Mavs waive Delonte West

Matt Moore CBS ‏@MattMooreCBS

The Mavericks have suspended Delonte West indefinitely, again, for conduct detrimental to the team. http://cbsprt.co/RlRAxV

Delonte West ‏@CharleeRedz13

Just ask u to talk with me....I'm a grown man...that's not above logic and reason...Before u go to the papers wit false information.

Delonte West ‏@CharleeRedz13

If I'm not what u lookin 4 ....That's fine...just dont kick me in my [Swearing is not permitted at Clublakers. You must edit this post prior to submitting.] on the way out the door....I didn't do anything to deserve that...

Delonte West ‏@CharleeRedz13

I love the city of Dallas..I love playin in the NBA...no I'm not off my meds...no I ain't on no bipolar trip...this real people lives..

Delonte West ‏@CharleeRedz13

And it just ain't right..imma leave it at that..no ill will towards no one...I'm just sittin here across from the arena wit tear in my eyes

gcclaker wrote:West has conduct issues. Sure he is a heady ballplayer but I am not sure if Bryant and the core could keep him in line.

therealdeal wrote:

gcclaker wrote:West has conduct issues. Sure he is a heady ballplayer but I am not sure if Bryant and the core could keep him in line.

Honestly, who cares?

If he gives us 50 solid games and the rest he's suspended, that's 50 solid games that we don't have to see Blake/Duhon/Morris playing.

therealdeal wrote:And hopefully the presence of Nash, Kobe, Dwight, and Pau can calm him down a bit. He's definitely a headcase and he's definitely off his rocker, but he's a talented young man.

We could use that.

Doc Brown wrote:

therealdeal wrote:And hopefully the presence of Nash, Kobe, Dwight, and Pau can calm him down a bit. He's definitely a headcase and he's definitely off his rocker, but he's a talented young man.

We could use that.

He's the perfect guard for Mike Brown. Delonte played some good ball in Cleveland with Potato.

juninho wrote:Mavs claim Eddy Curry off waivers. Maybe they buy out West?

The Mavericks wasted no time filling a need – and the roster spot that will be created when Delonte West is waived – by putting in a waiver claim for veteran NBA center Eddy Curry, a source said.

The deadline for finalizing the 15-man roster that will start the season is Monday. The Mavericks have until then to waive West, who is suspended from the team for the time being.

Curry, 29, was the fourth overall pick in the 2001 draft, the same one that produced Tyson Chandler.

The Mavericks could be without Chris Kaman for the start of the regular season. Kaman will miss the Friday preseason finale against Charlotte with a strained right calf muscle.

By signing Curry, the Mavericks will have a 16-player roster. But they are expected to jettison West, either by cutting him or finding a willing trade partner, before Monday’s roster deadline.

Curry was waived by the Spurs on Tuesday.

soondolee wrote:can we claim west if he is waved??

therealdeal wrote:Too bad this dude is off his rocker. He had a chance to come here and be successful and he chose to go back there...

But to be honest? I still want him over Blake and Duhon. Let's give Cuban a call right now.

DALLAS -- Suspended guard Delonte West will not return to the Dallas Mavericks, a source said.

The team is in the process of negotiating terms of West's departure with his agent, Dan Fegan, after the fiery guard was suspended Thursday for conduct detrimental to the team. It was the second time the team suspended West in two weeks, although the first suspension lasted only 21 hours, ending after West met with coach Rick Carlisle and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson.

The source said both suspensions stemmed from frequent behavioral missteps by West, an eight-year veteran who was a valuable role player for the Mavs last season, averaging 9.6 points and 3.2 assists while playing tenacious defense at both guard spots.

When reached by ESPNDallas.com on Thursday morning, West said he was being blamed for an argument between teammates after the Mavs' 88-76 exhibition loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night in Wichita, Kan. He said he got a text Thursday morning telling him not to come to the American Airlines Center for practice.

"There was an argument between two teammates in the locker room last night that didn't involve me," said West, who had two points, one assist and three turnovers in 21 minutes against the Thunder. "Somehow I'm being blamed for it. I had nothing to do with it. I don't know what's going on."

Mavs management was concerned about West's influence on the young players on the roster, the source said. There was a strong feeling that West could not contain his frustration over being signed to a one-year, veteran-minimum contract for the second consecutive season and being part of a logjam among reserve guards.

The options the team and Fegan are discussing include giving West a buyout, waiving him or reaching a mutual decision to part ways, in which West would be free to sign with another team but would not be paid by the Mavs.

The Mavs could also continue West's suspension without pay, but they would like to have an open roster spot after claiming center Eddy Curry off waivers and agreeing to non-guaranteed deals with swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts and center/forward Melvin Ely on Thursday.

West indicated on Twitter earlier Thursday that he didn't expect to return to Dallas.

"If I'm not what u lookin 4 ....That's fine...just dont kick me in my [Swearing is not permitted at Clublakers. You must edit this post prior to submitting.] on the way out the door....I didn't do anything to deserve that..." West tweeted, followed two minutes later by: "I love the city of Dallas..I love playin in the NBA...no I'm not off my meds...no I ain't on no bipolar trip...this real people lives....And it just ain't right..imma leave it at that..no ill will towards no one...I'm just sittin here across from the arena wit tear in my eyes."

Carlisle addressed his team briefly about West's suspension before Thursday's practice but declined to discuss it with the media, referring to a statement the team released saying it would have no further comment on the issue.

"We're losing a competitor," said Vince Carter, who planned to call his friend. "That's just plain and simple. He's a competitor. We all know that. You just hate to see everybody going through their differences, because that's one guy you can rely on."

Carlisle had suspended West for conduct detrimental to the team Oct. 15 after a locker-room outburst. The Mavericks reinstated West less than 24 hours later after he met with Carlisle and Nelson.

The team would not elaborate on the outburst at that time.

"There was an outstanding issue, and we needed to talk about it," Carlisle said after the initial suspension. "He needed to refocus, and he's in the process of doing that. It's going to be work. It's going to be daily work for him to do that, and I've got to help him and our organization is going to help him, too. It's not that big a deal."

West has had run-ins with the law in the past and revealed in 2009 that he suffers from bipolar disorder. He was suspended for the first 10 games of the 2010-11 season after pleading guilty to weapons charges in Maryland. Authorities say he was carrying three loaded guns and a knife when he was stopped for speeding on a three-wheel motorcycle in 2009.