Wednesday, June 26, 1996

Mavs Need Size, Harmony From Draft

By JAIME ARON
Associated Press

DALLAS - Years of rebuilding through the draft haven't helped the Dallas Mavericks much, but they're going to try it again Wednesday.

The Mavericks have the No. 9 overall pick in the NBA draft and are likely to use it to try bulking up a frontcourt already bolstered by the recent acquisition of 7-foot, 270-pound center Eric Montross.

Dallas also will try improving its roster with the No. 34 and 58 picks, although both are second-round longshots. The 58th pick is the last in the draft.

The draft will be the first for Jim Cleamons as the Mavericks' head coach and the second run by Dallas player personnel director Keith Grant.

Cleamons, not used to early picks considering he spent the last seven years with the Chicago Bulls, expects to agree with Grant on whom they should pick.

"We've talked about what we see as our needs," Cleamons said. "Our visions are the same, and we see a lot of the personnel as the same."

Dallas needs as much presence in the middle as it can get on both offense and defense.

The Mavericks were forced to resort to outside bombing for points because they had no consistent scorers inside. Offensive rebounds also were at a premium because everyone was playing so far away from the basket.

Defensively, Dallas couldn't handle opposing big men and had no shotblocker to stop other teams from driving the lane. Opponents' shooting percentage against the Mavericks were sky high, as were their point totals.

Dallas may have to beware of what it gets today. Remember, it can take years before properly evaluating a draft.

Think about how kind the draft seemed for the Mavericks when they got Jim Jackson, Jamal Mashburn and Jason Kidd in consecutive years. Dallas was almost back to .500 when Cherokee Parks was added to the mix last year.

Since then, everything has fallen apart. The three Js are at each other's throats, Parks was a major disappointment, and the team's progress of 1994-95 seemed like an aberration as Dallas regressed last season.

The latest backwards step came Monday when Kidd threatened to sit out next season unless he or Jackson is traded.

Jackson is the more likely of the two to be dealt. If he goes and they don't get a shooting guard in exchange, the Mavericks may try maneuvering for someone like Connecticut's Ray Allen or Villanova's Kerry Kittles.

Otherwise, expect the Mavericks to seek size. Erick Dampier of Mississippi State was a possibility at No. 6, but with Dallas now sitting at No. 9, Lorenzen Wright of Memphis is a more likely pick.

If Dallas drafts another big man, it may mean less playing time or a limited future as a Maverick for Parks and last year's other No. 1 pick, Loren Meyer, also a center. Parks also could be moved to power forward, which he prefers over center.

However, Cleamons isn't keeping open a spot in the starting lineup for any rookie.

"I don't see why (the top draft pick) should be instant starter," Cleamons said. "Playing time is the most valuable commodity a player has. It must be earned. It's a reward for how you do on the floor."