With rumors starting to whirl around the interwebs about all sorts of trade possibilities (things should continue to heat up as we get closer to the Feb. 19th deadline), the latest deal I'm reading has the Mavs contemplating adding Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood from the Wasthington Wizards.

Although specifics are not totally knows the deal breaks down like this:

Mavs get:
Caron Butler (SF/SG)
Brendan Haywood (C)
DeShawn Stevenson (SG/SF)

Wizards get:
Josh Howard (SG/SF)
and some combination of expiring contracts including:
Drew Gooden (PF)
Tim Thomas (PF)
Quinton Ross (SG)
James Singleton (SF)

The question I have ... would the trade for Butler and Haywood make you feel the Mavs could be contenders?

Mavs rotation w/ Haywood and Butler:
PG: Kidd / Barea
SG: Butler / Terry / Stevenson
SF: Marion
PF: Nowitzki / Najera
C: Haywood / Dampier

(The Mavs would also have Gooden, Thomas, Ross or Singleton ... depending on who is in the trade).

Update:

Marc Stein around 2:30 p.m. (MST): "Just filed to ESPN.com: Mavs-Wiz trade talks have only gotten more serious this afternoon. Many sources say sides closing in on a deal."