Tehran, Iran- As the protests wage on and bullets fly, Mavericks General Manager Donn Nelson, back from his 3 week gambling binge in Las Vegas, is hard at work. From his tiny cramped office, he peers out of a small window covered with iron grating. As he looks at the tree lined hillside, basketball is on his mind. He seems to be unaware of the the mayhem on the streets below. This is the life of a General Manager in the NBA.
"Versatitliy...no no! God Damnit we need a specialist," Mr. Nelson yells to no one imparticular. He turns abruptly towards a small artisan's desk smashed up against the wall. Perched atop it it is a stack of books. Seemingly forgetting Matt Carroll, Mr.Nelson thumbs through a 1997 media guide when he spots the name of a young playmaker out of Villanova by the name of Tim Thomas. Known for his athleticism and overall skill, Thomas is a 2 way player so good he was traded for the legendary forward Keith Van Horn not once, but twice. Donn forgets the notion of adding a specialist and instincively decides to swing for the fences.
"Get Bob Meyers on the phone," Nelson shouts. He forgets he doesn't have a secretary for a moment. Details. One look at Nelson's 3 day old beard and his tired, steel blue eyes tells a story of a tough life, one saturated with the basketball focus that is required to forge a successful NBA NBA team.
"Operator, get me Meyers now!" Donn yells into an open stapler which needs refilling. Realizing the urgency of the situation, I hand him the reciever of a nearby phone, interjecting "That isn't a phone." Finally Nelson starts out "Meyers, buddy, how's Tim doing these days?" Apparently satisifed with the response, Nelson offers him a max contract over 9 years. "What I can't do that?" Nelson is dismayed. He knows that he will likely get outbid by the Lakers at this point.
"Listen, Bob, I'll give him the full Mid Level Exception. Dallas is a great place Bob. Ever been to Highland Park? They don't have places like that in L.A." Ironically, Nelson's pleas fall on deaf ears, much like the protests outside. This wasn't Meyer's first rodeo. He had the player and he was going to play hardball. Citing NBA rules, Mr. Meyers told Donn that he could only offer him a very small contract centered around what is left of the Maverick's mostly spent MLE. Nelson relents, realizing that to add a star you have to make sacrifices.
Tim Thomas was now a Maverick. His work done, Mr. Nelson walked outside in search of a casino, a cockfight, a horse race... anything. Caught up in the swell of protesters, Nelson mistakes the passion of the protestor's as joy over the Tim Thomas deal before he remembers. It would be at least a few hours until this one hit the presses.
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