Butler/Haywood/Stevenson to the Mavs!!

[Kidd Karma]

Originally Posted by mavsfanforlife09

I concur with everyone that has the notion and vibe that this is almost like a new season, a fresh start. Although we have virtually no time to gel as a team and gear up for the playoffs, I am EXTREMELY optimistic about this current squad, I just wish we could have gotten rid of JJ

I also never felt as if this team was right. Always felt like when this team was clicking on all cylinders, with everyone going 110% the entire game that this was a scary good team. However, lack of effort, injuries, and roster changes never allowed that to happen. There are elements of its failure that couldn't have been helped or been foreseen. However, as scary as this team looked when fully healthy and motivated, I think our current squad is far more talented, skilled, and both mentally and physically tough and motivated.

Needless to say, just as many of you are, I'm quite, quite excited about the rest of this month.

Biggest problem with Damp not being healthy, he was huge for us as the defensive anchor in the paint.

[grndmstr_c]

I wish we could get rid of everyone who keeps saying that this trade would have been better if we had given up another one of our rotation players.

[Skywalker]

Nice article:

Butler's relocation could have long-lasting consequence

Soon enough, the pro basketball public will finally meet Caron Butler. You know him, but unless you're a League Pass junkie, you don't really know him. This guy is better than you think and you're about to find out because his trade to Dallas just made him a Player of Consequence.

Most of you know Butler's resume. He led UConn to the Elite Eight in 2002, was Miami's lottery pick a few months later and an All-Rookie First Team member. You may remember him, Lamar Odom, rookie Dwyane Wade and a young Heat squad advancing to the Eastern Conference semis in 2004. I'm sure you didn't forget, too, that he was part of the Shaq-to-Miami trade that summer, was traded to the Wizards in 2005 and was an All-Star in 2007 and 2008.

Yeah, you know him.

Good player, right? Nah, man ... a really good player. He's better than the best player on about half of the teams in the league, something you'll see that now that he's running with the Mavs.


For the past five seasons, he's played in the shadow of Gilbert Arenas (due mostly to Gil's blogging, Gil's game-winners, his injuries or this season's fiasco) for a team that went from emerging to okay to horrendous to tragic. The last three seasons (including this one), Butler has averaged about 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. But, let's be candid: Who cares? The Wiz were first-round outs in '07 and '08 and won 19 games last season. In the grand scheme of things, Butler didn't matter because Washington didn't.

As good as Butler was (I always thought that, because of his blend of skill, talent and toughness, the Wizards would have been better off with Caron -- not Gil -- as That Dude), his play had no significant bearing because his squad rarely mattered. Butler was not a Player of Consequence. That's all about to change. He's out of the Eastern Conference cellar, about to begin balling with the Mavs -- a team of consequence. That means those tough buckets he scores, that tough, physical defense he plays and his steely demeanor matter now. His nickname is Tough Juice, people.

I'm real big on the Player of Consequence (PQ) thing. Ask me about Michael Redd's five-year scoring spree and I'll shrug my shoulders. Why? Because Milwaukee averaged about 30-35 wins each season. Kevin Martin? Meh. Monta Ellis is dropping 26 ppg this season, but if you took the nearly 109,000 people at the All-Star Game and showed them a photo of Ellis one of Denver's J.R. Smith, more of them would recognize Smith. Why? Because Smith plays ball in the playoffs every season. Playing for a real winner changes everything. For Butler, it's going to increase his national exposure. For some, it totally changes how people think about you as a player.

Take Jamal Crawford, a prime PQ example. Last month he dropped a team-high 28 points in a tough win over the Hawks' nemesis: Boston. Atlanta was +20 while Crawford was on the floor. Paul Pierce had 35 points, but Crawford dominated the game. Afterward he talked about how he's having the most fun of his career by far. What's changed about his game this year?

"Nothing, really," Crawford said. "I'm doing the same stuff that, before, people were saying was the reason why my teams were losing."

He admitted that he's "a little smarter" this season, but you and I both know the perception has changed because Crawford changed jerseys.

Crawford went from being somewhat of a whipping-boy/pariah with the Bulls, Knicks and Warriors to getting deserved All-Star buzz. If you tried to make a case that, thus far, he's been one of the five most valuable players of the season, I wouldn't argue too much. When they show up, the Atlanta crowd at Philips Arena is in absolute love with this dude. He hits game-winners, he goes on scoring streaks that aren't just prolific, but dramatic (high-arching fadeaway-treys, killer-crossover and-1s, coast-to-coast momentum-changers). For most fans, he's a revelation. We just never respected his game.

