Mavs give Top 10 list on ‘Late Night with David Letterman’

The Dallas Mavericks have been busy the last several days.

The championship celebration in Dallas Thursday came after a visit by “Late Night with David Letterman” for a presentation about the “Top Ten Good Things About Winning the NBA Championship.”

For the edification of Spurs Nation, the players’ reasons are listed below. Or they are available on.

10: Shawn Marion, “I don’t have to sit here and lie about how winning isn’t important.”

9: J.J. Barea, “The congratulatory sext from Anthony Weiner.”

8: Rodrigue Beaubois, “Helped take the sting out of hearing Hef’s wedding was cancelled.”

7: Brian Cardinal, “It’s every kid’s dream to lick the Larry O’Brien Trophy.”

6: Rick Carlisle, “U.S. Constitution permits NBA champs to sit in on national security briefings.”

5: Tyson Chandler, “Celebrating with my kitties.”

4: Caron Butler, “Why didn’t anyone tell me we won?”

3: Jason Terry, “Now I can ask Mark Cuban for a raise.”

2: Mark Cuban, “If you thought I was cocky and obnoxious before – get ready.”

1: Dirk Nowitzki, “It might land me a Kardashian sister.”

It was an interesting, eclectic choice of presenters.

Considering his importance to the team, I wonder where Jason Kidd was when the remote crew showed up?

Former Spurs dot early three-way trade

Several former Spurs are involved in the first major trade of the night along with draft night.

Milwaukee apparently has agreed in principle to a three-team trade with Sacramento and Charlotte in a trade that will send former Spur Stephen Jackson to Milwaukee along with former Spurs guard Beno Urdrih. The Bucks also will receive Charlotte’s Shaun Livingston and Charlotte’s 19th pick in the first round.  

Charlotte will obtain the No. 7 pick from Sacramento that apparently was coveted by the Spurs along with Corey Magette from Milwaukee.  

Sacramento will get guard John Salmons, who was picked for the Spurs in 2002 but never played for them, along with Milwaukee’s 10th pick in the draft.

We’ve been hearing there could be some movement with Spurs who might be traded tonight.

But so far, no active members of the team.

Source: Duncan will not opt out

By Jeff McDonald
jmcdonald@express-news.net

Tim Duncan is not expected to opt out of the final year of his contract, and the Spurs don’t plan to offer him an extension before the collective bargaining agreement expires Thursday, according to a source familiar with talks between the team and the franchise icon.

As such, Duncan will play out the final year of his existing deal, during which he is scheduled to earn $21.2 million, and remains on track to become a free agent after the 2011-12 campaign.

Duncan also faces a Thursday deadline to exercise an early-termination option. His apparent decision not to do so is not surprising in light of the league’s unsure labor climate.

With a contentious fight broiling between the NBA’s owners and players’ union this summer, and with so much uncertainty still surrounding the next CBA, Duncan has apparently determined it is in his best interest to stand pat on what, at age 35, is likely to be his last high-dollar payday.

Should Duncan choose to continue playing after next season, the Spurs would prefer to re-sign him under the new set of salary rules, which are generally expected to be more favorable to small-market clubs.

There had been some speculation Duncan might decide to trigger his early-termination option and renegotiate his contract, in a manner that might give the Spurs payroll flexibility to better fortify their roster next season.

Duncan took a similar approach in signing a four-year extension before the 2007-08 season, accepting less than maximum money and leaving the Spurs room to eventually add Richard Jefferson in the summer of 2009.

A 13-time All-Star, two-time league MVP and three-time Finals MVP, Duncan logged career lows last season in scoring (13.4 points per game), rebounding (8.9 per game) and minutes (28.4 per game).

Though more of a statistical bit player than he was in his prime, Duncan in his 14th NBA season remained the central figure for the Spurs, both on the court and in the locker room.

He’s not going to look like rookie Tim Duncan,” coach Gregg Popovich said in an interview conducted during the season. “Nobody is going to look like they did 14 years ago. He’s still so steady. He’s still our rock out there.”