11-09-2025, 12:22 PM
If you are longtime fan and historian of the Mavs you can find heavy correlations between this team and the 1990-91 version.
Just two years earlier, in 1989, the Mavs went to Game 7 against the Lakers in the WCF. They were considered to be one micro move away from being the top contender. However, because of a clash between management and coaching with their top player, Mark Aguirre, they took a big step back the next year to the 8th seed.
The Mavs had traded Aguirre and decided to build around Roy Tarpley, a super talented, but mentally and physically troubled PF. They dealt away all their young assets and a bunch of 1sts to build what was considered a DEEP veteran team.
On paper, their backcourt was considered what this years' team's frontcourt to be (Derek Harper, Ro Blackman and Fat Lever). They traded for Rodney McCray (OG PJ Washington) and signed Alex English (the highest scorer in the NBA in the 80's) as a complimentary bench player. They even had a rookie lottery pick, Randy White, who was dubbed "The Next Karl Malone."
And you know what? It didn't work. They were such a mismatch of talent that they quickly spiraled into a bottom team. Plus, it didn't help that Tarpley (AD) blew out his knee six games into the season.
Things never bounced back. They wound up getting the sixth pick in the 1991 Draft and took Doug Smith, a soft, unskilled big man. The worst part was they couldn't let go of thinking they were just one move away from contention. The Hornets had the first pick and offer it to the Mavs for #6 and Derek Harper and Dallas turned it down. That pick would've been Larry Johnson. Yes, that would've been admitting that the contention era was over, but rebuilding around "Grandmama" would've been the right move.
This Mavs team needs to take a step back and do the same.
Just two years earlier, in 1989, the Mavs went to Game 7 against the Lakers in the WCF. They were considered to be one micro move away from being the top contender. However, because of a clash between management and coaching with their top player, Mark Aguirre, they took a big step back the next year to the 8th seed.
The Mavs had traded Aguirre and decided to build around Roy Tarpley, a super talented, but mentally and physically troubled PF. They dealt away all their young assets and a bunch of 1sts to build what was considered a DEEP veteran team.
On paper, their backcourt was considered what this years' team's frontcourt to be (Derek Harper, Ro Blackman and Fat Lever). They traded for Rodney McCray (OG PJ Washington) and signed Alex English (the highest scorer in the NBA in the 80's) as a complimentary bench player. They even had a rookie lottery pick, Randy White, who was dubbed "The Next Karl Malone."
And you know what? It didn't work. They were such a mismatch of talent that they quickly spiraled into a bottom team. Plus, it didn't help that Tarpley (AD) blew out his knee six games into the season.
Things never bounced back. They wound up getting the sixth pick in the 1991 Draft and took Doug Smith, a soft, unskilled big man. The worst part was they couldn't let go of thinking they were just one move away from contention. The Hornets had the first pick and offer it to the Mavs for #6 and Derek Harper and Dallas turned it down. That pick would've been Larry Johnson. Yes, that would've been admitting that the contention era was over, but rebuilding around "Grandmama" would've been the right move.
This Mavs team needs to take a step back and do the same.
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