The media time stamps tell a story. Or, actually, they tell dozens of different stories.

As it relates to the Dallas Mavericks' summer shopping plan, we've known about the interest in Kemba Walker since ... forever. Same with Dallas "running out ground balls'' on the likes of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson. But this week came another pair of chapters in the Mavs' top-priority plans: A chapter about Dallas' alleged interest in Al Horford. And then another chapter as DBcom and others started investigating the idea of Dallas (definitely) loving Kemba while also (maybe) loving Horford. Maybe even as a tandem "get''?

First, on Tuesday, came a Woj 9:22 a.m. report that Horford was opting out of Boston - but with the intent of re-upping there:

Boston Celtics center Al Horford will not exercise the $30.1M option on his 2019-20 contract and become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN. Horford and the Celtics both have interest in working toward a new deal in July, sources tell ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 18, 2019

But just seven hours later, the plan to stay in Boston fell apart ...

Boston and Al Horford had discussed contract scenarios, but the gulf is too great for sides to believe they can close on a new deal now, league sources tell ESPN. Horford is prepared to enter the free agency to find a three or four year deal elsewhere. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 18, 2019

... Causing others around the league, naturally, to wonder where he might land. Two hours after the Woj report, Fish followed up with a tweet that was meant to indicate that the Mavs were not prioritizing the pricy Horford.

#Mavs have great respect for #Celtics FA Al Horford but at 33 he doesn’t ideally fit the rebuild timeline here. pic.twitter.com/wwJehfahDp — mike fisher ? (@fishsports) June 19, 2019



In essence, DallasBasketball.com’s Mike Fisher broke the Dallas Mavericks’ angle on Horford before it even became an angle. And maybe that could have been the end of it. Instead, it was only the beginning of a week-long saga that has media jousting, teams accusing, agents fibbing and fans wondering what to believe.

Indeed, by noontime the next day, no one else had connected Dallas to Horford in any way. Fish wrote a full story on how Horford was not Dallas' primary target and that at age 33, was not Dallas' ideal when it came to giving big money and four years.

Shortly thereafter, though, Shams Charania was on the air reporting exactly the opposite of what Fish (and soon after, what Marc Stein) sources were saying, Shams claiming that Dallas was among the favorites to land Horford ...

(@ShamsCharania via NBA XM Radio) Favorites for Horford -- Lakers, Mavericks, Sixers, Rockets — NBA Free Agency Sleuth Austin (@AustinVillanova) June 19, 2019

... And The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor upped the ante, reporting that Dallas was THE favorite to land Horford! His exact quote: "The Mavericks are considered favorites to land Celtics free-agent big man Al Horford, according to league sources.''

Celtics free agent big man Al Horford is expected to draw interest from the Mavericks, Lakers, and Clippers, according to league sources. @ringer @ringernba https://t.co/7e3zBkIz2L — Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 19, 2019

That's ... strong. Fish likes to point out that we all can get sidetracked by "semantics.'' His example here, as stated earlier this week on 105.3 The Fan: "It's ridiculous for me to say 'Dallas doesn't like Horford.' Because of course they 'like' him. But every 'like' comes with a price level. If they are going to spend their $30 million on a single 'big fish,' I'm told Horford is not that prioritized 'big fish.'''

Again, though, The Ringer didn't mince words here. "The Mavericks are considered favorites to land Celtics free-agent big man Al Horford, according to league sources.''

That report created a media earthquake that caused Fish and Stein to double-down on their "Horford isn't the guy'' reporting. Fish and Stein both also shot down the notion that a "Horford promise'' (which both of them mentioned earlier in the week as a logical motivation for him to break up with Boston) was not a "promise'' coming from Dallas. What Stein had done earlier in the week, though, without pinpointing a team, was pinpointing a number:

The belief making the front-office rounds tonight is that Al Horford already knows there’s a four-year contract worth in excess of $100 million waiting out there for him June 30 .. knowledge that led to Horford’s talks with the Celtics dissolving — Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 19, 2019

Now, $100 million over four years is large. But it can fit better and is more palatable than something larger. Yet something larger is indeed what the number became once Brian Windhorst, Jackie MacMullan and Tim McMahon teamed up on an ESPN podcast on Friday.

