Dallas Mavericks: Why Brendan Haywood Is Key to Championship Repeat

The New York Knicks made an offseason full of speculation about the return of Tyson Chandler to the Dallas Mavericks moot by signing the free-agent center Friday.

2012's title defense will now start without what Dirk Nowitzki called the key to the change of the defensive identity of the Mavericks. Chandler was the centerpiece of the framework for the championship run, and replacing his game-to-game impact now lies in the hands of Brendan Haywood. 

But now that Chandler has departed to form his own "Big 3" in the Big Apple, it's up to Haywood to maintain the defensive intensity and presence that's being left for the taking.

That being said, Haywood is now given the responsibility of filling Chandler's shoes, and here are five reasons he is the X-factor the team desperately needs in pursuit of title No. 2.  

Alley-Oops Have Become Part of Offense

Jason Kidd is one of the better passers in the NBA. Still. And it wasn't rare to see his passing skills on display to Tyson Chandler in the form of the alley-oop during the championship run. 

Heck, even Jason Terry and DeShawn Stevenson got in on the alley-oop parties to Chandler. Are the Mavs okay taking those points off the board when they construct the offense for 2012?

Even though I think the offense will be at a normal Dallas level with shooters Dirk Nowitzki, Terry and newly acquired Rudy Fernandez catching passes from Kidd, if Haywood can provide the same pick-and-roll offense Chandler did it will help lighten the load on Dirk and Terry to create their own shots.

Ian Mahinmi Needs Time To Mature

Ian Mahinmi showed flashes of being a very good player in the NBA last season. The 25-year-old Frenchman played in 56 games last season, more than he played in his first two seasons in San Antonio.

He even made a key shot in Game 6 of the Finals, hitting a fade-away jumper at the end of the third quarter. That shot was huge, and gave fans a taste of what they need to expect from him as a backup this season.

But he was often plagued by fouls, and Rick Carlisle was forced to remove Mahinmi more often that not because he couldn't stay out of foul trouble.

He is not ready to take over a starting role by any stretch, and even though it's important that he give the Mavs 20 solid minutes of production, Haywood can help limit the necessity of his performance by playing well.

If you look at Mahinmi's per-36-minutes stats, there is no question that he has upside and athleticism potentially to replace what Chandler brought to the table.

But until that day comes, Haywood has to hold down the brunt of the minutes during the 66-game schedule.  

Haywood Takes Up Sizeable Portion of Cap

When Haywood and Nowitzki were both free agents in the summer of 2010, the Mavericks' priority was Dirk 1A and Brendan 1B. They offered him a six-year, $55-million deal only a few weeks before they made the splash for Tyson Chandler.

Splitting $20 million between two centers was a problem the Mavericks figured to solve another day.

That day came this offseason, when they had to accept the reality that they did not have enough flexibility to make a play for Chandler and remain aggressive in the future.

Instead of seeing his contract as a negative, think of it this way: The Mavericks had enough confidence in Haywood to consider, and eventually come to grips with, losing Chandler.

But not being able to re-sign Chandler was a direct consequence of Haywood's salary, and whether or not he is worth the money will likely depend on the team's success.  

Mavs Need Defensive Presence Next to Dirk

Dirk was able to roam free on defense this past season. While his stats didn't necessarily reflect it, those who saw him play know he had one of his best defensive seasons as a Maverick.

He was able to take more chances, be more aggressive in denying better players on the block and even played better help-side defense. But Dirk wouldn't have been able to play that way had Chandler not been lurking in the shadows waiting to contest a shot or clear the boards.

Haywood has to step in and immediately be able to give the Mavs the same kind of advantage defensively that Chandler provided.

While he isn't as athletic, Haywood still has the body and basketball IQ to take over calling the defensive sets and anchoring the low post against would-be attackers.

While the team might have to rely more on perimeter defenders Rudy Fernandez and Corey Brewer to not allow a free release to the paint, Haywood is still one of the best one-on-one defenders in the NBA (see games against Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard).

Knowing that, the Mavs should be able to rely on his skill set in a different, yet equally important way. 

Fair or Not, He'll Always Be Compared To Tyson Chandler

When Haywood was traded from the Washington Wizards in Feb. 2010, he was anointed as the Mavericks' best center of all time. After Tyson Chandler was finished helping lead the Mavs to the promised land, Chandler took the title away.

And until the Haywood-led Mavs win a title, he will always be compared to Chandler. Whether that is fair or not, it's the reality of the sports world in which we live.

Much of this season's success will be dictated by his ability to put those comparisons aside and just play his game. 

Let's face it, Dallas fans were spoiled with the intensity, athleticism and leadership that Chandler brought to the city.

But like it or not, Haywood is the starting center for the foreseeable future. Whether that will be good or bad remains to be seen, but putting full faith in his ability to lead might be the best place to start.

Until Dwight Howard or someone else comes knocking at the door, he's all the Mavericks have.