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

[SleepingHero]

I agree with your conclusion ("doubling down is exactly what the Mavs needed"). 

You note that Wood isn't an answer to Gobert and Ayton, but (a) those teams lost to the Mavs even without Wood, and (b) those centers the Mavs supposedly couldn't handle got played off the court, not vice versa. Kleber was the reason, and Wood adds more of the same ilk.

As for Looney/GS, it can be argued that the Mavs simply lacked ENOUGH small-ball types when they got to GS, as they were running on fumes by long minutes for such players in getting there. Adding a Wood, means DFS or Luka aren't playing center when Kleber sits, and someone gets badly needed rest minutes. Add yet another playable guy (THJ, or better), and that probably goes even farther in changing that GS outcome. And in light of the big lead in G2 that was lost when the Mavs simply ran out of gas, they were probably closer than we realize.

I 100% think as well that the Mavs are probably closer than we all realize, but I still think the name of the game is flexibility here. And that's a big reason why they faltered vs. GSW.  Getting Wood doesn't help with that. GSW showed they had the flexibility to play any way. They could go small with Green or big with Looney. They could play a more defensive game or go high powered offense. 

That is what the Mavs are missing imo and why I still think they need a big center that can play bully ball for a game or two should the situation arise. We have seen a tendency of them to play one dimensional at times. I'd like to venture away from that if possible.