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DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki is willing to hop on a plane at a moments notice. Mark Cuban wont have "Shark Tank" tapings that interfere with recruiting. The Dallas Mavericks and their star player and owner are ready for a run at Dwight Howard when free agency opens late Sunday night. Its been two years since the Mavericks dismantled key parts of their only championship team in the name of salary cap space. They are a summer removed from getting spurned by point guard Deron Williams -- while Cuban was on the set of his reality TV show -- in their first big pitch with money to spend. If Howard does the same thing, Dallas isnt planning to wait another summer to give Nowitzki some help so the 35-year-old German can try to remain relevant in the championship picture for his last couple of years as an elite player. "We made it clear to everybody that were exploring different options," Cuban told reporters during practice for Nowitzkis celebrity baseball game Friday. "Its just not one approach. Last year it was one-year deals because we wanted to get to this year, not just because of the big names but there were other names that we really liked. This year its not going to be about one-year deals." A second straight season with a bundle of expiring or one-year contracts cost Dallas a 12-season playoff streak when Nowitzki missed the first two months after knee surgery. At his age, he might need a headliner more than a sidekick, but he definitely needs one or the other. "If Dwight or whoever says no, weve got to have some other options," Nowitzki said. "We dont want to get too excited for one thing." First things first, though -- and thats Howard. Cuban said meetings are already set in Los Angeles with "a couple of different players." Howards future with the Los Angeles Lakers appears much murkier than point guard Chris Pauls potential return to the Los Angeles Clippers. Thats because the Clippers grabbed coach Doc Rivers from Boston in a deal that cost them a future first-round pick. Nowitzki has already reached out to Howard by phone, and knows what can happen when he has a defensive-minded centre around the basket. That was Tyson Chandler in 2011, when the Mavericks won the title but chose financial flexibility over bringing back Chandler on a long-term contract under the new labour deal. Dallas hasnt won a playoff game since, and is now remaking the roster for the third straight year. "I guess hes just weighing out his options," Nowitzki said of his conversation with Howard. "He didnt really say anything newsworthy. Im sure hes got a couple of meetings set up for whenever that might be and hopefully the Mavs are one of those teams and well go from there." If Howard doesnt return to the Lakers, Dallas, Houston and Atlanta -- his hometown -- are considered the most likely destinations. Players cant sign before July 10. The Mavericks signalled during the draft Thursday night that free agency is their first priority by trading down twice to save cap space. They ended up with the 18th pick in Miami point guard Shane Larkin, the son of Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, and like him enough that they could keep him. With or without Larkin, the Mavericks have more work to do to clear enough room to give Howard a maximum contract in the range of $20 million for his first season. President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson says the team can get there, and that cap manoeuvring was why 2012 first-round pick Jared Cunningham, another point guard, was included in draft-night dealings. "The financial piece of it is pretty critical at this juncture," Nelson said after the draft. "Weve got to go into the off-season with the decks clear and clean." The Mavericks have just seven players on the roster, Larkin and second-round pick Ricky Ledo of Providence included, and only two starters in Nowitzki and forward Shawn Marion. Larkin and Ledo dont figure to start, so Dallas presumably is still looking for front-line players at point guard, shooting guard and centre after the experiment of Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo and Chris Kaman didnt work last season. Mayo looks like the only one of those three with a remote chance of returning, and even that is unlikely with him expected to get better offers. "Were trying to accumulate high-quality, high-energy, high-motor, skilled players to put around Dirk Nowitzki," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "Weve got to enhance his ability to do what he does and weve got to enhance the opportunity to keep him playing as long as possible because he loves to play and hes great. So thats a priority, and it will continue to be one this summer." With or without Dwight Howard. Sean Davis Steelers Jersey . The Islanders own the fifth pick in the 2014 draft but had until June 1 to decide whether to keep it or defer to 2015. The selection was packaged in the teams deal for Thomas Vanek on October 27, 2013. Custom Pittsburgh Steelers Jerseys .Former NBA forward Morris Peterson has been added to TSNs Toronto Raptors broadcast team. http://www.steelersrookiestore.com/Steelers-James-Washington-Jersey/ . With Washington teammate Nene drawing double-teams coming off his big game against the Lakers, Gortat scored 25 points on 11-of-12 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Wizards to a 100-92 win in overtime over Milwaukee on Wednesday night. Chukwuma Okorafor Steelers Jersey . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. Mason Rudolph Jersey . Coming off a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal endured another demoralizing result after rallying for a 2-1 lead -- only to concede a fluke equalizer. NEW YORK -- Curtis Granderson hit his first leadoff homer in five years, Carlos Torres and two other relievers filled in admirably for an ailing Daisuke Matsuzaka and the New York Mets beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 Sunday. Bobby Abreu added an RBI double in the first and Daniel Murphy had a sacrifice fly in the second against a shaky Ian Kennedy (5-8), helping New York take the rubber game in a series between the two worst hitting teams in the majors. On a day Mets manager Terry Collins said he needed seven innings from Matsuzaka to help cover for a depleted bullpen, the right-hander barely made it through an inning because of a severe upset stomach. Making his fourth start of the season, Matsuzaka was visited on the mound by Collins, a trainer and a translator after a two-out walk to Seth Smith. The 34-year-old Japanese pitcher took several deep breaths before remaining in the game. He got the next batter, Chase Headley, on a groundout to end the inning. Matsuzaka gingerly walked off the mound after one inning, shook hands with Collins and headed straight for the clubhouse. Torres (3-4) relieved Matsuzaka to start the second, and the late-inning reliever looked unsettled. He gave up three straight singles, including Rene Riveras RBI infield hit. But he didnt give up another hit in four innings, tossing a season-high 63 pitches. Vic Black pitched two scoreless innings and Jenrry Mejia made his first appearance since leaving Thursday nights game with a stiff back, working two hitless innings for his seventh save. While the Mets used five extra-base hits -- two doubles by Lucas Duda -- inn improving to 5-9 for June, San Diego fell to 3-10 for the month.dddddddddddd Batting .216 as a team coming in, the Padres made several mental mistakes on the basepaths. Manager Bud Black had several words for pinch-hitter Alexi Amarista when he returned to the dugout in the seventh inning after failing to run out a grounder that Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores bobbled. Atop the order for the first time this season, Granderson sent a 1-0 pitch from Kennedy halfway up the porch in right field for his first leadoff homer since 2009 with Detroit and 25th overall. Murphy then doubled to left field, David Wright walked and Abreu doubled in a run. But the Mets failed to add on against a shaky Kennedy, stranding runners on second and third. Wright had an opportunity to give the Mets some cushion in the sixth, but he popped out to right field with the bases loaded. The Mets are now 11 for 68 (.162) with the bases jammed. NOTES: Kennedy gave up seven hits and three runs in 5 1-3 innings. ... The Padres placed RHP Nick Vincent on the 15-day DL, retroactive to June 12, because of right shoulder fatigue. They selected the contract of RHP Blaine Boyer from Triple-A El Paso to fill Vincents spot. ... Mets minor league RHP Rafael Montero left his start for Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday night in the first inning because of a left oblique strain. The Mets completed the trade that sent Ike Davis to Pittsburgh on April 18. They received 19-year-old LHP Blake Taylor, the Pirates second-round selection (51st overall) in 2013. ... The Mets next face the Cardinals in St. Louis and San Diego heads to Seattle for Monday games. Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Cheapest College Jerseys Sale Cheap Football Jerseys China Nike NFL Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys From China MLB Jerseys Outlet Canada Wholesale NBA Jerseys Canada Store Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Canada ' ' '