How much better are the Mavs?

The off-season isn't over. The Mavs are still shopping Greg Buckner's buyout, which they'd like to use as the centerpiece of a package to add one more piece to the core. But that'd be a big bonus. For the sake of this post, let's assume the Mavs won't be able to get a deal done. I'm also taking the liberties of assuming that James Singleton, a scrapper who makes practices more intense if nothing else, will return for the minimum salary and Shawne Williams will somehow be dumped. And let's look at how their 2009-10 roster would compare to last season's squad. CENTER 08-09: Erick Dampier, Brandon Bass, Ryan Hollins, James Singleton, Dirk 09-10: Drew Gooden, Dampier, Tim Thomas, Singleton, Dirk, Nathan Jawai Gooden might play the bulk of the minutes in the middle. The Mavs will need Dampier to defend the handful of traditional centers in the league, but Gooden gives them a low-post scoring threat (12 ppg career average) who is a solid rebounder (7.9 rpg) and can run the floor. Basically, he's a three-inch taller version of Bass, who isn't exactly a defensive force, either. The Mavs consider Thomas an above-average post defender who can open up the floor with his perimeter shooting, giving them a different dimension at center. If they thought Hollins would have had a role this season, they would have made an effort to keep him.