TRADE: Christian Wood (1yr/$14.3M) to DAL | #26+SB+Boban+Chriss+TB to HOU

[SleepingHero]

I'm sure he is going to play center for the Mavericks. Reports are that he has not played well as a wing when put with another center, and I'm guessing Kidd and Nico mapped this out initially and penciled him in as a starting center - where he is clearly more comfortable. The center position is where his offensive tools can best be utilized with Doncic .

Now it's possible Maxi gets fewer minutes on the wing, but I see Maxi as a backup center and a wing that can move between the two positions in a way Wood can't (as of yet). And fewer minutes for Maxi is not a bad thing. 

With a little more depth, this is a very good team.

I suppose what I really meant was, yes Wood will be a "center" for this team, but he really is going to play as a wing in my eyes. At least, his offensive game resembles that to me. Wood's value really lies in his ability to create for himself. Heck Wood even has the ability to bring the ball up and initiate the offense. When, if ever, have we had a center be able to get a rebound on one end and then start the offense on the other? Zaza maybe...?  I see him playing a more "PF" role as in he's not going to be guarding the Deandre Ayton's/Rudy Goberts when push comes to shove, but he does have the ability to effectively neutralize those types of players because of his offensive game being able to pull them away from the paint. 

That's my biggest concern about this trade (not even broaching the attitude concerns here). Because while the Mavs basically doubled down on their approach of small ball everything, they didn't really get more versatile and fix the "big man" problem we all saw in the Warriors series. We're still going to get bullied by the Embiid's/Gobert's/Ayton"s/ and perhaps even the Looney's still. 

BUT one can argue that doubling down is exactly what the Mavs needed. As getting bullied by Gobert/Ayton in the previous two series didn't work, and Wood's offense probably would have changed the entire dynamic vs. the Warriors. He alone could've punished them inside and help take pressure off of our shooters and stop their zone.