Dwight Howard and Deron Williams to Dallas Mavericks: Guide to How It Would Work

Deron Williams and Dwight Howard have been connected to the Dallas Mavericks fairly regularly this season. That's a rather scary thought for the rest of the league.

It's no secret that Howard and Williams would like to play together—as evidenced by Howard's trade request to head to New Jersey—but it's possible the two stars could play alongside one another wearing a different uniform than either currently has on.

Mark Cuban is very clearly angling for massive cap space before a prized 2012 free-agent class, and he's hoping that the players available to him will be interested in joining his Mavericks.

It's entirely possible that both Howard and Williams could be dealt prior to the trade deadline, and that would really put a damper in Dallas' vision to acquire both players.

Can this scenario realistically come to fruition?

It Won't Be Via Trade

The Mavericks just don't have any trade assets available on the roster.

Outside of Dirk Nowitzki (who the Mavericks very obviously will not trade), the only players signed beyond the current season include Shawn Marion, Brendan Haywood, Roddy Beaubois and Dominique Jones.

Considering Beaubois' injury history and the fact that both Marion and Haywood have bloated contracts, the team isn't going to get much in return for the players listed above.

More specifically, none of them should even be mentioned as a possibility in a trade for either Deron Williams or Dwight Howard.

Dallas limited itself to handing out one-year deals during the offseason in order to ensure that the team has as much money as possible before the 2012 free-agent frenzy begins.

How to Clear Cap Space Before 2012 Offseason

The payroll for the Mavericks for the 2011-12 season stands at approximately $71 million.

Currently, the team has just under $41.5 million allotted for the 2012-13 season, but there are ways to get that number even smaller.

Here is how that $41.5 million is configured:

Dirk Nowitzki— $20.907 million

Shawn Marion— $8.646 million

Brendan Haywood— $8.349 million

Rodrigue Beaubois—$2.227 million

Dominique Jones— $1.276 million

It would be a serious shock if the team decided to exercise Lamar Odom's $8.2 million option for next season, as the Mavericks can buy him out for just the guaranteed portion of his contract ($2.4 million).

Additionally, the team can use its amnesty clause on either Shawn Marion (approximately $18 million over two years) or Brendan Haywood (approximately $27 million over three years, $10.5 million option for fourth season), and that would significantly lower the amount of money allotted for next year significantly.

As Haywood's deal runs a season longer than Marion's and there would be no need for an overpaid backup if Dwight Howard came on board, he is the more logical candidate for this scenario.

Could Each Player Really Be Signed by the Mavericks?

The short answer is yes.

Each would have to leave more money behind in order to do so, but salary is often an overstated factor when discussing the futures of superstars who don't have endless careers.

In the cases of Williams and Howard, leaving the money behind in the hopes of winning a championship is something that each would likely be very happy to do.

There is no doubt that there is risk involved for Dallas, as both players could find themselves in different surroundings before free agency even begins this summer.

Mark Cuban could sell salt to a slug, and the opportunity for Williams and Howard to team up with one another (along with Dirk Nowitzki) is certainly an appealing one for all parties involved.

The Mavericks would become title favorites with the additions of Williams and Howard to pair with Nowitzki, and that potential big three would add significant intrigue to the story line every time the team goes up against Miami.

Potential Starting Lineup

The Mavericks would have to clear out just about everybody not named Dirk Nowitzki in order to fit two maximum-level contracts into the fold, but that would be just fine if the team were able to do so.

It doesn't really matter who plays at shooting guard or small forward, because all of the attention would be around D-Will, Nowitzki and Howard.

Just looking at the potential starting five on paper is downright scary, and it would be amazing to watch how Deron Williams could operate on a pick-and-roll play with those two players at his side.

Just like in Miami, others would very much be willing to play for less money in order to join Dallas and have a very realistic chance at capturing a championship.

Ceiling of Mavericks with Both Deron Williams and Dwight Howard

The ceiling would be limitless for this team with a core of Williams, Howard and Nowitzki.

It would be unbelievable to see what type of effort the Mavericks could put forth with a team that included these two perennial All-Stars alongside Nowitzki, and the energy within the Mavericks fanbase would go absolutely through the roof.

Mark Cuban loves to make emphatic statements, and there is no bolder one than if he were to find a way to reel in both players in the same offseason.

The Mavericks would have to get creative in finding a way to trade Shawn Marion as well as possibly sending out both Roddy Beaubois and Dominique Jones without taking salary back in any structured trade.

It's entirely possible that Cuban would investigate that possibility thoroughly, and many often sell Dallas short as a destination when discussing whether players want to sign with the Mavericks.

There is mounting belief that the Mavericks could very well pull this off, but as anyone can see, there are some serious hurdles to clear before the engine that drives this train gets revved up too quickly.