The Knicks have released ineffectual center Samuel Dalembert as part of their house cleaning–or demolition, you might say. The 6’11” Dalembert cleared waivers and is free to sign with any NBA team except the Dallas Mavericks, where he played effective minutes last year in a reserve role. Dalembert can’t return to Dallas because of a rule that Dallas’s own previous wheeling and dealing put into effect. In 2008 the Mavs were set to trade scoring guard Jerry Stackhouse to New Jersey, which planned to release him, with Stackhouse planning a nearly immediate return to the Mavs after his release.
Because of that deal, which Stackhouse tipped his hand on, the league has since said that a player has to be gone for at least a year before returning to a team. Too soon then for a Dalembert-Dallas reunion. It’s not likely the Mavs would have grabbed Dalembert back anyway. But he’ll probably end up on the bench of another team that figures to be a contender. Experienced 6’11” big men with something to prove aren’t a dime a dozen out there.
