Mavs interested in Kevin Martin?
The Dallas Mavericks are interested in Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Martin, ESPN.com reported.
Martin is averaging 25.2 points entering Friday night’s game. The trading deadline is Feb. 18.
Dallas is willing to make Josh Howard available, ESPN reported, citing an anonymous source. The Kings, though, have been telling teams that they are not ready to field offers for Martin.
Martin has more than $35 million left on his contract that expires after the 2012-13 season. According to Hoopshype, Howard’s contract could expire after this season, because the Mavericks have a team option to bring him back for 2010-11.
Obviously, Josh Howard has been expendable for a while. He’s not a cancer by any means, but he is very injury prone and has had come off the court issues. I do like his game, when he gives maximum effort. Howard is an excellent slasher and rebounder for a G/F, but he doesn’t always play to his strengths. He has a solid work effort, which is evident in his ever-improving jump shooting.
His game is not exactly what the Mavericks need though. Dallas is 13th in 3PT% and 14th in overall FG%. Aside from Golden State, every team in the top 10 in FG% is likely to make the playoffs. A great shooter on the perimeter may jumpstart the Mavs’ scoring attack. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that Dallas has a scoring problem, but they aren’t scoring like the Lakers are.
I mostly believe in the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” school of thought. Kevin Martin may not be an improvement. He’s a good locker room guy, and Josh Howard, by all accounts, isn’t really. I think that his (Howard’s) defensive presence is a bit overstated. I don’t think the improved Dallas D will drop back down to historic levels, but how do I know? I trust that Nelson and Carlisle will do the best thing for the team. If dumping Howard is the best thing, then I’m all for it.
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