Will The First Mini-Camp Yield A New Maverick?

By Crystal Carroll
www.friends.mavs.com

During any given season there is pencil pushing going on behind the scenes trying to find on paper just who will be the missing link for the team to take them one step further in the playoffs. Will new talent be found in the draft? Who are the free agents that will perhaps be the best fit? What is missing and who needs to be addressed when it comes to trades?

It is an endless battle, for that reason the Mavericks looked into the potential of solving that ongoing question with their two day free agent mini-camp Thursday and Friday.

But go figure - things were not stacked in the favor of finding that answer once again as only a handful of the 20 players were able to make it to both days of the camp due to mother nature, perhaps she is in fact a Spurs fan.

While a lot of prospect came out of the camp, it was not set in stone that a selection would be made, instead noting that while there was a lot of energy flowing through the invited roster of players, but a second camp would more than likely be extended in the near future, perhaps as quickly as next week.

"it is hard to make a decision in a two day period but the guys came in and did a good job," commented Coach Dwane Casey.

Each of the players in attendance held either NBA or overseas play under their belt, a talented roster each with unique talents and for the most part a youthful group. Amidst the largest hyped player in attendance was the Japanese Michael Jordan, Yuta Tabuse, small in structure at only 5'9" but coming with his own paparazzi to the camp.

In addition to Tabuse, Shan Foster seemed to be on the tip of the tongues of coaches following his playing in the European league. Foster, who was drafted 51st overall in the 2008 Draft by the Mavericks has seen his game dramatically improve throughout his time overseas feeling it made him grow into a more mature player over the 2008-09 season in Italy.