TRADE: Willie Cauley-Stein to DAL | UTA 2nd to GSW

[DanSchwartzgan]

https://theathletic.com/1560492/2020/01/...ed-article

Detailed breakdown of the trade(s) for all three teams.

Willie Blocking-Stein

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I agree that this is a big discrepancy, but if the other stats, blockouts and individual rebounding numbers are good, diagnosing the issue might be more complex than his stats are fool's gold.  For example, it might be the construction of the lineups when he's out there vs the construction of the lineups when he's in and when he's out.  

Absolutely...which is why I brought up the fact he's been negative in this measure three years in a row on two different teams.

But, context absolutely matters.  Better culture and teammates and coaching could certainly unlock his potential.  What we have to hope is that he's kind of like Brandan Wright...fantastic when a Mav...not so good anywhere else.

[TXBamanut]

https://theathletic.com/1560492/2020/01/...ed-article

Detailed breakdown of the trade(s) for all three teams.

Willie Blocking-Stein

He'll definitely protect the rim better than Powell, no doubt.

I'm going to be honest, I'm coming at this purposefully skeptical, because I can't believe you get a guy at 2 mill for nothing that is better than Powell...I'm not disrespeting Dwight like that, but it just makes you wonder, thinking through all the things that Rick has done with marginal players....Brandon Wright (amazing here, and disappeared the minute he left) and on.... hmmmmmmmmmm

I think that there is such a WIDE range of possibility of what WCS CAN be....the floor is low, but we gave up nothing, and the ceiling, with the culture effect, the KP effect and the LUKA effect....that ceiling could be UP there.  I'm just ranging back and forth on this deal.

Lord help us if he could actually be taught to make a three every now and again...

EDIT:  LOL I was typing about Wright and culture and coaching as you were responding.  I'm just wondering if Powell and him having similar block out numbers, with Luka, DFS, and KP's rebounding.... do we NEED him to be the block out guy to have good rebounding here?  Will it hurt us?  Just saying.

[hakeemfan]

Not sure why we need any detailed analysis. We needed a big in the worst way. I was ready for a DLeague player. To get WCS cheap is a coup regardless of his shortcomings.

[cjeter24]

I don't think it's been mentioned yet, apologies if I just hadn't seen: an underrated aspect of this trade is that GSW gave away a rotational player for basically nothing, further committing to their tank campaign and more importantly for us, further strengthening that GSW 2nd round pick.

 
Mavs need to prep this draft hard. Currently Tankathon has only two PGs/Cs projected between 11 and 34. That means the Mavs have two picks from a pool of 22 players in a position of need. The odds are definitely in our favour, as long as we do our homework properly.

I doubt we have the GS pick in 2 weeks fwiw. And if we do, I'd suspect the Mavs look to package the 2 picks together to move up or use for another piece in a trade. Brunson, Pick 20-25, Pick 31 is pretty solid trade package for someone. 

I don't care if we use them or trade them as long as they bring at least 2 good NBA players back. And ones that are 36 years old.

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Not sure why we need any detailed analysis.  We needed a big in the worst way. I was ready for a DLeague player.  To get WCS cheap is a coup regardless of his shortcomings.

Yeah simply and well said. WCS is a legit NBA rotational big and we got him for basically free. It's a coup. 
I actually was texting my buddy about 10 minutes after the injury during the game about possible replacements. I told him Mavs should call GS because just trading WCS for nothing would net them a solid tax savings, and he's likely declining the PO next year anyways. 

I thought someone might come in with a better pick so it was a pleasant surprise when we made the move. Perhaps a better pick would have been sent if the Mavs waited longer until the deadline.

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One last thing on WCS...

He clearly has dealt with a lack of motivation, etc during his career. 
Rumors are that he's wanted to play in Dallas. And now he's playing in a scheme that fits his skillset. He'll get plenty of action rim rolling and see more consistency in how he is used and likely in playing time. At least compared to Sacramento. 

And then he'll also be winning for the first time in his career. 

The recipe is there for him to buy in and be motivated. He still may not... But their's exciting potential if so which is why he's been mentioned so often around here for years.

