since Dampier’s contract ends after this season. It’ll also free up some cap space for the 2010 free agency. So in the long run this helps us more than it helps Dallas but in the short run it hurts us more.

But Damp’s deal is worth about $16.5M, and can be voided at will going into next season. Since Mark Cuban wouldn’t blink for a second at taking on loads more luxury tax money, that allows Dallas to make a team that is going to lose their star free agent a sign-and-trade offer that:

a) Gives them something in return for a player that they were going to lose for nothing.
b) Allows that team to take on $0 dollars in salary cap space in return, so that they can remain player in the 2010 FA market, plus whatever Dallas throws into the bargain.
c) Let’s the player in question take more money than anyone else can offer them, to come to a fully stocked team with Dirk, Kidd, Marion, etc.

You’re right, it must be nice to be Mark Cuban.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cuban would have to throw in the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, three oil fields and Jason Terry for me to want Dampier

How ’bout Nash?

(Sorry, cheap shot. But it was too easy.)

Maybe that’s a coincidence, maybe it’s not, but it’s true either way. I loved Nash when he was here, and still love him, but the best seasons in Mavs history came after he left, not to mention the three highest scoring seasons of Dirk’s career.

It’s not to say that Damp is better than Nash, he’s clearly not, but those things have to be taken into consideration before people start running their mouths about him “costing” Dallas Steve Nash. There are a lot of things that Damp is bad at, but he wasn’t brought in to do those things. He was brought in to guard Tim Duncan and Shaq in the playoffs, and he did that as well as anybody. Now he might give Dallas a chance to add another marquee player in 2010. To be perfectly honest, if Cuban had it to do all over again, I doubt he’d change a thing.