2005-2006 and 2006-2007 Kobe with Pau

[Heavincent]

Mark Cuban isn't the Mavs GM, he's the owner

I'm pretty sure he has a major impact on personnel decisions though. He's not just a clueless owner drinking wine in the press box. It's almost like the Jerry Jones situation, except Cuban is actually good at it and isn't an insufferable asshole.

Cuban is about as hands-on as it gets for an owner.

[clutchinho]

Probably another ring at least.

Kobe with some help on the offensive end would probably put up less ppg, but on better efficiency.

Thing is though, I think it took those seasons of playing with pure garbage to inject insight into Kobe's mind. I think those years of being first round fodder with no help taught him how to better himself as a teammate and leader, so that once Pau came, he was able to cultivate a better relationship with him, which showed with their chemistry on the court.

Good point, but I think 2004, Colorado and the Rudy T season would have taught him plenty about humility anyway, losing 4 years of your prime playing with scrubs in the stronger conference was way too big a price to pay for some perspective.

[DMAVS41]

I'm pretty sure he has a major impact on personnel decisions though. He's not just a clueless owner drinking wine in the press box. It's almost like the Jerry Jones situation, except Cuban is actually good at it and isn't an insufferable asshole.

Cuban is about as hands-on as it gets for an owner.

Wait...you guys are calling Cuban a "brilliant" team builder?

Holy ****ing shit...the ignorance on here. It's reaching all time levels.

Cuban just cut checks...that's all he did. He didn't build elite teams nor did he hire the right coach until Carlisle.

The rosters we had are so over-rated here post 2003....it's just laughable.

He didn't get a 2nd star or quality center from 04 through 10. 7 ****ing years without the two things you would want to win a title...and even worse, Avery, a bad coach, was at the helm of the peak Mavs. He lucked into Chandler in 11...and still has yet to get a legit championship 2nd option since the 03 season.

[guy]

No Mark Cuban team has ever been AVERAGE around Dirk Nowitzki, that's absurd and Avery Johnson wasn't a horrible coach either.

I wouldn't say the West was totally wide open. There was a lot of quality teams, just no dominant power houses like early 2000s Lakers, Kings, Mavs, Blazers, and Spurs.

Anyway to answer OP, Lakers in 2006, and 2007 w/ Gasol actually probably win the title. I don't think they'd win in 2008. Who knows if they would've then had the gas to win in 2009, and 2010 though.

2006 Finals v.s. Miami: Shaq / Wade v.s. Kobe / Gasol
2007 Finals v.s. Cleveland: LeBron v.s. Kobe / Gasol

Would've been absolutely EPIC to watch. I really wish we would've got to see that honestly.

I really doubt they get past the 06 Heat or the 07 Spurs. Those Lakers still don't have the depth and experience as those teams had. On top of that, in 06 Kobe wasn't that much better then Wade and Shaq would've been way more motivated to just kill the Lakers and 07 was probably Duncan's last great year and Parker would've killed them.

[SamuraiSWISH]

The rosters we had are so over-rated here post 2003....it's just laughable.

[Jameerthefear]

Kobe doesn't lead his team to championships. Probably no rings.

[Heavincent]

Wait...you guys are calling Cuban a "brilliant" team builder?

Holy ****ing shit...the ignorance on here. It's reaching all time levels.

Cuban just cut checks...that's all he did. He didn't build elite teams nor did he hire the right coach until Carlisle.

The rosters we had are so over-rated here post 2003....it's just laughable.

The Mavs have been a perennial playoff team for over a decade now, with 2 Finals appearances and a ring. I'd say Cuban and the front office did alright

Why are you so mad that someone complimented your favorite team's front office stability and sustained success?

[Ca$H]

I really doubt they get past the 06 Heat or the 07 Spurs. Those Lakers still don't have the depth and experience as those teams had. On top of that, in 06 Kobe wasn't that much better then Wade and Shaq would've been way more motivated to just kill the Lakers and 07 was probably Duncan's last great year and Parker would've killed them.

Shaq was terrible in the finals plus I don't think the refs favor wade over Kobe in the finals. Kobe(with ref help) + Gasol over Wade(no ref help) + declining Shaq. The Lakers beat the Spurs in 2008 with Duncan playing very well actually. The combo of Kobe and Phil has actually dominated the combo of Duncan and Pop in the playoffs. I don't see how 2007 would be any different from the norm.

