NBA

My, But The Eddy Curry Era In Dallas Ended Quickly

Look, we knew that Eddy Curry’s possible-NBA-starter status wouldn’t result in him magically taking over the Mavs, stepping up in Dirk Nowitzki’s absence and threatening Dirk’s status as the team’s preeminent player. But two games before getting the boot? Even the biggest Curry skeptic (note: every person on earth is currently in a 7 billion-plus-way tie as the biggest Eddy Curry skeptic) had to be a little shocked when they saw this bit of news earlier today:

Sources told ESPN.com’s Marc Stein that the Mavericks are planning to waive center Eddy Curry to make roster room for incoming power forward Troy Murphy.

With Chris Kaman soon to return from a calf injury, sources said, Dallas decided that it needed more of a stretch power forward like Murphy as cover for Dirk Nowitzki than another back-to-the-basket player.

Well… okay, that makes sense, actually. But just a couple nights ago Curry at least looked like he could be a serviceable backup after posting seven points and four rebounds in 17 minutes in the shorthanded Mavs’ win over the Lakers. Instead, his stay with the Mavs ended even sooner than his preseason run with the Spurs. Clearly, the lesson here: things just don’t work out for Eddy Curry in Texas. Put him somewhere else and he’s sure to thrive.

Nah, just kidding, this probably proves that things aren’t destined to work out anywhere for Curry at this point. And if he’s destined to nothing but fits and starts and biscuit fantasies for the balance of his NBA days, that at least kind of sucks, doesn’t it? Curry doesn’t even turn 30 until next month, and while he never exactly lived up to his potential, it was only 5-6 years ago that he was averaging almost 20 a night. I looked at his career stats today and was a little shocked to remember that while he was always something of a joke, he has been a pretty effective player at times.

And sure, it was only one game (and it was followed by a game in which he played only eight minutes and posted two points and no rebounds), but it looked like there was reason to believe Curry could still play – enough reason that he’d last more than 1/41 of the season before being cast aside – cast aside for a guy in Troy Murphy who’s barely played over the last couple seasons, at that. Maybe some other team looks past Curry’s career averages of 5.2 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game as a seven-footer and takes a flier on the potential still seemingly lurking within. But if no one does… man, this is a pretty inglorious way to go out.

Photo by Kevin Jairaj for US Presswire, via