[omahen]

One last thing on WCS..

I agree WCS is a cheap and reasonable short term solution. However, how about next season? Powell will be out at least half of it. If WCS plays well, he will certainly reject his PO. Are we prepared to pay him MLE money? I wouldn't, we have enough money locked up in centers already. I guess we can always take another vet min guy. If he will play badly, we will be most likely looking for another short term solution, while Bobi and WCS take two roster spots for limited production.

[ItsGoTime]

One last thing on WCS..

I agree WCS is a cheap and reasonable short term solution. However, how about next season? Powell will be out at least half of it. If WCS plays well, he will certainly reject his PO. Are we prepared to pay him MLE money? I wouldn't, we have enough money locked up in centers already. I guess we can always take another vet min guy. If he will play badly, we will be most likely looking for another short term solution, while Bobi and WCS take two roster spots for limited production.

If he buys in and proves he's worth whatever contract we give him, I'm fine with keeping him around as long as he keeps buying in and playing well. I assume we can give him a lower than value contract because I'm not sure any other teams will exactly be breaking down the door to pick him up and offer him an on par-to-value contract. However, we are the team that bids against ourselves and if he has an amazing playoff run with us...look out!

[Scott41theMavs]

One last thing on WCS..

I agree WCS is a cheap and reasonable short term solution. However, how about next season? Powell will be out at least half of it. If WCS plays well, he will certainly reject his PO. Are we prepared to pay him MLE money? I wouldn't, we have enough money locked up in centers already. I guess we can always take another vet min guy. If he will play badly, we will be most likely looking for another short term solution, while Bobi and WCS take two roster spots for limited production.

The Mavs do not "have enough money locked up in centers already." It would be a miracle of the highest order if Powell came back even 80% of what he was pre-injury, given his reliance on athleticism (I'm convinced that his lob days are done), and that's going to put him as about the 11th or 12th man on a contending team at best. We need to look at his contract moving forward as dead money, like we had John Wall and stretch-waived him or something, and build the roster around that. Viewing Powell as part of the center rotation for the long term is a recipe for roster-building failure.

If WCS becomes the best-case version of himself - a very rich man's Brandan Wright - then MLE money will be a bargain. And this past offseason taught us that plan powder isn't the way to go if you want a big free agent - having assets available to trade is.

My fear is that RC blinds himself to whatever benefits WCS brings to the court, no matter how hard he works, due to missing few defensive rotations or having "bad body language" on the court or something like that, and completely doghouses him. Fear number two is that WCS plays well and the Mavs are so stupid as to let him walk for nothing. An important part of this discussion is that Javale McGee is starting well for the best team in the league (having done so the prior year as well, but he's better this year) and Noel is contributing quite well for the Thunder. There's a lot to be said for learning how to be a coach in the modern NBA.

[ThisIStheYear]

The Mavs gave up an asset that was of no use for one that is. Good move. WCS is surprisingly average (in a good way) on pretty much all the moneyball type stats. At his salary, fit for a complete scrub, the Mavs should get several million dollars of surplus value from him.

[hakeemfan]

Omahen. Solid point about tying up long term money in 3 centers. Let us cross that bridge when we come to that.


Luka being on a rookie deal gives this team a certain amount of freedom for the next few years. Powell’s extension was a mistake even before the injury. I hope that mistake does not stop them from improving that position. If the money is not crazy,Imo they should keep WCS for the next few years. Given that even a washed up center like Noah was getting a call, WCS on a reasonable deal can certainly be moved in the future if we have the chance to get another stud.

[Mavericks321]

Will he be our starting 5?

[vfromlmf]

https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1221...80448?s=20

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1221132952517480448

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https://twitter.com/dallasmavs/status/12...5785032706

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https://twitter.com/bobbykaralla/status/...6975391744

[Dahlsim]

One last thing on WCS..

I agree WCS is a cheap and reasonable short term solution. However, how about next season? Powell will be out at least half of it. If WCS plays well, he will certainly reject his PO. Are we prepared to pay him MLE money? I wouldn't, we have enough money locked up in centers already. I guess we can always take another vet min guy. If he will play badly, we will be most likely looking for another short term solution, while Bobi and WCS take two roster spots for limited production.

