CASSELL CAN OFFER THE SPARK : MAVERICKS MIGHT BE BETTER WITH HIM; NO KIDDING.

Byline: Dwain Price Fort Worth Star-Telegram 

Sam Cassell knows he's not going to make Dallas Mavericks fans forget Jason Kidd any time soon. But he does know he can make them remember the chills and thrills of playing in the playoffs.

During his first two seasons in the NBA, Cassell played a pivotal role in the Houston Rockets' drive to consecutive league championships in 1994 and '95. He is a fierce competitor who can take over a game with nifty drives to the basket or by burying jump shots from the perimeter. He also knows how to pass the ball.

Cassell is, in effect, Jason Kidd without the fanfare, the fancy passes and the entourage. Plus, Cassell also has a solid jump shot, and is a much better defender.

``A point guard has to be an extension of the coach, the game plan and the team,'' Mavericks coach Jim Cleamons said. ``I think Sam Cassell has those qualities. It's not that Jason doesn't.''

It's just that Kidd wasn't displaying those qualities under Cleamons. Which is one of the reasons the Mavs traded him, Loren Meyer and Tony Dumas to the Phoenix Suns last week for Cassell, A.C. Green, Michael Finley and a second-round draft choice.

As an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls, one of Cleamons' duties was to scout the Rockets during their two championship seasons. So he often got a hard look at Cassell and knows that this player has a tremendous upside.

``Sam can do the same things Jason does,'' Cleamons said. ``Sam doesn't have Jason's burning speed from end-to-end, but Sam Cassell knows and understands how to play the game.''

Cassell also came to the Mavs with an understanding that they want his services over the long haul. A product of the famed Baltimore Dunbar High School, Cassell becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season.

He said reports that he turned down a six-year, $40 million offer from Phoenix is ludicrous. ``If they offered me that,'' he said, ``I would have taken it.''

Cassell said he can see a long and bright future with the Mavericks, mainly because this regime doesn't mind making bold moves to improve the overall product.

``I'm going to wait free agency out, but Dallas is not a bad place at all,'' Cassell said. ``I want to stay here in Dallas, and I like Dallas. But I just have to do what's best for me.

``If Dallas comes to me with an offer that's reasonable to both parties and that's negotiable, I would be a fool not to consider it. That means they're showing me that, `Sam, this is your team and we want you here.'

``But I don't think they would have made the trade if they didn't think they were going to sign me back.''

Cleamons agreed with that astute analysis.

``We didn't bring him in here to let him go,'' he said. ``Sam has every reason to want to be here and to play.

``He's going to determine his market value. And I told him that his market value, as far as I'm concerned, is about leadership; it's about direction and it's about winning. These are the things we want him to exemplify.''