The Mavs Finally Make Their Move, and the Rangers Trump Them?

Hope Mark Cuban enjoyed his love, because now comes a dose of reality. As much as I was excited by the Texas Rangers' trade for pitching ace Cliff Lee, I was disappointed by the Dallas Mavericks' big summer shocker: Erick Dampier and his long-coveted expiring contract for ... A backup center?...

By Richie Whitt

July 19, 2010

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Hope Mark Cuban enjoyed his love, because now comes a dose of reality.

As much as I was excited by the Texas Rangers' trade for pitching ace Cliff Lee, I was disappointed by the Dallas Mavericks' big summer shocker: Erick Dampier and his long-coveted expiring contract for ...

A backup center?

Tyson Chandler is an above-average player. Certainly an upgrade from Dampier. And with he and Brendan Haywood the Mavs now possess the best 1-2 big-man punch in their history.

But, um, that's it?

I know he gives them another long interior defender and financial flexibility for the future, but ...

I just felt like the Rangers - mired in bankruptcy - were struggling to make any deal while the Mavs - with the Dampier harvest - were dealing from a position of strength. Feels like the other way around. Feels like the Mavs kinda ran out of options and had to settle.

With Lee and Chandler in contract years, both may be one-and-dones in Dallas. But the Rangers acquired a dominant ace who can single-handedly win a playoff series, while the Mavs got an athetic 7-footer who probably didn't exactly shake the Lakers in their boots.

I guess I'm saying I expected less from the Rangers and more from the Mavericks. You?

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