THE CRUCIFIX: Cato: Wood isn't thrilled w/ his role...Will depart in the summer

[mvossman]

For the record, I hope you're right about this part. 

I would not trade Powell. I would re-sign Powell, hopefully to a lower price. But, starting, 2nd center, 3rd center, whatever, HE is a winning player in some role. 

No problem whatsoever shipping Wood out, especially now that I've seen how it's going here. BUT, unlike some, I think that it's time to question the trade that brought him here over the summer. If you say "they gave up a first for this guy?" people will tell you they did the trade to dump several players...but the biggest thing they did with the open spots is McGee, who is so much WORSE than Wood, HE can't even play. They would've had to create roster spots just to sign Hardy (if he would've been the choice at 18) and whomever they would've ended up getting with that 2nd rounder (which ended up being Hardy) but I am not convinced that such a drastic "all in one" trade needed to be made, including the first. 

I think this was yet another example of the Mavs mishandling a draft asset, minor as it might have been. They add up.

It's way too early to make that call.  There is value to dumping those contracts and opening up roster spots, there is value to taking a flyer on Wood and seeing what he has, and they may trade him for something meaning even more value.  If they fail to trade or re-sign him, it will be a disappointment, but still a worthy gamble in my mind.