By Marc Stein

ESPN.com

 

The Dallas Mavericks, while still hoping to convince the Los Angeles Lakers to send them Shaquille O'Neal, have completed a trade on the eve of the NBA draft that could have additional significance, ESPN.com has learned.

 

 

The Mavericks, according to league sources, have acquired the No. 5 overall pick in Thursday's draft from Washington as part of a package that features Antawn Jamison, the newly minted Sixth Man of the Year, as the prize catch for the Wizards.

 

 

The other players involved in the deal were not immediately known, but it is anticipated that that Mavericks will receive two players from Washington. Sources, however, say the Mavericks hope to use the No. 5 pick -- or possibly another player or players acquired in the deal -- to sweeten the package they can offer the Lakers in exchange for the disgruntled O'Neal. It is also possible, sources say, that the Mavericks will pursue additional trades with the other pieces they land from Washington.

 

 

It is not known when the trade will be announced.

 

 

ESPN.com reported late Tuesday that, according to Lakers sources, L.A. refuses to deal O'Neal to their Western Conference rival unless Dallas makes Dirk Nowitzki available. Mavericks sources maintain that Nowitzki remains off-limits, but the prospect of adding the No. 5 pick to a package that could include point guard Steve Nash (via sign-and-trade), Antoine Walker (who has just one year left on his contract) and promising rookie Josh Howard should at least get the Lakers' attention.

 

 

If the Lakers do eventually consent to trade O'Neal, in the wake of Shaq's demand for a trade last week, their goal would be injecting their roster with quality youth and depth to surround Kobe Bryant.

 

 

If the Mavericks can't swing a subsequent deal for the No. 5 pick, they will undoubtedly weigh the merits of drafting Pavel Podkolzine, the 7-foot-5 center from Russia.

 

 

Jamison's appeal to the Wizards is obvious. Instead of gambling on more youth at No. 5 with an inexperienced roster already, Washington gets an established frontcourt scorer who should contend for an All-Star spot in the East after accepting a bench role without complaint in Dallas.

 

 

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

Pretty easy deal for the Mavs, they didn't need Jamison.

Wizards might be good with Jamison, Hughes, Arenas, and Stackhouse. Even if Shaq goes to the Mavs, I don't think they can win a championship.

i just saw on the bottomline that aldridge said that stackhouse is apparently involved

Stackhouse, Laettner, and the 5th pick for Antawn Jamison.

 

Kinda stupid by both teams if you ask me, unless they turn around and move Stackhouse and Laettner's stupid contract.

Damn I was hopin the Wizards would have an all-ACC team. They've been close the last couple of years.

the mavs are stupid.

 

 

 

this is all being done on a wing and a prayer that they can convince the lakers to take all their garbage for shaq.

Wizards might be good with Jamison, Hughes, Arenas, and Stackhouse. Even if Shaq goes to the Mavs, I don't think they can win a championship.

are you kidding dude? You add Shaq to Dallas's mix and...move b***h, get out the way!!!

shaq needs a player like kobe to take the heat off him.

 

 

if he goes to dallas the list of failures for the mavericks will increase and get even more intense.

the mavs are stupid.

 

 

 

this is all being done on a wing and a prayer that they can convince the lakers to take all their garbage for shaq.

I dont see how it's stupid for the Mavs...even if they dont get Shaq, I dont think the trade hurts...they trade a 6th man for Stackhouse, Laetner, and a 5th choice? That dont hurt too much.

they trade a swingman in jamison for another swingman in stackhouse and more crap.

 

 

the mavs will draft some guy that cant play defense with the 5th pick also.

Wizards are officially the stupidest team of all time. (With the Clippers right behind) They've gotten rid of so many good players for so much crap. This "starting line-up" probably won't even start more than 30 games together.

Wizards might be good with Jamison, Hughes, Arenas, and Stackhouse. Even if Shaq goes to the Mavs, I don't think they can win a championship.

are you kidding dude? You add Shaq to Dallas's mix and...move b***h, get out the way!!! Maverick's don't play D. These days, defensive win games.

I think the Wizards did pretty well.

Stackhouse didn't want to play for them and was always injured. And Laettner's always suspended for smoking up with JJ Redick.

Jamison can play the 4, Kwame the 5 and opens up more playing time for their lot of guards (Hughes, Hayes, Dixon, Blake, Arenas, etc.)

 

 

Of course Jamison will probably injure himself or the #5 pick will become a superstar.

stackhouse is very overrated.

good move by the Mavs.. sweeten up the deal to get Shaq to Dallas

they trade a swingman in jamison for another swingman in stackhouse and more crap.

 

 

the mavs will draft some guy that cant play defense with the 5th pick also.

sorry, jamison doesnt equal stackhouse. twon is much better than him

and besides, laetner has only done one thing in his whole career ( :rasta )

 

financially this makes sense for dallas. they give up a big contract and get the fifth pick, which they could use within the next 24 hours for shaq, and even if that doesnt work out, they still have the #5 pick

 

but this makes sense for the wizards too. they get a class act (went to the bench without complaints for the mavs) who can flat out score. he doesnt take the game over, he just goes with the flow of the game and can score 20 a night. any pick this year after howard may or may not turn out well

they trade a swingman in jamison for another swingman in stackhouse and more crap.

 

 

the mavs will draft some guy that cant play defense with the 5th pick also.

I do not think that this lineup will fail miserably if it contains Shaq, Nowitzki, Finley, and Stackhouse. That is a very good 4some that would be my pick to win the West.

I thought the Shaq trade was including Nowitzki???

 

I'm sure glad the Pistons got rid of Stackhouse, they got Rip in return. :thumbup

No they said they would ship the no. 5 pick instead of Dirk.

 

I am glad Cuban is sticking to his guns and not moving Dirk.

No they said they would ship the no. 5 pick instead of Dirk.

 

I am glad Cuban is sticking to his guns and not moving Dirk.

O.k. I never heard that.

 

Sounds like a great deal. I would love to have Dirk and Shaq in the same frontcourt. Dirk seems like a team player unlike the great Kobe Bryant...

Your right....Kobe gets what he wants:

 

No Phil

 

No Shaq

 

A Max Contract

 

And 20 years probabtion!

:lol

this is all being done on a wing and a prayer that they can convince the lakers to take all their garbage for shaq.

basically

 

It'd be funny if Shaq doesn't even end up in Dallas, the Mavs still wouldn't be bad off w/out Shaq but definitely not championship contenders

lakers should really consider trading shaq for nash and the #5 pick. its obvious theyve come to the end of the line with shaq and they could use the #5 pick to inject some youth in there

 

dont be surprised if dallas takes the player the lakers want, then trade him after the draft