Mavs aquisition

<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/ian_thomsen/news/2003/01/06/mavs_rigadeau/" target="top">sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/ian_thomsen/news/2003/01/06/mavs_rigadeau/</a><!--EZCODE LINK END-->Mavs seek to sign Italian league star <br>
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<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:blue;font-size:large;">Rigaudeau may be final piece in Dallas' NBA title puzzle</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--></strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>
The Dallas Mavericks are attempting to sign one of the premier players in Europe, veteran French guard Antoine Rigaudeau, in hopes that he will put them over the top in their quest for an NBA championship this season. <br>
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Rigaudeau is currently playing for an Italian league club, Virtus Bologna. Team president Marco Madrigali cleared the way for Rigaudeau to join the NBA by agreeing to negotiate a buyout of his remaining contract, worth more than $3 million through the 2003-04 season. <br>
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Rigaudeau is averaging 13.9 points per game and shooting 52.9 percent in the Italian League this season. But Virtus is 7-8 and losing money, and Madrigali has a close personal relationship with Rigaudeau. "The president told me that Antoine's career is like a mosaic, that this [an NBA career] is the one piece that is missing and this is his chance to get that piece," said Rigaudeau's New York-based agent, Kenny Grant, who flew to Italy Sunday to begin negotiating the buyout at the Mavs' request. <br>
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A Mavs official confirmed Monday that the team is hoping to work out a contract that would bring Rigaudeau, who is considered an NBA free agent, to Dallas by next week. Grant said the Mavs are discussing a multi-year deal through 2004-05. NBA league rules would would prevent Dallas from contributing more than $350,000 toward the amount Rigaudeau will pay to buy out his Italian contract. <br>
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Rigaudeau, 31, has been a star in Europe for more than a decade. He led France to the silver medal in the 2000 Olympics, and was a member of Virtus Bologna's 1998 Euroleague champion. <br>
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The 6-foot-7 Rigaudeau is a combo guard in Europe, but he has the size and shooting range to play point guard, shooting guard and small forward for Dallas. With an NBA-best 27-5 record and a three-game lead over Sacramento in the Western Conference, the Mavs want to strengthen their team for the postseason without making a trade that might endanger their chemistry. The Mavs first contacted Grant last week about Rigaudeau. <br>
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"We're not looking for someone to generate offense for himself, because we have those guys already," said the Mavs official. "We're looking for a guy who can bang down shots from the weak side, who knows how to play and who won't be afraid of a playoff atmosphere. He's at the perfect stage in his career to be able to step in and do that for us." <br>
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Though several NBA teams have been intrigued by Rigaudeau over the years, none had ever been willing to offer enough guaranteed money to lure him overseas. But Grant says that Rigaudeau is now willing to accept a cut in salary in return for the opportunity to play a meaningful role on a potential NBA championship team. <br>
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<p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.sahoops.net/SuperB2000.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><!--EZCODE BR START--><br /><!--EZCODE BR END-->[<!--EZCODE BR START--><br /><!--EZCODE BR END--><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0SwDfAqwVoSVoAA32Jm63CuxkhPlLG1RqItvUz6P0G2ZGqaXsdIsZvNTNsBVZMxIZNDjzIfjswtSZoXeps8JXpUlpuKtG4PcrvHag9GcALTXKmz0fMIgxVA/super-B20001.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub61.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937.showUserPublicProfile?gid=superb2000>Super B2000</A>  <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://www.dallaspowerhouse.com/images/logo_mavs2.gif" BORDER=0> at: 1/8/03 10:25:45 am<br></i>

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Rigaudeau may be final piece in Dallas' NBA title puzzle<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br>
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I don't know about that. I'm gonna have to wait and see how this dude plays. I'm sure Tony Parker knows him very well. <p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.sahoops.net/SuperB2000.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><!--EZCODE BR START--><br /><!--EZCODE BR END-->[<!--EZCODE BR START--><br /><!--EZCODE BR END--><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0SwDfAqwVoSVoAA32Jm63CuxkhPlLG1RqItvUz6P0G2ZGqaXsdIsZvNTNsBVZMxIZNDjzIfjswtSZoXeps8JXpUlpuKtG4PcrvHag9GcALTXKmz0fMIgxVA/super-B20001.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--></p><i></i>

The fact that he is 31 years old and just now making his debut in the NBA smacks of unimpactful journeyman to me. Hell, they've already got Nash, Nick the Prck (he's from my alma mater, so I'm just playing), what do they need another PG for? Or is this guy a combo guard? I know he's got size, but does he got the skillz ta pay tha billz? <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :dusty --><img src=http://www.myezboard.com/projects/ezboard/ezboard_userimages/Quimby.gif ALT=":dusty"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.sahoops.net/"><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0RwC7BM4UPN4vSzvW7PLtkWgZAuhj38V0TWfeUgTe5oMC4wVam*gsnDSWBHC8gBmc*VJHFg2ilkI*7kxgMXbp5uqYP9JIkWMH8B4h4FlPcaI/GD-final.jpg"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></a><!--EZCODE LINK END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--> </p><i></i>

As i remember the Spurs almost signed him a few years ago.<br>
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As far as i know Rigaudeau is far beyond his prime.A few years ago he was the best guard in Europe.He reached his top when he won the European champions with France.Since then he was injured and haven't played too much.<br>
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He <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>was</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> a star.He was a great ball handler,passer and a good shooter...<br>
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He can play PG or SG since he is 6'7.<br>
He will not help the Mavs IMO. <p> <br>
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Mavericks release guard Adam Harrington <br>
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Associated Press<br>
Jan. 7, 2003 11:52 a.m. <br>
DALLAS (AP)<br>
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The Dallas Mavericks waived rookie guard Adam Harrington on Tuesday.<br>
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Harrington, a free agent from Auburn, appeared in 13 games this season, averaging 0.8 points, 0.2 assists and 2.8 minutes. <br>
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He was the only player on the Mavericks' roster with a non-guaranteed contract. There are now 11 players on the active roster.<br>
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The Mavs have made room on their roster for Rigaudeau as of yesterday. <br>
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When Portland tried to buy a title by stocking their roster with high end, name brand players (and no concern for the luxury tax) it was amusing - mostly because it failed so miserably.<br>
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But Dallas, a much more astute organization, is setting a troubling precedent. The whole purpose of a salary cap and luxury tax was to keep rich owners/teams from simply outbidding other teams. Hmmmm............<br>
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The description of the man's game sounds like he's going to be a Euro Walt Williams.<br>
They already have Walt, though he's had a hard time staying healthy.<br>
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It does give them some kharma against us, since he's <br>
a taemmate of Manu's (Kinder) and Tony's (French NT).<br>
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The Mavericks' zone is one of the untold stories of the NBA this year.<br>
He should fit right into that.<br>
I expect a Sports Illustrated or Sporting News handling of the Dallas zone soon--if those publications are worth their salt.<br>
Maybe the writers are waiting for the Dallas defense to cool off, which it could.<br>
It would be a good story going into the playoffs, because though that zone has worked well in the regular season, how well will it work in the playoffs with the better competition and full team-specific scouting and preparation?<br>
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You could make a strong argument that the dallas zone is the story of the season in the NBA thus far.<br>
We all already knew they could score. <p></p><i></i>

I already posted this article yesterday:<br>
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