HOW FAR WILL MAVERICKS' HOUSECLEANING GO?

Byline: Chris Sheridan Associated Press

By the time the middle of February rolls around, the Dallas Mavericks' Three J's could be down to one J: Jim Cleamons, who wasn't even among the original trio.

Cleamons, the coach of the struggling Mavericks, refused Tuesday night to rule out a trade of Jim Jackson or Jamal Mashburn - or both - before the Feb. 20 NBA deadline.

And when asked what he sees as the team's nucleus in the years to come, Cleamons repeatedly failed to include either Jackson or Mashburn in his answer - even when he was reminded of his omission,

``We're on the proverbial rollercoaster. Right now, we aren't where we need to be or where we want to be,'' Cleamons said Tuesday night as the Mavericks lost 102-72 to the New York Knicks.

``We're still learning, and we'll be in a learning mode until we get all these trade rumors behind us and settle down and concentrate on playing the game. How long that will be, we'll just take it day by day.''

A deal that would have sent Jackson and Eric Montross to the Clippers for Brian Williams fell through earlier this week after Williams flew to Dallas for a physical.

Williams didn't fail it, but team doctors said his surgically repaired knee was in such bad shape that it would be foolish to acquire him.

That lessened the chances that Jackson will be traded in the next week or so, but Cleamons is still looking to remake the Mavs.

The changeover began in late December when Jason Kidd was sent to the Phoenix Suns along with Loren Meyer and Tony Dumas for Sam Cassell, A.C. Green and Michael Finley.

Recent rumors have included proposed deals of Mashburn to the New Jersey Nets for Kendall Gill, or to the Indiana Pacers for Derrick McKey.

``Anything's possible, especially with Jason getting traded. I don't know if it's the clean house theory or what it is, but anything's possible,'' Mashburn said.

``Everybody feels they're expendable, and the players have come together because we're probably only going to be together for a short time. I can look at it as I'm not wanted here or I'm wanted somewhere else, but until you get the final word, you're where you're at. I'm a Dallas Maverick until I get the call and go somewhere else.''

Mashburn and the rest of the Mavericks looked simply awful against the Knicks. Dallas scored only 28 points in the first half and 42 through three quarters, and the lack of effort by the players was startling.