Offseason Wishlist - Fully integrating the 'new' guys

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Offseason Wishlist - Fully integrating the 'new' guys

Joining a team in the middle of an NBA season is kind of like being the new kid at school. That's how Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson felt when they first arrived in Dallas.

After the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards pulled off a seven-player trade on Feb. 13, Butler, Haywood and Stevenson didn't have much time to get used to their new surroundings. Just three nights after the transaction, the trio suited up for the Mavericks in the first game after the All-Star break. Though the Mavs went on to drop that game, a 99-86 road loss in Oklahoma City, it was the start of something bigger. Much bigger.

The squad went on to win 13 straight games after that loss, doing so without any practice time with their new teammates. A 55-win season, Southwest Division title and No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs was also in the team's future, though so too was a first-round postseason exit. Now, with a full offseason to get better acquainted, the team hopes that the new arrivals can help bring a championship to Big D next season.

"The trade with Washington has been a big positive for us," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "It helped our overall toughness. I thought it put more of the right kind of players around Dirk (Nowitzki)."

Headlining the deal was the exchange of former All-Stars, as Butler and former Mav Josh Howard swapped spots. But the transformation was not seamless for Butler, as he had to adjust to playing in the shooting guard slot after spending most of his career as a small forward.

The swingman's regular-season scoring average slipped from the 16.9 points per game in 47 outings with Washington to a 15.2 average in his 27 appearances for the Mavericks. But the former Connecticut star showed that primetime players step up in primetime moments, averaging 19.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.5 steals in the Mavs' first-round series against San Antonio.

"I hit a nice stride in the playoffs, and I was finding out what was expected of me and what my role was. I look forward to seeing what's going to happen next year," Butler said.

He may have served notice to the rest of the league prior to next season with a playoff career-high 35 points in the Mavericks' 103-81 blowout win in Game 5 of the series. No. 4 swished in 12 of 24 shots, hitting 3-of-8 from behind the 3-point arch and a near perfect 8-of-9 at the foul line. He also put the icing on the cake by pulling down 11 rebounds, collecting a double-double.

"(Butler) really is one of our tough guys...I was really, really thrilled to see him have a game like that. He is just a great guy. You just love to see a guy like that succeed and have that kind of night...He has just been a great pro and a guy that is really into winning," Carlisle said after the performance.

While Butler did his work on the perimeter, Haywood turned heads with his dominance inside.

The 7-footer split time with fellow big man Erick Dampier to secure the starting center duties. But when his name was called, Haywood proved to be a force in the interior. The 30-year-old, who had spent his entire career in Washington before the trade, produced five double-doubles in his 28 regular-season games for the Mavericks.

"I really liked what (Haywood) did for us. He's a guy that had an impact on both ends...Brendan is very athletic. He's got a good feel for the game. He's got a good knowledge of the game," the coach said.

Now the organization will try to keep Haywood patrolling the paint for years to come, as the talented center officially becomes a free agent on July 1.

"With (Haywood and Dampier), it gives us a really nice one-two punch," president of basketball operations and GM Donnie Nelson said. "They do things a little bit different. But between the both of them, you've got a really solid centerpiece with youth and experience. That's something we look for with positions."


Meanwhile, Stevenson has done everything to make sure he's not the forgotten man in the deal. Though he wasn't always a fixture in the team's rotation, No. 92 found a way into Carlisle's heart. It translated into more time on the court.

Stevenson's scrappy defense gave the Mavericks a perimeter enforcer on the second unit. The veteran guard also stepped into the starting lineup five times, filling whatever role his coach asked of him.

"I've been trying to crack the rotation, but at the same time (Carlisle) has been talking to me. It's hard to get mad when you're winning -- as long as we're getting the wins. I've been getting in, sometimes starting, so I've been getting my opportunities. I've just got to go out there and do the things that I know I can do," Stevenson said.

"DeShawn's a guy that's developed into a very good 3-point shooter and is known as a good defender in this league," Carlisle added.

With some level of familiarity now with each player, the Mavericks' front office sees the trifecta playing much bigger roles next season.

"We feel like these guys are really going to help us. I was thrilled that this transaction could happen and we're looking forward to working with them," Carlisle said.

"They're great guys from top to bottom. They're all pulling in the same direction. We did make a transaction that hasn't fully taken, so that's a part of things. Guys are still getting used to each other out there...We like the guys that are in that locker room," Nelson concluded.

For all of your news on the Dallas Mavericks this offseason, visit Mavs.com. Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.