Analysis: Mavs-Bobcats trade no blockbuster, but needed

DALLAS -- The rest of the league likely yawned Friday when news broke of an impending trade between the Mavericks and Bobcats.

(Does it count as "breaking news" if the combined scoring average of the three principals in the deal doesn't reach 10? A hangnail from LeBron James has a longer news cycle.)

Still, the deal resonates in Big D somewhat because a fan base that's become largely apathetic and a team that's has taken the stripes of an also-ran needed a jolt. Something needed to be done to get the Mavs turned around.

"I'm a human, so of course you respond and react to your next-door neighbor or your family or fans," general manger Donnie Nelson said from his office Saturday night. "This is our community, so those things are important.

"But at the end of the day, what we do in this little cubbyhole is protect the franchise ... sometimes from outward forces and sometimes from forces within the locker room."

Don't expect this to be that deal. Dallas shipped sparsely-used center DeSagana Diop to Charlotte in exchange for a pair of benchwarmers in Matt Carroll and Ryan Hollins. The Mavs need more scoring/shooting in the backcourt, so in theory, Carroll fills a need.

Opponents have been keying on Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry all season, and though both are having stellar campaigns, the lack of a consistent third scorer has been definite sore spot in a disappointing first half. The Mavs (23-17) are ninth in the Western Conference, even after snapping a four-game skid with a 115-108 win over Utah.

"We're not where we want to be record-wise or performance-wise," Nelson said. "You're always looking to make upgrades. You're always looking to tweak or improve."

Carroll joins coach Rick Carlisle's revolving door at shooting guard where Antoine Wright, Gerald Green, Jerry Stackhouse and Devean George have been given a look-see. None has stuck. Terry is going to get the most of those minutes alongside point guard Jason Kidd, but someone else needs to be a factor there.

Enter 28-year-old Carroll, a career 40-percent shooter from beyond the arc who's at 27 percent this season. He's also scoring 4.1 points per game, less than half his career average. Carroll's decline in production was a concern within the Mavs front office, but they also realize that Bobcats coach Larry Brown runs hot and cold with players.

Carroll had been in deep freeze.

"We've basically floated the 2-position," Nelson said. "We've had over the course of the year five or six guys get time there. Whether [Carroll is] one of three or one of five remains to be seen."

Outside of making financial sense -- this deal does save considerable cash ($13 million) for the Mavs going forward, which can't be overlooked in these economic times -- there is basketball value, even if the trade is seen as an attempt to resurrect the failed three-team transaction that would have landed Dallas a young and athletic point guard.

With Kidd's contract over after the season, Charlotte's Raymond Felton would have been a capable replacement. Instead, this version of the trade dumps the unhappy Diop, which has its plusses. Back for his second tour with Dallas after signing a $32-million contract last summer, Diop expected to compete with Erick Dampier for the starting center job.

That never materialized for Diop as Dampier has been "good," according to Carlisle. (Dampier's numbers are 7.5 rebounds and 5.6 points entering Saturday.) Diop wanted out and Charlotte did pursue the Senegal native during the offseason before he returned to Texas. Dallas is now off the hook on a sizable contract for a bit player.

"The minutes aren't there for Gana," Nelson said. "We've taken, in essence, what's been an insurance policy at the backup center and transferred that into more of the need. We do need another shooter.

"So this deal addresses more of a need for our team and it certainly doesn't preclude us from making other adjustments or upgrades."

Nelson, Carlisle and owner Mark Cuban aren't done shopping. A top-flight swingman, a low-post scorer and someone with the ability to create shots for others remain on the wish list before the Feb. 19 trade deadline. Then again, a deal may not get done.

It can easily be argued that if the Mavs stand pat, it would take quite a leap of faith to consider Cuban's crew contenders. There's been little to suggest through 40 games that the Mavs can win the West.

Nelson disagrees. Josh Howard's return to health and someone, anyone stepping up at shooting guard could be enough, Nelson said.

"If we're healthy," he continued. "It's been really frustrating because I don't think we've been at full strength all year. If all the pieces are there and everyone is playing to their capabilities, we have a lot of confidence with this group."

He even said it without a yawn.