[DMAVS41]

Great response.

No all nba teammates for Dirk. No legit championship 2nd option like all the other title teams have. And poor center play....

This is the dude that signed Haywood to the big contract. Signed Dampier over Nash. Went with Avery at the time of Dirk's athletic prime....

Those are horrible decisions.

Take a look at the 2nd best player and coaches of all the teams winning titles.

99 - Pop and Robinson
00/01/02 - PJ and Kobe
03 - Pop and Parker (yes...too bad Dirk wasn't as good as peak Duncan)
04 - Larry Brown Hamilton/Billups
05 - Pop and Manu
06 - Riley and Shaq
07 - Pop and Parker
08 - Rivers and Pierce
09/10 - PJ and Gasol
12/13 - Spo and Wade


The Mavs do not compare to that shit. You need a 2nd level star and at least quality coaching. All those coaches besides Spo are proven greats...and Spo is a quality coach in his own right, but even better with Riley in his ear all the time. And he had Wade/Bosh around a top 8 GOAT in his prime.

You tell me how Cuban is a brilliant team builder? All he did was make some big mistakes and cover it up with cutting checks. He spent a lot of money...that is what he did.

RC Buford is brilliant...GTFO with this Cuban shit.

He never once post 03 (the 03 team was great though) gave Dirk the kind of rosters that other franchises were winning with around their stars until 2011...and even then it's only because we won. Nobody thought that was a championship roster until we won and got hot...

[DMAVS41]

The Mavs have been a perennial playoff team for over a decade now, with 2 Finals appearances and a ring. I'd say Cuban and the front office did alright

Why are you so mad that someone complimented your favorite team's front office stability and sustained success?

Mad?

He is holding the Mavs to a championship standard...LOL

I love Cuban...he's helped turn around my team. But he also made a lot of mistakes and he's not a brilliant team builder. He just was willing to spend a lot of money.

And, when you have Dirk...you put just about any roster around him and you are going to get to around 50 wins. Shit..how much more evidence do we need. He's done it playing different styles with different players and coaches for like 14 years now.

It depends on the standard. If you are just saying that Cuban built playoff caliber rosters most years. Yes...absolutely. If you are talking about holding the Mavs to title level standards...Cuban absolutely did not build those types of teams after the 03 season. And really 03 was the only year he did it.

That is the difference. You can't bemoan the Mavs not winning..and then turn around and call Cuban and Nellie Jr. brilliant team builders. Just no. Now, if you are saying that they put 50 or so win talent on the teams? Absolutely...they did a great job of that.

But that wasn't the goal...the goal was to win. And you don't win many titles with the kind of teams and coaches they put around Dirk.

[BBallZen83]

Trolololol. Either Kobe doesn't win crap and he sucks, or he rivals 60's Celtics and cements GOAT. At least there is a sprinkling of reasonable comments as usual.

Personally, I think Kobe could have beasted on the 07 Spurs as in the past and definitely handled the Cavs in the finals. So 07 is a possibility. Only other Chip I see.

[Heavincent]

And, when you have Dirk...you put just about any roster around him and you are going to get to around 50 wins. Shit..how much more evidence do we need. He's done it playing different styles with different players and coaches for like 14 years now.

Knew this would come up. Plenty of teams throughout history have had a superstar and have jack shit to show for it. Magic had Shaq, Wolves had KG, Cavs had Lebron, etc. Cuban was good enough to keep Dirk around for his entire career and put enough talent around him to get 2 Finals appearances and a ring out of it.

[BBallZen83]

...And 3 chips as the help and 3 chips as the man definitely gives him an argument for top 5 IMO.

[robert de niro]

Too bad. Kobe didn't have at least an all-star level teammate for every single year of his 17 year career. Poor guy.

[DMAVS41]

Knew this would come up. Plenty of teams throughout history have had a superstar and have jack shit to show for it. Magic had Shaq, Wolves had KG, Cavs had Lebron, etc. Cuban was good enough to keep Dirk around for his entire career and put enough talent around him to get 2 Finals appearances and a ring out of it.

agreed.

you guys...and this site overall...really need to learn that there are differences in stuff. there are varying degrees.

Cuban is neither poor nor brilliant. Overall he did a good job putting talent around Dirk...he just didn't do a good job putting championship level talent and coaching around Dirk for much of his career post the 03 season.