Haywood wasn't surprised Mavs let him go

DALLAS -- Brendan Haywood said he wasn't surprised the Dallas Mavericks severed ties with him this past summer by using the NBA's amnesty clause.

"It's a business, man,'' said Haywood, who now plays for the Charlotte Bobcats. "They were able to get (Chris) Kaman on a one-year deal.

"The (Mavs) team you saw was trying to go in a different direction, get younger, get some guys to play with Dirk (Nowitzki), and get some guys to be here when Dirk’s not here. It didn’t surprise me
at all.''

In accessing the busy summer the Mavs embarked on, Haywood said:

"I think they made a lot of great pickups. I think OJ Mayo will help the team.

"Then you got guys like Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, veteran big men. Dahntay Jones is a veteran, a great defender spot-up shooter and very athletic, so I think they made a lot of good pickups.''

Haywood played a key role behind Tyson Chandler when the Mavs captured the 2011 NBA title.

-- Dwain Price

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