Thursday, June 27, 1996

Mavs draft to improve inside game

By JAIME ARON
Associated Press

DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks decided Wednesday to keep their bickering backcourt intact and instead tried improving their woeful inside game by taking Louisville sophomore Samaki Walker with the ninth pick in the draft.

Walker, a 6-foot-9, 247-pound power forward, joins recently acquired center Eric Montross as Dallas continues bulking up a frontcourt rotation that was its biggest weakness while plummeting to a 26-56 record last season.

Walker, who battled injuries and the NCAA in his two seasons at Louisville, averaged 15.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season. He has the potential to average a double-double and block some shots.

"I'm happy to be part of the Dallas Mavericks," said Walker, dressed nattily in a lemon-colored suit and matching derby that he quickly swapped for a Mavericks cap.

Picking a big man seemed like a no-brainer until earlier this week when All-Star point guard Jason Kidd threatened to sit out next season unless he or shooting guard Jim Jackson are traded.

The Mavericks already were listening to offers for Jackson, who also has alienated himself from other teammates, but may have lost some bargaining power after Kidd's ultimatum. Either way, new head coach Jim Cleamons wants to try keeping the nucleus intact until he decides the pair cannot co-exist.

Dallas had narrowed its choices to Lorenzen Wright of Memphis, Mississippi State center Erick Dampier and Walker, who really caught the team's attention during a workout.

Wright went to Boston at No. 6 with the pick Dallas gave up for Montross and Dampier, who was expected to go sixth, was still available.

While the Mavericks suffered a complete meltdown last season, the frontcourt was the glowing deficiency.

With no defensive presence in the paint, Dallas opponents shot 49.2 percent (the highest against any team) while the Mavericks allowed a league-worst 107.5 points per game.

The lack of an inside game also hurt the offense as Dallas became increasingly reliant on 3-pointers, shattering an NBA record with 2,039 attempts, nearly 400 more than the team with the second-most trey tries.

The Mavericks were to continue rebuilding their roster with picks No. 34, the fifth in the second round, and No. 58, the last of the draft.

Earlier Wednesday, Dallas hired former New Jersey Nets coach Butch Beard as an assistant. Another recently fired coach, former Toronto coach Brendan Malone, also is expected to be join Cleamons' staff.

Dallas' new ownership is expected to tie up another loose end as soon Thursday by hiring a general manager. Player personnel director Keith Grant and Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak are considered the frontrunners.