By JODIE VALADE / The Dallas Morning News

Understandably, the focus has been on the other new guys. Nick Van Exel and Raef LaFrentz were the headliners of the Mavericks' trade with Denver. Avery Johnson has been a vocal supplemental piece.

Tariq Abdul-Wahad has been relatively ignored.

But the fourth player of the four newcomers acquired by the Mavericks in last week's trade has received some of the highest praise a week after the deal was completed.

"He could be the key to the whole trade," Mavericks coach Don Nelson said. "He's a defensive kind of guy, a guy who can run the floor. He's looked very good. We're pretty excited about that for the future."