Cowlishaw: Why there is no easy fix for Mavericks' situation and misery ahead

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Bang for your buck: So you want a mansion in Malibu with a tennis court and an infinity pool? Hope you’re willing to cough up some cash. According to, LA is roughly 64% more expensive than Dallas, which means you’ll need about $16,411,429 from the Lakers to match the equivalent of a $10 million salary in Dallas. Oh, and did we mention that California has one of the highest income tax rates in the U.S.? Here in Texas, we won’t tax your income at all. Cha ching!
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Marcus Escalona ... How do the Dallas Mavericks right the ship! I know Mark Cuban is a winner. Draft is not gonna be good, and all i've been hearing about is that the new cap is gonna help the Mavs. But i question? Who wants to come here?

Tim Cowlishaw: That's a great question, Marcus. A free agent looking at Dallas (no matter whether that free agent is Dwight Howard, Chris Paul or someone much farther down the list) will see a team with Dirk Nowitzki going into his 16th season and little else to offer. The Mavericks are in a bad place. They have no young talent to speak of. The only reason they are hanging around the 11th spot in the West and not resting at the bottom is the play of Dirk, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion and O.J. Mayo. Three of those guys are much closer to 40 than they are to being rookies. And Mayo is on a one-year deal and, well, you've seen how hit or miss he can be this season. There is no easy fix for this team. It will get worse before it gets better.

Marcus Escalona ... I see the Mavs back in 90's mode.

Tim Cowlishaw: That's an ugly, ugly thought. No franchise should ever be that downtrodden again. But there is some misery ahead.

James ... What's up Tim. I think we can both agree, Dwight Howard is out of the picture. So here's the scenario: You are sitting next to Andrew Bynum on a summer day as he is putting pen to paper on his new contract. What's the years/money look like, and, for better or worse (hopefully better, work your magic Casey Smith!) does it say Dallas Mavericks on it?

Tim Cowlishaw: Wow. You want Andrew Bynum after this wasted season in Philadelphia? You want a team where Andrew Bynum is your best player going forward. Personality-wise, that seems like building an NFL offense around Martellus Bennett. Count me out.

Lewis ... Did the Mavericks' win over the Rockets prove anything to you?

Tim Cowlishaw: Nothing at all. Why? Was it supposed to? They're 11th. They have to do more than split with Houston to make progress. They have to pass the Lakers and the Blazers and either the Rockers or probably the Warriors. No chance.


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