Blitz

Mavericks have also signed DeJuan Blair. I like the pickup. He'll fit better than Brand did because he is much more of a pick and roll than a pick and pop guy. I actually don't mind this Mavericks team. it is substantially better than last years' squad. Let Carlisle do his work with the guys and I could see us winning a playoff series.

Mavericks signed Samuel Dalembert. Automatically the second best center to play next to Dirk in his career.

Bynum signed with the Cavaliers. Heard the Mavericks will next pursue get turned down by Samuel Dalembert. EDIT: Just saw Marc Stein say that neither Dallas nor Atlanta ever formally offered Bynum a contract. Guess he didn't impress anyone.

I don't really ''get'' why Cuban has gone for Devin Harris. With José Calderón pegged as the starting PG, and with Larkin probably becoming 2nd to learn from Calderon I don't see where Harris would fit in. He doesn't score as much as he did 6 years ago and he doesn't get as much assists as he did back then. Granted, if there is one team that can revive a career it's with the Mavs, but you would think Cuban would rather throw those 3M a year towards a new center instead. Or at least try to get a swingman to cover VC and Shawn... I've heard he'll see most of his playing time at SG. I don't know if he or Carter will start, but either way, he's a quality depth guy for both the SG and PG positions. He can't be much worse than Collison was last year. As for the Bynum talk, I think the team that ends up giving him the most guaranteed money will get him. I've heard the Mavs could offer him a pretty lucrative deal, but completely protected with some injury clauses. I've heard Cleveland is willing to give alot of guaranteed money for a one year contract, like the Mavs offered Tyson Chandler before he left.

Devin Harris returns to the Mavs. 3 yrs/$9M

Would Josh Smith fit as a three? I haven't really seen him play much, but his size and willingness to shoot seems like it could be a fit at the three. That would be a massive rotation with Drummond-Monroe-Smith. EDIT: Nevermind, you answered it as I was posting.

Chicago definitely needs the offensive help, even with Rose coming back. Hinrich would make a good backup to both Rose and Ellis, though. If they could manage to keep him, and let Nate walk, I'd do that. Marcus Teague showed he isn't ready to handle the offense while Rose is resting, which he should do alot of early in the season.

Calderon is a way better fit than Jennings would have been here. If we could get Asik, I'd like that move as well. We just don't have anything worth giving Houston, unless they make it a salary dump. Asik-Dirk-Marion-Carter-Calderon with Wright, Brand, Crowder, Larkin, Morrow and Beaubois is definitely good enough to make the playoffs. That squad could probably climb as high as 5, maybe even 4. Definitely not a title contender, though.

My reaction to some tweets indicating the Mavericks might go after Andrew Bynum with a four year contract:

For $12M? Smells like a power move to get Howard next. Jefferson and Biedrins to Utah. No idea what they're thinking. GSW still has Bogut ($13M) and either Barnes or Thompson ($2-3M each) they can move to LA in a sign and trade. Dwight Howard-David Lee-Andre Iguodala-Harrison Barnes or Klay Thompson-Steph Curry. That's a pretty wicked starting five. Bench will predicate how good the team will be, but if Jarrett Jack comes back along with Brandon Rush, and Draymon Green that's not a bad eight man rotation along with whoever else they get on minimum contracts.

I feel like between Dexter and Walter White, I want Walter White to get caught, or die, and kind of redeem his character in a way. Dexter, on the other hand, should just end completely dark by killing Deb or something.

New season starts in a week and a half. Anyone have thoughts/predictions? I'm not nearly as excited for this as I am for Breaking Bad Season 5b or Homeland Season 3, but I'll watch to finish it off.

Nothing really prompted it, I'm just a huge fan and can't wait for Django Unchained to release, not to mention The Great Gatsby. If you're avoiding Leo movies, you're missing out! Since I never really gave my favorite film, I'll choose Catch Me If You Can, but like someone else said his performance in The Aviator is probably his best to date.

The Basketball Diaries [1995] Romeo + Juliet [1996] Titanic [1997] - Won Blockbuster Entertainment Award's Favorite Actor - Drama - Won MTV Movie Award's Best Male Performance - Nominated for Golden Satellite Award's Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama The Man in the Iron Mask [1998] The Beach [2000] Gangs of New York [2002] Catch Me if You Can [2002] - Nominated for Golden Globe's Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominated for MTV Movie Award's Best Male Performance The Aviator [2004] - Nominated for Academy Award's Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role - Nominated for BAFTA's Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role - Nominated for Critics Choice Award's Best Actor - Won Golden Globe's Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Won MTV Movie Award's Best Male Performance - Nominated by Screen Actor's Guild Award's Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Lead Role - Nominated for Teen Choice Award's Choice Movie Actor: Drama The Departed [2006] - Won Austin Film Critics Award for Best Actor - Nominated for BAFTA's Best Actor in a Lead Role - Nominated for Critics Choice Award's Best Actor - Won COFCA's Best Actor - 2nd place in COFCA's Actor of the Year - Nominated for CFCA's Best Actor - Won Satellite Award's Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Nominated for Screen Actor's Guild Award's Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role - Nominated for Teen Choice Award's Choice Movie Actor: Drama Blood Diamond [2006] - Nominated for Academy Award's Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role - Nominated for Critics Choice Award's Best Actor - 2nd place in COFCA's Actor of the Year - Nominated for Golden Globe's Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominated for Satellite Award's Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominated for Screen Actor's Guild Award's Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Lead Role - Nominated for Teen Choice Award's Choice Movie Actor: Drama Body of Lies [2008] Revolutionary Road [2008] - Nominated for Golden Globe's Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominated for Satellite Award's Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama Shutter Island [2010] - Nominated for Saturn Award's Best Actor - Nominated for COFCA's Actor of the Year - Won Teen Choice Award's Choice Movie Actor: Horror/Thriller Inception [2010] - Nominated for Saturn Award's Best Actor - Nominated for COFCA's Best Actor - Nominated for the Seirra Award's Best Actor - Nominated for Satellite Award's Best Actor in a Motion Picture J. Edgar [2011] - Nominated for SAGA Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor - Nominated for Satellite Award's Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Nominated for Golden Globe's Best Performance by an Actor in a Drama - Nominated for Critics Choice Award's Best Actor