The Mavericks "went after all that they could, as
aggressively as they could," during last night's NBA Draft,
according to Jodie Valade of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS, who
notes that the team acquired the right to the Magic's 13th
pick in exchange for a "lottery-protected first-round pick
next year," the Mavs' 31st pick in last night's draft and
the league's maximum $3M from Owner Mark Cuban. Last week,
Cuban said he would look to make trades during the draft and
was "trying to sweeten the pot with cash to try to get
something done" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/29). In Dallas,
Kevin Sherrington reports that Cuban gave the Magic "nearly
as much money as a rookie taken in the 13th slot could make
over the next three years" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/29).
ONE-ON-ONE: While Cuban and N.Y. Post/TNT NBA analyst
Peter Vecsey have feuded over the season, the two appeared
together during TNT's NBA Draft coverage to discuss the
Mavericks draft. Vecsey told Cuban, "Mark, you can call me
the viper. ... You know what I call you? 'Easy Mark,'
right." Vecsey asked Cuban if he was "trying to buy a
championship," to which Cuban replied, "Any way it comes,
Peter. Someday you might know that feeling. But I'm going
to." Vecsey asked Cuban, "Is Don Nelson in your will, and
if he is, can I get in your will?" Cuban: "Well, Peter, the
way you do your calculations, I'm a little bit concerned.
If you're nice to me, maybe we can work it out." Afterward,
TNT's Kenny Smith said, "My main man Peter was backpedaling
on that. I've never seen him backpedal until tonight" ("NBA
Draft," TNT, 6/28). Kevin Sherrington writes that Cuban won
a "TKO" in the exchange (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/29).
BARKLEY RIPS STERLING: TNT's Charles Barkley commented
on the Clippers after they drafted high school F Darius
Miles: "They're a terrible organization. They should have
re-signed their two free agents (F Maurice Taylor and G
Derek Anderson). ... But to put that kid in that environment
with a terrible organization, I hope [Miles] gets out of
there. ... The Clippers are one of the problems in sports.
... People assume that every organization is trying to win
and there's just no excuse for what the Clippers have been
doing." Barkley joked that players at the draft "dress a
lot better today than they did when I came out and ... a lot
of these colleges don't have weight rooms" ("NBA Draft,"
6/28). But in L.A., Lonnie White writes after the Clippers'
draft: "In one amazing draft day, the Clippers went from
laughing stock to ... what? Most exciting young team in
town? In the league? In the world?" (L.A. TIMES, 6/28).
NEW LOGOS: Both the Suns and Magic unveiled modified
logos during the NBA Draft. To view the Magic's new look,
visit http://www.orlandomagic.com. To see the Suns'
alteration, visit http://www.phoenixsuns.com (THE DAILY).
