Brew crew The Dallas Mavericks outraced several teams -- including the hated San Antonio Spurs -- to claim forward Corey Brewer off waivers from the New York Knicks. Brewer came over from Minnesota in the Carmelo Anthony deal. He was due $3.7 million and his deal expires after the season. They've also apparently offered Brewer a multiyear extension in the $2 million range.
Brewer was a stud in college playing at Florida. He was taken seventh overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by those Timberwolves. Like many Minnesota draft picks, Brewer never panned out.
He played in 79 games his rookie year and shot 37 percent from the field. The next season, he tore his ACL and missed all but 67 games.
Brewer turned things around last season playing in all 82 games scoring 13 points a game and shooting 43 percent from the field. This season, his numbers had dropped to about nine points a game and 38 percent shooting.
Brewer is a lean son of a bitch. Listed at 6-9 and 188 pounds. Soaking wet. I've always seen him as being taller. Maybe it's his long arms.
His main attributes are his defense and ability to guard small forwards and give trouble to certain power forwards. In fact, if I were playing Dallas, I might send Brewer at Dirk Nowitzki the way Golden State did with Matt Barnes, San Antonio did with Bruce Bowen or Portland did with LaMarcus Aldridge. Get in close, make him work, frustrate and crowd him.
Brew doesn't do much rebounding (paltry 3.3 per game in his career) nor is he a very good passer. But he averages 1.3 steals per game in his career and 1.6 in 2010-11 so far.
Brewer is also young (25 in three days) and athletic. He dunks. A poor shooter, he has to get his points somewhere.
By default, he is probably the most athletic Dallas Maverick. Which says nothing. He's also probably their best man-on-man defender. Again, saying nothing. He gives them size at the small forward position and size off the bench that isn't a center.
This probably doesn't bode well for Brian Cardinal's dwindling minutes. I think Brewer gets opportunities to play here. I don't think he's Kevin Willis waving a towel on the end of the bench. I can definitely see a forward tandem of Shawn Marion and Brewer coming off the bench.
If nothing else, this isn't a move the Mavericks typically make. If they rifle through teams' waiver releases, it's typically for the Willis-type -- a cagey veteran. Depth for depth's sake.
Better defender. More athletic. He's also this team's fourth-youngest player behind Ian Mahinmi, Roddy Beaubois and Dom Jones. A really good move for the Mavericks.