(Quick story: Last spring, I wrote this column, ranking who I'd pick to take a potential game-winner. Crawford stumbled across it and sent me a good-natured email asking how it was possible for him to be left off, seeing as how he'd hit eight game-winners in the past four seasons. I responded, in jest: "You know what, you would have made the list, but it only included PLAYOFF teams.")

Your appreciation of Butler will inflate the same way we now have a heightened appreciation of Crawford and maybe more so. Josh Howard (the principal Mav in the seven-player Mavs/Wiz deal) tried to be the second star to Dirk Nowitzki, but that role was a little too far above his head. It's a perfect fit for Butler. Provided the acclimation process is relatively smooth (and Jason Kidd will make sure of that), it won't take long before the Mavs start picking up wins because Butler took over for Dirk as the best player on the court. Don't be surprised if, in a month, reporters start asking coach Rick Carlisle, "Did you know Caron was this good?"

It'll be May, when Butler is at the podium, answering questions after slapping up a 25-8-5 night in a playoff win. That's when fans everywhere will turn to each other, shaking their heads and say, "Man ... I didn't know he was this good."

Yeah he was.

It's just that he matters now. He's a PQ.

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/feature...nce/index.html

[Kidd Karma]

Hopefully they'll be talking about this trade like the Pau Gasol one.

[sike]

"Josh Howard (the principal Mav in the seven-player Mavs/Wiz deal) tried to be the second star to Dirk Nowitzki, but that role was a little too far above his head. It's a perfect fit for Butler."

Hope so...

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by sike

"Josh Howard (the principal Mav in the seven-player Mavs/Wiz deal) tried to be the second star to Dirk Nowitzki, but that role was a little too far above his head. It's a perfect fit for Butler."

Hope so...

He's a proven scorer, been in the league for a while and has been in different destinations with different systems and has progressed nicely in each spot. I think he'll do well here.

For Josh it was tough. He was with his first team, and had a coach who might have coached him up the wrong way and he let $$$ possibly get in the way as well.

[LSMF]

I was on some Wizards forum a bit earlier, man Butler is loved by those guys. Those guys are gunna be rooting for him to win a ring here and hopefully he does.

[BGMaverick9]

credit to Fish at db.com

Kinda cheesy but cool

[ReDirkulous Tyme]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

credit to Fish at db.com

Kinda cheesy but cool

haha, awesome. New laptop background for the week. +1

[twistaeffect2004]

I'm deleting this first game from my memory immediately.

The new guys looked good early on, but from the 2nd quarter on, the whole team fell flat on their faces.. pretty embarrassing and forgettable performance.

Better days are ahead though. I know it's not always smart to get your hopes up with the Mavs, but I believe this team is a good one. Or at least.. I hope they are.

[mavsfan1000]

Butler looks like Howard on this team. I think that speaks more about the system here than the players. The offense just isn't good. Everything seems like a bad setup from the start and causes many forced shots.

[Rick41]

TRADE = FAIL.

[Rick41]

Originally Posted by Rick41

TRADE = FAIL.

This was a joke btw guys. ^^

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by Rick41

TRADE = FAIL.

YOU ARE KIDDING.

[Rick41]

LoL. relax SMC.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by mavsfan1000

Butler looks like Howard on this team. I think that speaks more about the system here than the players. The offense just isn't good. Everything seems like a bad setup from the start and causes many forced shots.

I don't know why I'm even responding to this..but:

One freaking game! The players haven't even practiced yet. This.is.going.to.take.a.little.time.

Sheesh. This isn't the rec center. You don't just pick up five random guys and check the ball. It's a little more complicated than that.

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by jthig32

It's a little more complicated than that.

Make it, take it?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

Make it, take it?

And call your own.

[mavsfan1000]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I don't know why I'm even responding to this..but:

One freaking game! The players haven't even practiced yet. This.is.going.to.take.a.little.time.

Sheesh. This isn't the rec center. You don't just pick up five random guys and check the ball. It's a little more complicated than that.

The last 20 games were very similar to this though. But yeah Butler isn't a shooting guard, Terry isn't a shooting guard, Marion isn't a power forward. Too many people playing out of position on this team for it to work imo and thrown around in so many different rotations which causes confusion. We still need that spark plug like Harris used to be. Beaubois could be that player if Carlisle let him.

