When the world thought DeAndre Jordan would be donning a Mavs uniform next season, our coach David Thorpe explained to me how he felt Jordan could be a great fit in Dallas.
In Thorpe's vision, the Mavs would use Jordan like the 2008-09 Orlando Magic used Dwight Howard, with the surrounding complementary pieces fitting much like that Magic squad that ended up making the NBA Finals.
Well, we now know that Thorpe's vision will not come to fruition after Jordan reneged on his agreement with Dallas and returned to the Los Angeles Clippers. Dallas has tried to recover by acquiring center Zaza Pachulia via trade and signing the freshly bought out Deron Williams, but those moves are the equivalent of putting Band-Aids on bullet wounds. The question now becomes: Who are the candidates the Mavs can pursue next offseason to fulfill that role?
Dwight Howard
Current team: Houston Rockets
Free-agent status: Player option in 2016
2014-15 salary: $21.4 million
If you're going to go shopping for a Howard clone, why not go out and get the real thing? Howard has a player option for 2016-17, and unless he has an injury plagued season, there's a high chance he'll opt out and re-enter free agency (he's due $23.6 million, but a starting max salary for a player of his years of service will be roughly $29.6 million next summer). Howard was originally linked with the Mavs two seasons ago when he was a free agent, so Dallas could take another run at him. It's worth noting Howard is repped by the same agent as Jordan, Dan Fegan. It'll be interesting to see if that means it improves their chances as Fegan offers a mea culpa, or decreases their chances after the debacle of 2015 free agency. Another concern would be Howard's age. He'll be 30, and the injuries of the last few seasons have taken a toll on his athleticism.
Hassan Whiteside
Current team: Miami Heat
Free-agent status: Unrestricted in 2016
2014-15 salary: $769,881
This might be Dallas' best shot. Whiteside is relatively young (27 next summer), with low mileage and excellent athleticism. He was a bright spot for Miami this past season as a rebounder, shot blocker and above-the-rim finisher, and obviously the Heat will make a strong push to retain his services.
Here's the catch: because Miami gave Whiteside a non-guaranteed deal in 2015-16 as opposed to a team option, it puts them in an uncomfortable situation cap-wise. He'll have Early Bird rights, which means two things: Miami can only offer four years (same as any other team), and can only offer the greater of 175 percent of his previous salary or what the CBA calls "average salary" -- estimated to be $5.7 million next summer -- unless they use cap space. With Dwyane Wade's massive cap hold/desire for another deal, and the Heat's plan to pursue another superstar free agent, it will take some interesting cap mechanics and quick decisions for Miami to use their cap space to sign Whiteside to a market value deal.
So how would a team option have changed things? They could have declined the option, making Whiteside a restricted free agent, allowing them to match any offer sheet. As it is, Dallas can poach Whiteside by making an aggressive offer at 12:01 a.m. ET on July 1, 2016.
Andre Drummond
Current team: Detroit Pistons
Free-agent status: Restricted in 2016
2014-15 salary: $2.6 million
This target has probably the least likely chance for success without an incredible turn of events in Detroit. Drummond is the franchise player, and will probably be offered a lucrative extension at some point this summer. However, if Drummond and the Pistons can't come to terms on a number (if he's worth max to them, wouldn't they have offered it by now? And wouldn't he have accepted it?), Dallas could make a push for his services. He'll be 22 next summer, and he has the profile of a young Howard: excellent size, length and athleticism, and a double-double machine. That gives Dallas a longer career arc to take advantage of, giving them a bona fide bridge to L.A.D. -- Life After Dirk.
His field goal percentage isn't in the stellar heights that Howard, Jordan, and even Whiteside enjoy, but playing in a better system with better playmakers should help. Even if Drummond and Detroit can't come to terms this summer, he'll still be a restricted free agent next summer, so Dallas will have to submit an offer sheet and hope Detroit either doesn't match or is amenable to working out a deal prior to the eminent submission of an offer sheet.
JaVale McGee
Current team: None
Free-agent status: Unsigned
2014-15 salary: $11.3 million
Larry Sanders
Current team: None
Free-agent status: Unsigned
2014-15 salary: $11 million
A year ago, Whiteside was toxic just like these two players, with a reputation for unreliability, hubris and a poor work ethic, so we'd be remiss to exclude them from this list. McGee more similarly resembles Whiteside as a player who just hasn't been serious about his NBA career. Despite his obvious athletic gifts and talents, McGee's basketball IQ is probably bottom five for his position. He's not a good defensive rebounder, and while he can be a stellar shot-blocker, seven years into his career I'm still not sure he truly understands the goaltending rule. Still, he'd probably come cheap, and perhaps basketball mortality (not to mention the prospect of not having a check next summer after his four-year deal, since bought out by the Sixers, expires) will give him the impetus to focus. The Mavs have interviewed McGee, sources tell ESPN's Marc Stein, and if he can allay concerns about his long-term health McGee could be a fit.
Meanwhile, Sanders was a premier defensive presence during his time in Milwaukee, and although his offense leaves a lot to be desired, with a pedestrian shooting percentage around the basket, he'll probably come for a lot cheaper than the above options. The question, of course, is does he still want to play professional basketball? What would be more devastating for the Mavericks than to acquire a center who once again will jilt them for something else?