Nellie guts Mavericks with swap

Tuesday, Feb. 18, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Nelson dumped overweight center Oliver Miller promptly after his arrival 11 days ago, then traded Jamal Mashburn to Miami for three players. Nelson finished the purge Monday night with a staggering nine-player trade that sent Jim Jackson to the New Jersey Nets along with All-Star Chris Gatling, guards Sam Cassell and George McCloud and center Eric Montross.

In return, the Mavericks got 7-foot-6 center Shawn Bradley, forward Ed O'Bannon and point guards Robert Pack and Khalid Reeves.

The trade is believed to be the largest between two NBA teams in the last 25 years, league spokesman Chris Brienza said.

For the Mavericks, the blockbuster swap followed Friday's trade of Mashburn to the Heat for three players and the December deal that sent Jason Kidd to Phoenix for Cassell, A.C. Green and Michael Finley.

Now the Three J's -- Jackson, Mashburn and Kidd -- are all gone, along with most every other player who started the season with the Mavericks.

Though he didn't name players, Nelson said bad attitudes in the Mavericks' locker room prompted his swift and sweeping moves.

"There were just so many negative things about this ball club," he said. "This locker room shocked me. It's not acceptable and will not be acceptable from this point on. I observed it, watched it and basically got sick about it."

Coach Jim Cleamons, whose team is 16-31 in his first season, looked and sounded stunned by Monday's move. "Obviously, Nellie thought there were things that had to be done, and he came in and made some changes," he said.