The Mavs do not "have enough money locked up in centers already." It would be a miracle of the highest order if Powell came back even 80% of what he was pre-injury, given his reliance on athleticism (I'm convinced that his lob days are done), and that's going to put him as about the 11th or 12th man on a contending team at best. We need to look at his contract moving forward as dead money, like we had John Wall and stretch-waived him or something, and build the roster around that. Viewing Powell as part of the center rotation for the long term is a recipe for roster-building failure.

If WCS becomes the best-case version of himself - a very rich man's Brandan Wright - then MLE money will be a bargain. And this past offseason taught us that plan powder isn't the way to go if you want a big free agent - having assets available to trade is.

My fear is that RC blinds himself to whatever benefits WCS brings to the court, no matter how hard he works, due to missing few defensive rotations or having "bad body language" on the court or something like that, and completely doghouses him. Fear number two is that WCS plays well and the Mavs are so stupid as to let him walk for nothing. An important part of this discussion is that Javale McGee is starting well for the best team in the league (having done so the prior year as well, but he's better this year) and Noel is contributing quite well for the Thunder. There's a lot to be said for learning how to be a coach in the modern NBA.

Good point which I had been making about getting another center that could help the Mavs.  It has to be someone that RC will actually play more than spot minutes.  That has not been easy for a 5 in the modern NBA under RC system. They require a rim running athlete, defense, hustle, rebounding are the main skills with some offense sprinkled in as PnR, cut, lob action, screen well etc.  

Putting aside personality fit questions, which I don't think we can know yet (remember the Carlisle + Rondo disaster ? ) if WCS can behave and get along this looks like a solid double or triple if not an outright home run by the Mavericks at the price paid.  Still really sad to see Powell go down just when his career was ascending but for a meh player and meh 2nd rounder this a fantastic get for Donnie and company! 

Cheaper, 2 years younger and 2 inches taller is a great starting place for a guy that you not have even thought to trade Dwight Powell for.  
His game fits Carlisle.  As much as I remain a proponent of better Boban usage, it was not going to go far in RC system and definitely not far enough to replace the starter.  
BBIQ is the worry for me.  Powell's was high as most of the Mavs are it seems.  WCS?    I guess we'll see soon.  
If he gets the system he could be a + even though Powell was playing very well.  The Mavs needed a guy to bang inside and this is about as close as they were going to get without sacrificing real roster talent or flexibility.

[mavsluvr]

Putting aside personality fit questions, which I don't think we can know yet (remember the Carlisle + Rondo disaster ? ) if WCS can behave and get along this looks like a solid double or triple if not an outright home run by the Mavericks at the price paid.  Still really sad to see Powell go down just when his career was ascending but for a meh player and meh 2nd rounder this a fantastic get for Donnie and company! 

Seems like a low-risk signing to me, too. Mavs gave up a player they weren't using and a pick that was highly unlikely to ever turn into a useful NBA player. If WCS works out as well as, or better than, they expect, great. If he has a 'tude or anything, cut him. From WCS' perspective, this should be a much better situation for him, basketball-wise.

[vfromlmf]

https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1221...47169?s=20

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1221171532480647169

[ThunderMav]

https://twitter.com/SaadYousuf126/status...3726673928

[SleepingHero]

https://twitter.com/SaadYousuf126/status...3726673928

They got the latter 2 for 3 second round picks. 2 of them weren't even theirs originally. 

Incredible asset management from Donnie.

[Davevoid]

Not sure why we need any detailed analysis.  We needed a big in the worst way. I was ready for a DLeague player.  To get WCS cheap is a coup regardless of his shortcomings.

This.

I mean, I love you guys for discussing all the in's and out's on seven pages, but it's really that simple.

[Mavs2019]

https://twitter.com/SaadYousuf126/status...3726673928

They got the latter 2 for 3 second round picks. 2 of them weren't even theirs originally. 

Incredible asset management from Donnie.

 But 2nd round picks are useless.