic by joining in on those chants.

Before the match started, Doncic located Nowitzki and his family in the arena hallway and made sure to greet all of them. It’s a small gesture, but it’s one all fans love to see. It’s great to see your team’s former and current superstars get along so well.

JULY 1 RUDY GOBERT JOINS KAT

Although the Mavs reportedly didn’t have a great deal of interest in Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert, rumors still pegged Dallas as a logical destination given their center situation last season. However, the additions of Christian Wood and JaVale McGee showed that the Mavs are willing to go the center-by-committee route vs. having one on a deal as large as Gobert’s contract.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Jazz are sending Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for four first-round picks (three are unprotected), 2022 first-round pick Walker Kessler and salary filler.

The Timberwolves are sending Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt and multiple first-round picks for Gobert, sources tell ESPN.

After the Mavs beat the Jazz in the first round of the playoffs, everyone expected Utah to blow things up. The Dallas ripple effect has now caused coach Quin Snyder to step down, and now, Gobert to be traded. Is Donovan Mitchell next? Can the Mavs get in on the fire sale? Stay tuned.

JUNE 30 'KD RIPPLE EFFECT'? We are confused enough as to some of the claims being made by the Mavs ("We never even got to offer to Jalen Brunson!'') and the Knicks ("We just now met him!'') regarding a done deal.

Just as ponderous: What in the world a Mavs source means when he tells the Dallas News, in suggesting (in the News' words) to "not get too worked up about the Mavs' relative quiet.''

Via Callie Caplan, a source tells her, "Right now we're waiting to see the ripple effect from the KD request."

Huh? We're not questioning Caplan's reporting; we just don't understand the quote. "We're waiting. ...''

Meaning ...

The Mavs are seriously involved in a Kevin Durant pursuit? Doubtful, but cool - as our decades of covering the Mark Cuban regime teaches us he "likes to run out every grounder.''

Or, meaning ...

The Mavs are refusing to be proactive with moves they want to make because they want to wait to see what other teams and players do?

Just a thought: Isn't "failing to be proactive'' central to the reason Jalen Brunson is no longer a Mav?

JUNE 30 BRUNSON TO KNICKS OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL *WINK WINK*

After knowing for the better part of a week that Jalen Brunson was planning to sign with the New York Knicks, a report from Adrian Wojnarowski has put the "official" stamp on it.

Free agent guard Jalen Brunson has agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the New York Knicks, his agents Aaron Mintz and Sam Rose of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. The deal includes a player option on the final season.

In all reality, this was quite possibly the worst cover-up job in NBA tampering history. On Wednesday, a report surfaces saying that Brunson would hold meetings with the Knicks, Mavs and Heat. Miami media adamantly denied that claim, saying the Heat never even had a meeting scheduled. Another report from Marc Stein tells us that Brunson's camp cancelled the Mavs' meeting, not giving them a chance to make an official offer.

Brunson played his heart out for the Mavs in four years, and he deserves every penny he's getting from the Knicks for his hard work. However, the way he departed Dallas is sure to leave a bad taste in many fans and front office figures' mouths.

JUNE 30 MCGEE TO MAVS - TO START?! Phoenix Suns big man JaVale McGee is signing with the Mavs, and on paper, that might be a solid move as he figures to serve as the backup center to newly acquired Christian Wood. ...

Except that McGee seems to think he'll be the starter.

McGee is apparently indicating, as he prepares to make his second career run through Dallas, that in his conversation with Mavs coach Jason Kidd (with whom he worked with the Lakers) the idea of McGee being the starter is now "expected.''

That's ... interesting.

The 7-0 McGee, 34, is a free spirited sort who can certainly be helpful as a rotational big. And he's got himself championship experience. But ... well, maybe the Mavs are setting up great in-house competition at the center spot, how about that?

JUNE 30 SEXTON & MCGEE ON THE RADAR?

With NBA free agency just hours away, the Dallas Mavericks are hoping to change Jalen Brunson’s mind about leaving to join the New York Knicks. Mark Cuban, Nico Harrison, Jason Kidd and potentially some Mavs players will meet with Brunson in NYC as soon as free agency opens. If he decides to leave, the Mavs must pivot to other options quickly.

According to a couple of reports, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Collin Sexton and Phoenix Suns big man JaVale McGee are two names the Mavs could have interest in.