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by jthig32

And call your own.

"No open dislocation, no foul!!!!!!!!!"

[Windmill360]

this trade was a big failure.

[mavsfan1000]

Originally Posted by Windmill360

this trade was a big failure.

Joke right?

[particleman]

In all seriousness, even on what was a horrible night for Butler.. I really liked what I saw from him. He played great defense, attacked the basket a bit, and pulled down 4 offensive rebounds (when was the last time Josh Howard got on the offensive glass like that?) Obviously he took some bad shots and forced some turnovers, but you gotta expect that from a guy who literally doesn't know the offense yet. As frustrating as this game was, I remain very excited for the Caron Butler era in Dallas!

[twistaeffect2004]

I can't wait for today's game honestly. Although last nights game was tough to watch, that first quarter was just beautiful and I'm hopeful that it's a sign of things to come. I'm very hopeful.

[mavErika]

Rob Mahoney from the two man game had an exchange with Wizards blogger Kyle Weidie
about the recent struggles of the respective centerpieces of the trade. Here is what Weidie had to say about Caron, which includes also some stories about the relationship Butler had/has with Arenas, Haywood and the team in general:

edit: NVM, there's a whole thread about it: http://www.dallas-mavs.com/vb/showthread.php?t=36044

I watched if it's already mentioned somewhere, but overlooked this one

and there is also a report with interviews from the first practice for the new Wizards
(Gooden didn't take part)

[sefant77]

I give a crap what Gilbert has to say, he is a loser.

I give Caron a fresh start and gonna rate him in 15-20 games.

[Just211]

I think if we run the offense we hated JHO running, you know where he got the ball, and tried to be a scorer (but he's not) and usually settled for a J... We will be okay. Butler will get the ball, and go to the rim, and get to the line.
At least thats what I think should happen, and what we miss late in games. Somebody to take the ball, and attack.

[Windmill360]

made out like bandits

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Windmill360

made out like bandits

I've never made out with a bandit before - what's that like?

[Windmill360]

Originally Posted by Underdog

I've never made out with a bandit before - what's that like?

was waiting for this

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Windmill360

was waiting for this

Always wanted to ask that.

[sike]

Originally Posted by Windmill360

made out like bandits

couldn't agree more.

[badfish22]

love the new additions.

Now only if we could do something about Terry/Barea.............

[BGMaverick9]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4924735

Butler was on ESPN 2 First Take this morning...ignore the stupid graphic on the side early on lol

[sike]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4924735

Butler was on ESPN 2 First Take this morning...ignore the stupid graphic on the side early on lol

That dude is one great interview.

[tsar]

Originally Posted by sike

That dude is one great interview.

Yes! I was very impressed. This is how a true professional should behave *cough cough* take notes Josh Howard.

[BGMaverick9]

If anyone is still up, there is going to be an interview on Inside the NBA with Butler.

Hmmm...lame, they advertised that and it didn't happen.

[monty55555]

I love this picture. Although he was fouled and couldn't get the dunk, I love the intensity he showed here.

For more pictures, see http://www.g3graphx.com/blog/?p=1782

[monty55555]

Out of Exile


When the 2009-10 NBA season kicked off, the expectation was that this would finally be the year the Washington Wizards realized their potential. Gilbert Arenas was finally healthy, and together with Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler he was expected to take the Wizards to the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. Players from Cleveland, Atlanta, and Orlando were quick to point out that they expected the Wizards to be a team to be reckoned with. Sadly, however, that just didn't happen.

Wizards fans have had a lot of anticipation, followed closely be severe disappointment during the time of the Big Three. Injuries have been the primary culprit until this season, when issue after issue seemed to conspire to prevent Jamison, Arenas and Butler from realizing their potential. Finally, with Arenas suspended for the season and the team steamrolling towards the lottery, Wizards management blew it up. Three of their key pieces - Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson - landed in Dallas, where they are now thrilled to be competing for a championship.

"I was smiling ear-to-ear," says Haywood of his reaction to the trade. "People were texting me, asking if was happy, and I was like, how can I not be happy? I'm going from last in my division to first!"

"I'm excited to be here," agrees Stevenson. "It's a fresh, new start with a playoff team. We have a lot of great players, so we're just going to come in and just try to add to it. I knew they have a great owner, great players in Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd, and they're really a great team. Jet, too. I know they were a great all-around team that does everything first class and that they're a playoff team. I was just very excited when I heard about the trade."

