DONUT 1: Deron's Own Words...
Sports media is different now. Sports fandom is, too.
I've got Sports Illustrated to the left of me with a "source'' insisting that Deron Williams won't come to the Dallas Mavericks unless blahblahblah happens.
I've got Yahoo to the right of me with a "source'' insisting that Deron won't stay with the Brooklyn Nets unless blahblahblah happens.
Clowns to the left of me. Jokers to the right.
Stuck in the middle as the Master of his Own Twitter Domain is Deron himself, who gets to scoff at reports by communicating directly to the reporters and to his audience.
"I would love to know who Adrian Wojnarowski source is bc he knows more about what I'm thinking then I do. maybe they can help me decide?''
Deron's tweet, like Mark Cuban's blog before it, doesn't entirely cut out the media as middleman. But maybe it'll make the information more accurate, because the subjects of our stories get to serve as our insta-watchdogs.
DONUT 2: Having said all that ...
Logic -- not "sources,'' but logic -- dictate that the results of last night's NBA Lotto favor the Mavs, as it regards their pursuit of the DFW native D-Will.
Dallas' lotto luck? There's been no such thing. Until last night, when Fate didn't allow the Nets to jump up into the top three (which would've allowed them to keep the protected pick they gave to Portland). The Nets are at No. 6, and don't even have that pick. It goes to the Blazers.
That means no Anthony Davis and no grand asset for the Nets as they attempt to keep Deron (or to use to lure Dwight Howard to join him).
There are still reasons for Deron to sign with the Nets. It remains grossly premature to pretend to know his destination.
But the Lotto news keeps the Mavs' Deron Dream alive. It's yet another step in the right direction.
DONUT 3: A change in Mavs' draft philosophy? ...
Here's an example of another team's way and you're already quite aware of how it's worked:
Barbosa (traded to Phoenix for future 1st Rounder), Scola (traded to Houston because they didn’t have space for him at the time), Udrih, Mahinmi, Splitter, George Hill, Dragic (traded to Phoenix), DeJuan Blair, Kawhi Leonard.
And then Parker as a 28th overall and Ginobili as a 57th overall.
That's an entire roster -- a playoff-quality roster -- made up of non-premier picks.
That's the Spurs.
DONUT 4: Fish on 105.3 The Fan's RAGE all week! ...
With Greggo taking a short leave from RAGE (2-to-7 daily on 105.3 The Fan), he and Richie Whitt and the gang have asked me to sit in for a week or so.
We'll do it again today, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and I'd love to have you join us and to listen live here! ...
DONUT 5: While the Spurs were doing that ...
Going all the way back to 2001, the summer after 11 consecutive years of 50-plus wins began, through 2011 you’ll see a remarkable Mavs trend … and we don’t say that in a positive manner.
Remove all trades and Dallas was handed 22 picks over this span by the league: one pick in the 1st and 2nd round each. A plethora of trades were made, including deals that brought in the fifth overall pick Devin Harris in 2004 and Roddy Beaubois. Unfortunately, over this 11-year span, those two names likely represent two-thirds of the consequential names procured through the draft; with the other being Josh Howard.
Josh. Devin. Roddy B. And DoJo, if you wish to hold out hope there.
That's it.
What can change? Why should it change? Draft picks who make it are cheap assets. Draft picks used to acquire veterans make for expensive assets.
The existing philosophy is how you trade two 1's for Kidd. But it's also how you go 11 years while also making just six first-round selections.
That's a adjustment in philosophy worth considering.
DONUT 6: It's the same personnel dept. ...
For all of their brilliance elsewhere, is it too greedy to wish for a little more draft success to go along with Wednesday’s lottery selection good news? All for a team that didn't even win the lottery in the two back-to-back '90's years when Dallas was by far basketball's poorest club?
No … not too greedy … we don’t think, because the same ingenuity that has used picks as weapons to do deals can be applied to using picks for actually draftees who can play.
DONUT 7: By the way, out of Brooklyn ...
Comes word that Nets GM Billy King is insisting nothing's changed.
"We're gonna sign Deron Williams,'' Billy says in this quickie video.
Like Broncos coach Dan Reeves once said in an early-80's TV ad, "Never let 'em see you sweat.''
DONUT 8: Catch the Mavs and the DB.com Staff on Twitter! ...
DONUT 9: More maybe draft hits? ...
There are a couple of players yet to play in the NBA who may or may not prove to be worth more than currently believed. Nick Calathes and Petteri Koponen have shown flashes of talent overseas. Nick's the big point guard from Florida who's time might be coming ... unless the Mavs get Deron and keep Kidd, in which case he might as well remain stashed.
Maybe someday they'll get their chance to impress Mavs thinkers and fans, though Coop alerts us that Koponen just signed three-year deal to remain overseas.
DONUT 10: Mavs make a hire ...
CBS is the first to report that Dallas has hired Tony Ronzone, a veteran NBA exec, for the club's front office. Ronzone was a Carlisle guy in Detroit, was in the Dallas organization more than a decade ago, has a rep as a stud in international scouting and was reportedly a candidate for the GM job in Orlando.
In such an important scouting year for the Mavs -- assuming they are taking their slots as seriously as I believe -- Ronzone could be an immediate asset.
DONUT 11: Some visitors' scoop ...
Why do I believe this draft might have a different focus?
Don’t expect the top five to seven players available in this draft to visit the AAC for private workouts. DB.com has been told that the team will bring to town players expected to be available from 10-to-20 or so, and those expected to be available with that second pick at 55.
How is that significant? How does the Lotto results alter the Deron chase? What can Dallas do to change its draft style?
DONUT 12: The Final Word ...
Those questions, and ones like them, are answered 24 hours a day in our Premium Mavs coverage! It’s pennies a day to get All-Access to what the Mavs are doing upstairs, down in the basement, in the locker room and on the court – and it’s free to come inside for
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