Jack Nicholson.
Jerry West.
Hakeem Olajuwon.
Phil Jackson.
Mark Cuban?
If the Dallas Mavericks sign free agent Dwight Howard, it'll be because their owner - the guy who made a billion dollars turning your computer into a radio - stood toe-to-toe with some of the great names in the history of the NBA. Nothing against Dirk Nowitzki and his shiny 2011 championship ring, but this sell has to be closed by Cuban.
The Mavs get their shot to pitch the best big man in basketball today, followed by the hometown Lakers' final word. Meetings, of course, are like surgeries. In the wake of them, everything always went "great." After today Howard will ingest and decipher and mull the five meetings with the Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Mavs and Lakers ... and then we'll collectively hold our breath for The Decision 2.
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So far the fawning has been impressive.
The Lakers got Jack on the phone and prompted Steve Nash and Jackson to send their center encouraging Tweets. Wrote Nash: "You're going to love the statue we build for you outside Staples in 20 yrs!"
The Warriors, considered a long-shot in the sweepstakes, brought in special consultant West. And the Rockets, tabbed as many by the favorite to land Howard, got help from Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Dikembe Mutombo, James Harden and - via Skype from China - Yao Ming.
The Mavs are going on a future-framing job interview today. I know there are alternative Plan B's that include the Los Angeles Clippers' Eric Bledsoe and Matt Barnes and maybe even the Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo. But this is the big fish we've been titillated by since the day Cuban broke up the title roster two summers ago. This is the franchise superstar player the poor little Mavs
never get.
Mark Cuban has a lot of tools. He's been a
Benefactor and on
Shark Tank and one of the most innovative, outspoken owners in the history of pro sports. Today, he just needs to be a salesman, and a closer.
It's time for Cuban to convince Dwight Howard Dallas is the right choice ... or else.
I guess I am needed in here...
ReplyDeleteI guess they cant all be compelling. Maybe 25%? I did ask him to comment on some radio stuff not affiliated to his situation at 105.3 but I guess his pool party and this impressive piece trumped a reader request.
ReplyDelete