"I'm very comfortable right now," adds Butler. "I'm in a new situation and I have a new thought process, but I see light at the end of the tunnel and I see an opportunity to win a championship. I don't have to score 20 points or anything like that. I just need to contribute to a win and that's all I'm trying to do. I'm excited like a kid in a candy store; I'm just happy."

Jason Kidd, of course, is a very different kind of point guard than Arenas. Rather than being a scorer who sometimes set up teammates, Kidd prefers to set up his teammates first, seeing scoring as a last option. Haywood, especially, appreciates the steady stream of post passes he's seen in his first two games as a Maverick.

"Oh my goodness, I've never had it this good," says Haywood, beaming. "I've never actually played with a pass-first point guard. Gilbert was a great point guard, but he was a scoring point guard. J-Kidd is a pass-first point guard, which is great because you know if you run and you're active he's going to find you. That gives you more incentive to be more active."

Still, no matter how good the point guard is, there's a learning curve that goes with a trade. A mid-season trade is even more challenging, as there isn't much practice time to help the newcomers get the system down.

"It will be pretty hard to get into the system on the fly, but at the same time, I have a lot of people in front of me to help me learn in Caron and Jet," says Stevenson. "I'm just going to pay attention and learn from them and wait for my opportunity to go in there and do the things that I can do. I know Caron will bring something to the team, and especially Haywood. Whenever we're out there we're going to play hard. We did that in Washington, and hopefully we can do that here."

While all three former Wizards are positively giddy at the thought of making the playoffs and possibly competing for a championship, they can't help but think about the missed opportunities in Washington.

"It's tough when you start something and you don't see it all the way through," says Haywood. "Guys like myself, Antawn, Caron . . .we really believed that we could turn things around and make Washington a contender and it just didn't happen for us. It's tough to leave that situation, but it seems like everybody that got traded has landed in a better situation.

"Talent-wise I think we definitely had the talent, but at the beginning of the year Caron was hurt for a while, then Mike Miller was hurt, and we had a lot of things that went wrong for us with Washington. Some things were off-the-court issues, some things were injuries, but then when we finally got the guys together we didn't play that well together. We had talent, but that talent didn't always play well together."

"It was a ship sinking, so they had to do something," says Butler. "Obviously, the last core piece of that ship is Gilbert, and we'll see what happens after his court sentencing. I'm just glad that the core guys, guys that did everything right on and off the court, didn't have to suffer. They got us in good situations and I thank the Pollin family and Ernie Grunfeld for doing that and putting me with a contender. They got Antawn out of there and put him with another contender. It's great all the way around. There are only a couple of other guys still there fighting, but they're young, so they can deal with it.

"We were all excited coming in. We felt like it was our year. Then certain things started to happen, adversity struck, and we weren't able to overcome it this time. It was like . . .man . . .what happened? When your work starts coming home with you and it's affecting you like that, it's just tough. It's tough to bounce back. Management and everybody saw how hard it was weighing in on us, so it was a good thing to be put in another situation."

As happy as the former Wizards are to be in Dallas, they are also quick to think of their former co-captain. Antawn Jamison's move to Cleveland was almost as exciting for the guys as their own good fortune.

"I'm happy for Antawn, but also for myself, Caron, and DeShawn, too because we went from a situation that's very tough to a situation that seems like it could be very special," says Haywood. "The energy here is fantastic."

"The energy was unbelievable, because usually you're on the opposite end of that energy," agrees Butler. "You're coming in and everybody's booing you and you're not welcome here in Texas. To be on the opposite end of that, welcome to Texas, Caron, it really feels good. ... I'm happy for my co-captain Antawn Jamison, as well. Being released, he can get that weight off his shoulders to go to a great situation, and hopefully we see them in the Finals."

It may be a little more of a stretch for the Mavs than the Cavaliers, but optimism is the theme in the Mavericks' locker room following Thursday's trade deadline. The Mavericks have done what they always do, making a dare-to-be-great move to give themselves the best chance to compete for a championship. The forward Wizards are especially grateful for the move, and hope to be the driving force behind a deep playoff run for Dallas.


Read more: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?...#ixzz0g1ZpuKmG

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=15366

[mavsfan1000]

Man I'm getting excited about tonights game again. These 2 new players really fit in well imo. Kidd needs scorers around him and Dallas needed a big man to protect the paint and finish around the paint. Dampier going out will help him heal his knee injury as well. Hopefully he can be back in a few weeks. 48 minutes of having a big man will be great.