By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com
The Mavericks need to get more athletic and stronger at their big positions and are gauging free-agent possibilities to that end.
But closer to home, a pair of players who may be battling for playing time next season were showing their stuff Tuesday night.
And in Pops Mensah-Bonsu's case, his stuffs, his blocks and his defense.
Mensah-Bonsu turned in the performance of the night as the Mavericks' summer-league team made its debut with a 105-100 victory over China's national team in an exhibition at Moody Coliseum.
Mensah-Bonsu has more than a clue about what will keep him on the Mavericks' roster next season. Offensive rebounding, defense and blocked shots are the keys.
The fact that he overshadowed rookie Nick Fazekas, who also plays power forward, doesn't hurt Mensah-Bonsu's standing.
"That's what they've told me to work on from the start," he said. "I have to be an active, energy guy. That's what I do. Offensive rebounding and defense."
And some scoring, too. Mensah-Bonsu had a string of highlights against China on his way to a team-high 24 points. Tops on the list was a catch of a missed Fazekas 3-pointer. He followed it with a monster slam-dunk on which he was fouled for a three-point play.
Of his 10 rebounds, eight came on the offensive end. Fazekas finished with 14 points and three rebounds.
One of the quality moments for the 6-9 Mensah-Bonsu came in the second quarter when he rejected Yi Jianlian, the No. 6 overall pick in last week's draft.
The nice-sized crowd at Moody Coliseum roared its approval.
Mavericks guard J.J. Barea drives past Wang Zhizhi of the Chinese National Team.
MIKE STONE / Special to DMN
Mavericks guard J.J. Barea drives past Wang Zhizhi of the Chinese National Team.
The Mavericks will be taking a good, long look at Mensah-Bonsu this summer, as well as point guard J.J. Barea. The team must decide in August whether to exercise options for next season on both. The decision on Barea must come by Aug. 1. For Mensah-Bonsu, it's Aug. 31.
If they are not guaranteed a second season, they will be come unrestricted free agents.
"I want to make it so there is no doubt in their mind," he said. "I don't want any gray area. I definitely want to be a Maverick next season."
Waiting on a decision: The Mavericks have hopes of signing free-agent P.J. Brown, but first they must wait for him to return from a family vacation.
After that, Brown's agent said Tuesday that the 6-11 center-forward will make a decision on whether he is retiring.
For now, the Mavericks are talking to a slew of agents every day but are waiting for situations to evolve.
"It's like a sailboat in a storm," said Donnie Nelson, president of basketball operations. "You don't always know which way the wind is going to blow."
The Mavericks are talking daily to Jeff Schwartz, the agent for Jerry Stackhouse, and the two sides are making slow progress, he said.
MAVERICKS 105, CHINA 100
CHINA – ZhiZhi 10-17 4-4 28, Fangyu 5-11 4-6 17, Jianlian 3-8 5-6 11, Ke 4-5 0-0 10, Wei 3-6 1-2 9, Lei 2-3 2-2 8, Shipeng 2-7 2-2 7, Jianghua 1-4 4-6 6, Zhengdong 0-1 2-2 2, Jimhui 1-2 0-0 2, Xiaoyu 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 31-65 24-30 100.
DALLAS – Mensah-Bonsu 8-14 8-10 24, Tucker 7-11 0-0 17, Fazekas 6-12 1-2 14, Bass 3-6 7-10 13, Barea 4-10 3-4 11, Ager 5-10 0-0 11, Terry 2-5 0-0 5, Diop 2-5 0-0 4, Gordon 1-4 0-0 2, Newson 1-1 0-0 2, Dos Santos 1-1 0-0 2, Green 0-0 0-0 0, Basden 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 40-80 19-28 105.
Halftime–Dallas 50-47. Third quarter–China 74-77. 3-point goals–China 14-32 (ZhiZhi 4-6, Fangyu 3-7, Lei 2-3, Ke 2-3, Wie 2-4, Shipeng 1-5, Zhengdong 0-1, Jianghua 0-1, Xiaoyu 0-1); Dallas 6-15 (Tucker 3-3, , Terry 1-2, Ager 1-3, , Fazekas 1-4, Barea 0-3). Rebounds–China 34 (Jianlian 10); Dallas 45 (Mensah-Bonsu 10). Assists–China 18 (Wei, Fangyu, ZhiZhi 3); Dallas 20 (Barea 8). Fouled out–None. Total fouls–China 26; Dallas 26.
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