Ranking the Dallas Mavericks’ offseason

by Earl K. Sneed of Dallas Mavericks

Much of the Mavs' success in 2010-11 will be based on the health of Tyson Chandler and the progression of second-year guard Roddy Beaubois.

Photo by Glenn James / NBAE via Getty Images

NBA championships are not won in the offseason, but title-contending teams are often assembled in the summer months.

Having said that, one NBA insider thinks highly of the Dallas Mavericks. But he doesn't think the moves that the team has made this summer are enough to bring the golden ball to Big D.

TNT analyst and NBA.com writer David Aldridge ranks the Mavericks' offseason eighth amongst the 30 teams in the league. According to Aldridge, the Mavs' addition of center Tyson Chandler and re-signings of forward Dirk Nowitzki and center Brendan Haywood still has them sitting behind the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks when grading the organizations' offseason activity.

Granted, the Heat certainly knocked the ball out of the ballpark this summer with the inking of two-time MVP LeBron James and perennial All-Star Chris Bosh to play next to 2006 Finals MVP Dwyane Wade. But that drastically shaped what other teams, including the Mavs, were about to do in free agency. It was the Mavericks' inability to land a big-name acquisition, either through free agency or a roster-altering trade, that has the team lower than expected on Aldridge's list.

Citing the joint effort of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and president of basketball operations/GM Donnie Nelson to bring in as much talent as possible to play next to Nowitzki and future Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd, Aldridge doesn't rule out the team pulling off a major trade before the start of training camp, which would raise Dallas up the ranks.

"The good thing is that we've got some good, young, exciting pieces -- coupled with the experience of Dirk and Jason (Kidd)," Nelson said before the offseason ensued. "We feel like with a couple of additions, we'll be right back in the thick of things next year."

"I'm sure Mark and Donnie always look at what's best for this team and how they can always improve the situation here," Nowitzki added. "And obviously, the players that are here have to get better, work on their stuff and come back a better player and a better person next year."

Otherwise, the veteran reporter says that much of the Mavs' success in 2010-11 will be based on the health of Chandler and the progression of second-year guard Roddy Beaubois.