By now, we should be used to it.
Every year, the Mavericks take aim at a big-time free agent, the guy who could come in, be their No. 1 player and lift them to a new level.
Every year, they settle like the high school kid without a date two days before the prom.
Why? Dallas is a fine city with no state sales tax, good weather during the season and the Mavericks have a good reputation as a franchise that will try hard to win (except when tanking makes sense, of course).
All that being true, it hasn't helped.