Are the Mavericks Still Title Contenders?

Look at this picture real well. You see Brian Cardinal, Dirk, Jason Kid, Jason Terry, and Shawn Marion. Whats amaizing about this picture is the fact that those are the only original core members of the championship team from last year. Yeah Brendon Haywood and Alexis Ajunga are still there but Tyson Chandler, JJ Barea and Caron Butler have left the building. Without Tyson and JJ, they wouldn't have been in the finals in the first place. JJ especially came up clutch when it counted. Will the aquasision of Lamar Odom change the defending champions hopes? Personally I don't believe it is. Without length, what do you have in this league? Tyson was a driving force for the Mavericks defense. With him gone, players like Dwayne Wade, Rondo, Westbrook, Derrick Rose and Darren Collison are going to destroy that front line. Yes, the Mavericks front office still can make moves with the pieces that they still have left over but as it looks now, their repetion hopes are shot.