Hello Celebritys

FROM MAVS MEDIA RELATIONS- The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have acquired centers Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinca from the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for center Erick Dampier, forward Eduardo Najera, guard Matt Carroll and cash considerations.

Chandler (7-1, 235) is an nine-year veteran who holds career averages of 8.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 27.6 minutes in 588 games (391 starts). Chandler entered the 2001 NBA Draft out of Dominquez High School (Compton, Calif.) and was the second overall pick. He has played for Chicago, New Orleans and Charlotte.

Last season with the Bobcats, Chandler played in 51 games (starting 27) and averaged 6.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks despite being hampered by a stress reaction in his left foot that caused him to miss 29 games. Prior to that, Chandler was a member of the New Orleans Hornets where he enjoyed the best season of his career in 2007-08 when he averaged a career-high 11.8 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 1.0 assists in a career-high 35.2 minutes while shooting .623 from the floor in 79 starts. During the 2008 postseason, Chandler led the Hornets past Dallas into the Western Conference semi-finals averaging 10.3 points and 10.3 rebounds.

Ajinca (7-0, 220) was selected by the Charlotte Bobcats as the 20^th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. The two-year pro has averages of 2.2 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.2 blocks in 5.7 minutes in 37 career games. He has made two separate D-League stints with the Sioux Falls Skyforce (2008-09) and Maine Red Claws (2009-10) playing in 33 games and averaging 14.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 0.6 steals, and 0.4 steals in 24.9 minutes, while shooting .523 from the field (161-308 FGs) and .760 from the free-throw line (130-171 FTs). He was named to the 2010 D-League Eastern Conference All-Star Team but was unable to play due to injury.

The Saint Etienne, France native played two years professionally with Hyeres-Toulon in the French Pro A League before declaring for the NBA Draft. With Hyeres-Toulon, he averaged 4.7 points while shooting .538 from the field (42-80 FGs), 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 block in 26 games. He won the bronze medal with the French National Team at the 2007 Under-19 World Championship.

Dallas parts ways with Dampier after aquiring him via a sign-and-trade with Golden State on August 24, 2004. Dampier was the third-longest tenured Maverick behind Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry and played 424 games in Dallas. Among franchise leaders, Dampier ranks seventh in rebounds (3,211), fourth in offensive rebounds (1,224), seventh in defensive rebounds (1,715), first in field goal percentage (.591) and fourth in blocks (546). Najera was in his second stint with the Mavericks after being drafted by Dallas in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft (38^th overall), while Carroll just finished his first full season as a Maverick after being acquired from Charlotte on January 16, 2009

After 24 hours of digesting the Mavs 97-87 game 6 loss to the Spurs in San Antonio, I feel like I can finally talk about. I am writing this a lot earlier than expected, but after three first round exits in the last four years, I have come to expect that.

I guess I will start with coaching. I hate blaming things on the coach, but Rick Carlisle was out coached by Greg Popovich in every aspect of the game. From rotations to strategy to anything you want to throw out there. The idea to bench Caron Butler for the 2^nd half of game 3, and not going to Roddy Beaubois earlier in the series will continue to baffle me.

Which brings me to my next point… I was one of those people who have been hesitant on Roddy B. I didn’t think he should get a ton of minutes and I didn’t expect Carlisle to play him, but when you go down 3-1 in the series, you have to change things up. Also, once Coach Carlisle became desperate and did decide to go with Roddy B, why did he sit him for the majority of the 4^th quarter of game 6?

Outside of Dirk, the so called “leaders” and “veterans” of this team were nonexistent. Jason Kidd and Jason Terry were horrendous. I usually defend Jason Kidd all I can, but I can’t say anything good about his performance in this series. This is back to back years where JET has been bad in the postseason.

Erick Dampier…I don’t expect much from you, but you failed to score one single basket the entire series and you are 7 feet tall. Not one! Not an offensive rebound for a put back, you didn’t luckily get open for a pass, you didn’t make one shot from the field. That is terrible.

Dirk was a beast and does what he does. I don’t have anything else to say about him. I hope he doesn’t opt of his contract, and I don’t think he will, but we will have to wait and see.

This was obviously another disappointing season for the Mavs. I thought this team was finally assembled to make a deep post season run, but I was wrong. I’m not really sure what to expect from next season, but it should be a long and interesting offseason.

When the Mavs take the court tonight against the Nets, they will be without J.J. Barea, but expect centers Brendan Haywood and Erick Dampier to be in action. Dallas has been missing their big men as of late, but both fully participated in shoot around this morning.

Haywood said after shoot around that he has been “feeling better than I have in previous days, so I am going to give it a try.” Haywood also clarified that his back stiffness has not been an ongoing problem and it is just something that happens in the NBA.

Also, when I asked Brendan about matching up with the Nets Brook Lopez tonight, he said “I’m back, I think Damp is back, so we should have a lot of bodies to throw at him.”

Mavs Head Coach Rick Carlisle wouldn’t divulge much information but did say he was “hopeful that both big guys would be available.” Dampier and Haywood are game time decisions, but I fully expect both players to see action tonight.

When the Mavs take the court tonight against the Nets, they will be without J.J. Barea, but expect centers Brendan Haywood and Erick Dampier to be in action. Dallas has been missing their big men as of late, but both fully participated in shoot around this morning.

Haywood said after shoot around that he has been “feeling better than I have in previous days, so I am going to give it a try.” Haywood also clarified that his back stiffness has not been an ongoing problem and it is just something that happens in the NBA.

Also, when I asked Brendan about matching up with the Nets Brook Lopez tonight, he said “I’m back, I think Damp is back, so we should have a lot of bodies to throw at him.”

Mavs Head Coach Rick Carlisle wouldn’t divulge much information but did say he was “hopeful that both big guys would be available.” Dampier and Haywood are game time decisions, but I fully expect both players to see action tonight.

I got an update on Erick Dampier after the Mavericks shoot around this morning. The splint is off and the stitches are expected to come out later this week.

Damp has been at practice, but is limited obviously because he still can’t catch the ball. He has been riding the stationary bike and things of that nature trying to stay in shape.

Still no set date for his return.