Feb
Devean George’s End Game
By: Bill Ingram
In case you missed all of the excitement on Wednesday afternoon, Devean George is holding up what would be a blocbuster trade between the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets. The two teams have agreed in principle for New Jersey to acquire Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, Gana Diop, Devean George, draft picks and cash from the Mavericks in exchange for Jason Kidd and Malik Allen. The Nets would then buyout Stackhouse, who would return to Dallas - thus the picks and cash.
It was all set to happen and then Devean George used his right of first refusal to block the deal. It was an odd move by George, on the surface. After all, this is a contract year for him and he hasn’t really earned a spot in Avery Johnson’s rotation. Clearly the best thing for him would be a move to a team that would give him a chance to play every night. Of course, then his agent (Mark Bartelstein) stepped in.
The story we’re hearing goes something like this. Bartelstein would like for George to get a similar deal to what Stackhouse will get - where he gets paid twice as part of this deal. He would like for George to get a buy-out so he can then turn around and sign another contract with someone else. It’s a two-fer. The difference, of course, is that Stackhouse has been a key part of the Mavericks’ rotation, while George has been injured for most of the season and when he’s been healthy he hasn’t been much of an asset. He’s averaging just 3.8 points per game on 40% shooting and has been able to appear in just 26 games.
He certainly didn’t make much of a case for himself on Wednesday night, when Avery Johnson started him and gave him 33 minutes to prove himself. When the dust settled on a blow-out win for Dallas (thanks to Dirk Nowitzki’s season-high 37 points), George was 0-for-11 from the field, 0-for-2 from the free throw line, and had a big zero next to his name in the scoring column.
Bartelstein may want more money for his client, but his client isn’t making it easy to build a case for it.
The Mavericks and Nets will likely work something out over the All-Star break. Maybe they’ll make something happen for George, or maybe they’ll package Eddie Jones and Nick Fazekas together and proceed without George. But George and Bartelstein has better hope he gets traded. It certainly won’t be pleasant for George in Dallas once fans find out what he pulled. He also won’t get much on the open market after spending the second half of this season at the very bend of the Mavericks’ bench wearing a suit.
Two an play hard ball . . .and the coach decides who plays.
More on this evolving story as it becomes available!
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About the Author: BILL INGRAM |