Sam Amico of HoopsWire reports that the Mavs could be in the mix for Sexton if Brunson does indeed leave for New York. Sexton only played 11 games for the Cavs in the 2021-22 season due to a torn meniscus. In 218 career games, Sexton is averaging 20 points, three rebounds and three assists while shooting 46 percent from the field, including 38 percent from deep. Aside from the injury concerns, Sexton figures to be an excellent replacement for Brunson on paper.

Although Sexton initially wanted something in the $20 million per year range for this next contract, some believe his market could be in the $10-12 million per year range at this point. If that’s the case, could a Sexton sign-and-trade for Dwight Powell work? Cleveland needs another backup big, and Powell is on an expiring $11 million contract, so it could be a perfect storm situation.

Meanwhile, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports reports that McGee has the attention of Dallas, along with the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets. McGee has already had one stint with Dallas in the 2015-16 season, although his role wasn’t as expanded as it has been the last few years he’s spent with the Suns, Cavs, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. McGee would bring some nice shot-blocking depth to the Mavs’ bench.

JUNE 28 IS DRAGIC FINALLY JOINING THE MAVS?

As Luka Doncic and Goran Dragic play for the Slovenian national team this summer in the World Cup qualifiers, speculation about them joining forces on the Dallas Mavericks will only grow stronger, especially since the Mavs have three open roster spots due to the Christian Wood trade.

When asked by Slovenian media about the possibility of Dragic signing with the Mavs this summer, Doncic and Dragic looked at each other and smiled before answering the question in a way that wouldn’t get them fined for tampering.

“I would like to answer that, but I think it’s a $100,000 penalty if I did. You should ask the GM about that,” said Doncic, still grinning from ear-to-ear.

Added Dragic: "We can’t talk about it till july 1st."

Dragic to Dallas has been a move the Mavs have tried to make numerous times over the last three years. In 2019, the Miami Heat nearly gave Dragic to the Mavs on a silver platter in a trade, but conflicting interests in the former Dallas front office led to the trade falling through. The Mavs also had interest in signing Dragic last summer when there were rumors of him getting a buyout. However, by the time he was actually bought out, the Mavs had a full roster and had already traded for Spencer Dinwiddie.

The Mavs signing Dragic now would make more sense than it ever has, especially given that Jalen Brunson could be on his way to the New York Knicks. 

JUNE 25 DONCIC SHINES IN SLOVENIA’S WIN

The Dallas Mavericks won’t play basketball again until the NBA preseason begins in September, but that doesn’t mean Mavs fans can’t enjoy watching Luka Doncic shine for his national team this summer. Slovenia took on Italy in a friendly match on Saturday and won the game, 91-90.

Doncic finished the match with 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists and one steal in 23 minutes of action. To make things even better, Doncic appeared to be in tip-top shape. After coming into last season out of shape by NBA star standards, Doncic knew he had to do better this offseason, and it looks like he’s doing just that. If he can maintain his current form heading into opening night in October, not only will Doncic be the MVP favorite, but the Mavs will be a true title contender as well.

JUNE 24 CHALLENGING LEBRON Bennedict Mathurin is bold. Or stupid.

The new Indiana Pacers guard, drafted in the No. 6 spot, said he’s looking forward to his first game vs. LeBron James. Why? So the world can see which of them is the better player.

“A lot of people say he’s great,” Mathurin said, via The Washington Post. “I want to see how great he is. I don’t think anybody is better than me. He’s going to have to show me he’s better than me.”

There is suddenly a decent chance that when James - who has four MVPs, four NBA Finals MVPs, and is No. 2 all-time in points scored - plays against the Pacers, Bennedict Mathurin is going to find out his answer.

JUNE 23: MAVS MAKE KYRIE'S LIST

With the Brooklyn Nets potentially on the verge of falling apart, Kyrie Irving is already starting to think about his next destination. Irving and the Nets have yet to come to an agreement on a potential contract extension, which means the All-Star guard could leave in free agency or opt into the last year of his contract and be traded before then.

According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Irving has compiled a list of teams he'd be interested in joining.

"ESPN Sources: If Kyrie Irving can’t reach an agreement to stay with Brooklyn, he has a list of teams he’d like them to consider on sign-and-trades, including Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Heat, Mavs and 76ers. None of those teams have cap space to sign him without Nets’ help," Wojnarowski tweeted.

Given that the Mavs might have more trouble re-signing Jalen Brunson than what was initially believed, could a swap of the two point guards make some sense for both sides? Irving comes with risks, there's no doubts about that, but potentially losing Brunson for nothing is something the Mavs can't let happen. Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com for updates.