The Mavs' Shawne Williams? His Ass Is Grass

Carlisle's Promise Comes True, But The Cost Is A Clogged Roster

Mike Fisher -- DB.com

   A year ago, coach Rick Carlisle brought the oft-troubled Shawne Williams to camp with a sharp-edged promise if the kid misbehaved

    “His ass will be grass,'' Carlisle vowed, "and me, Donnie and Mark would be the lawn mowers.’’

   Well, Shawne’s ass is grass. But because Dallas erred in picking up his option a year ago, Shawne’s ass is also expensive.

   The Mavs have wrestled for weeks with the issue of how they will slice their gym-full of guaranteed contracts down to the NBA-max of 15 roster members. (We noticed his absence on the first day of this year's camp, back when things were hush-hush.) The belief that non-guaranteed camp invitee Jake Voskuhl might be worth keeping on this center-slim team is a sidebar issue here. So is the idea of a 3-for-1-type trade, which GM Donnie Nelson has openly discussed with DallasBasketball.com. And budget concerns in “these tough economic times’’? That’s the last of Dallas’ worries.

   No, the real issue is how to dump Shawne Williams, the spectacularly athletic 23-year-old wingman who has worn out yet another NBA welcome. And decision time approaches.

    Rosters have to be finalized on Oct. 26, and two bodies have to go. Voskuhl is an easy call on paper, because he’s non-guaranteed. But as a player? He’s a decent insurance policy. Aussie Nathan Jawai is a cheap dump ($736,000 salary). But as a prospect? You hate to throw away 6-10, 280-pound athletes. Those two moves would leave Williams and his $2.4-million expiring contract on the books and on the roster – if not in the building, where he has been persona non grata since last spring.

   So what options do the Mavs have?

   Can they buy out Williams to make him go away? Yes, but that’s a negotiation in which Williams has the right to not budge.

   Can they suspend him (“conduct detrimental to the team’’ seems to be a popular phrase in the NBA right now)? Yes, but it’s unclear how that affects the bottom line – especially if Williams’ side is prepared to argue that he did nothing to deserve a suspension.

   Can they trade him? Yes, and at some point, somebody might want to get their hands on that $2.4 million expiring. Problem is, the Mavs have dangled Shawne out there and to this point, nobody wants the headache … a headache, by the way, that for the Mavs is self-induced. The Mavs were misguided in opting to pick up the second year on Williams’ contract and are now paying for having paid.

    Shawne supporters also proved to be wrong in believing that Williams’ behavior problems were a thing of the past, or a series of misunderstandings, or a case of him being persecuted. (Read through my rosy story from last year’s training camp for the list of turbulent troubles and tolerant takes.)

    So now? Shawne Williams’ ass is grass. And the management team trying to get this thing moving foreward? Well, right now, the Cuban/Donnie/Carlisle lawn mower’s blades need to start cutting.