I hate to sound pessimistic, but it is hard for me to see what the excitement over the proposed trade between the Dallas Mavericks and the Washington Wizards is really all about.
The Mavericks would get Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood and the Wizards would receive the services of Josh Howard in return, but Butler and Howard are essentially the same player, and Haywood fits the "soft" label of previous Maverick big men.
I do feel Butler is marginally better than Howard because of his attitude and the fact he may be a more versatile player, but glancing at their statistics from this year, one would be hard-pressed to see the difference.
Butler averages 16.9 points per game, which is four more points than Howard and he also averages 6.7 rebounds, which is three more than Howard, not exactly a glaring separation.
It's important to note that Butler plays for one of the league's poorer teams so his point production may be a reflection of that, while Howard's deficit could be explained by the superior talent around him.
Butler is the first or second scoring option for the Wizards, while Howard may only be the fourth for the Mavericks, behind Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, and Shawn Marion.
I am familiar with Butler from his time with the Los Angeles Lakers and I respect his talent, but he is not the type of player who will upgrade the Mavericks into contender status.
He will bring stability to Howard's position because he is nowhere near as volatile and as far as I can tell, he doesn't take plays off like Howard does, nor does he become lost in the rhythm of the game.
But is he really the missing piece for the Mavericks? Both Howard and Butler are capable defenders with Howard having a slight edge, and Butler is a little bit better from long distance than Howard.
The differences in talent between the two are so insignificant that a little perspective may be in order for delusional Dallas fans who have already began to say this trade will draw them closer to the Lakers.
Brendan Haywood, the other principal player in the deal, gives the Mavericks another seven-footer to go along with the useless ones they already have and is likely just an extra six fouls rather than an impact player.
My knowledge of Haywood dates back to his time as a player for North Carolina. The same issues that plagued him then followed him to the NBA.
Namely, his reputation as a soft player, and although he does have decent skill for a player of his build, he has absolutely no clue how to take advantage of his superior size.
When paired against opposition with a similar skill set, Haywood is often abused and the big players he will face in the West are a far cry from the meager offerings in the Eastern Conference.
In Washington, the only true elite post players Haywood faced on a consistent basis were probably Dwight Howard and Shaquille O'Neal, but in the West names like Duncan, Gasol, Stoudemire, and Bynum will haunt his dreams.
Although Dallas fans feel the opposite, in my opinion Haywood is pretty much the same player as Eric Dampier, and Dampier may actually be more physical than Haywood when it comes to battles in the post.
So maybe Dallas fans will temper their excitement with a little reality, because the player they are parting with is pretty much the same one they are getting in return.
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