The pod "suggested'' it and "hinted'' at it and even used the phrase "rumored speculation'' (which is sort of a new one on us) but in the end, the listener to that podcast is surely left with the impression that Horford does indeed have in hand a “four-year $112 million promise'' from the Mavs. Tim specifically promoted the podcast's Horford/Mavs takes:

Also touch on all the smoke from Al Horford/Mavs rumors ... https://t.co/AS4dyZ3IcP — Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 21, 2019

This is a roundtable featuring Tim (who knows his Mavs) and Jackie (who knows her Celtics). This podcast carried weight. By late in the day Friday, though, a Stein tweet acknowledged the “four-year $112 million promise'' but insisted again, aligning with Fish, that this is not a Dallas promise.

Numerous teams and agents believe Al Horford has a four-year offer awaiting him in free agency worth an estimated $112 million. Sources with knowledge of the Mavericks’ thinking continue to insist that such a deal will NOT be coming from Dallas. Free agency starts in eight days — Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 21, 2019

Later still, MacMahon sided with Fish and Stein with a "nope'' tweet. ... but included the notion that "others suspect/believe it's Dallas.''

Mavs source told me “nope” when I asked about this today. Others around league suspect/believe that it’s Dallas, as @WindhorstESPN, Jackie Mac and I discussed on podcast. https://t.co/6T2Ev9XoEw — Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 21, 2019

And Fish took one more swing at the silliness, reaffirming his position that Dallas is not "the big bidder'' here while also acknowledging that maybe he's being "hoodwinked and bamboozled,'' but that if he is, and if Dallas lands a premium player in Al Horford at a premium price, he'll be "happy to be wrong'' and will be buying a beer over at his place The Maverick Bar for all who were right!

Fish has questions ...

Were #Mavs bluffing on 'no' Horford?

Did they change their mind?

It is too complicated and unrealistic for them to have taken seriously?

Did they jump in early ... late ... or not at all?

How many beers at @TheMaverickBar might this cost me?

Intriguing. Checking. pic.twitter.com/PJijE8f7oZ — mike fisher ? (@fishsports) June 21, 2019

But we're thirsty enough to like his answers!

https://t.co/NVriu87nsW reported the scoop on Tues night that #Mavs are NOT in on max deal for #AlHorford .. @ShamsCharania and @ringer report otherwise. 24 hours later we stand by our story .. and if we're wrong, beers on me for #MFFL at @TheMAVERICKBar https://t.co/u8CC7PwfNl pic.twitter.com/KuD05k6rQr — mike fisher ? (@fishsports) June 19, 2019

If we wish to pipedream here, and consider that Fish and Stein are wrong on Horford but right on Kemba and that Big Calculator machinations could actually bring both of them to Dallas this summer? After all, on Wednesday, with the help of “Ben & Skin” on 105.3 The Fan, DBcom revealed here a way for Dallas to sign-and-trade for Charlotte’s Walker while also netting $13 million in “new room” that could be used to obtain another new starter.

Very clever ... So much so that as more Horford-to-Dallas rumors were discussed in the media we wondered: If Fish and Stein are wrong about Dallas’ not having a premium attraction to Horford (making Shams Charania and The Ringer correct in claiming Horford-to-Dalllas ties), couldn’t the Mavs use the same dumping/moving of salaries to win both Walker and Horford? Is there a way to hit two jackpots here, to live up to the excitement built by the trusted Skin Wade?

So I’m very confident Mav fans are gonna be very satisfied with this off-season — Jeff Skin Wade (@SkinWade) June 20, 2019

We're going to need a "Part 2'' for that. (It is up and running here!) And we're going to need more than media time stamps. And Kemba and Horford to the Mavs a week from now? Fish is going to have to buy everybody two beers.



