The Mavericks have depth. And they have options.

And before this season is over, expect Avery Johnson to try out every possible combinationto figure out what works best.

Dirk Nowitzki at small forward? Guaranteed to show up at some point.

Brandon Bass in the starting lineup? Sure, why not.

Josh Howard at shooting guard? A virtual lock.

Devean George at small forward? A sure thing, at some point.

Jerry Stackhouse and Jason Terry as the sixth men (yes, plural)? Sounds good.

Johnson is equipped with a great many weapons that he can mix and match. He likes that, particularly with what he can do at the power forward, small forward and shooting guard spots. Center is spoken for, for the most part, with DeSagana Diop and Erick Dampier. Ditto for point guard with Devin Harris.

"With some of the acquisitions we've made, we can go big at two [shooting guard], which we really couldn't do last year," Johnson said. "Against certain teams, our small lineup of Devin Harris and Jason Terry is just not good enough. We're not big enough, we don't rebound enough, we don't defend well enough. So we hope we can get a little bit bigger during the course of some games and sometimes at the end of games."

Not that Harris and Terry won't play together. That will happen. They are extremely effective when the opponents don't have a king-sized backcourt.

For now, the Mavericks will juggle the players and see what they have. Just don't be surprised by any of the combinations on the court.

Here's a look at a possible lineup, once Josh Howard finishes his two-game suspension:

Assets: Quicker than a falling leaf in a hurricane, he puts pressure on defenses with his speed and can get to the rim whenever he wants to. And he takes the punishment well. He's a good defender and has an improving jump shot.

Debits: He's getting the car keys for the first time. He's being asked to quarterback the team, and the pressure is squarely on him to produce. Can he handle it? He's never been a strong 3-point shooter and is prone to turnovers.

Expectations: He doesn't have to score big, but he must score enough to keep the pressure off Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard. If he averages five assists, he'll be overachieving.

The West's top 10: 1. Steve Nash, Phoenix (Still plenty of life left in the old legs); 2. Tony Parker, San Antonio; 3. Allen Iverson, Denver; 4. Baron Davis, Golden State; 5. Deron Williams, Utah; 6. Chris Paul, New Orleans; 7. Devin Harris, Dallas; 8. Mike Bibby, Sacramento; 9. Sam Cassell, LA Clippers; 10. Jarrett Jack, Portland

Assets: Can shoot the ball well enough to stretch the defense and still has enough left in the tank at 36 to defend, which is what Avery Johnson wants from this position. He's a heady player who can lead.

Debits: He's 36, for crying out loud. Don't think for a minute that opponents won't try to expose him. They'll try to beat him to the rim and on post-ups. His stamina has to improve over what it was in camp.

Expectations: He's not supposed to be more than a 20-minute player, but the hope is that he can set a tone early in games with his defense and make an open jump shot. Don't be surprised if this job ends up somebody else's when the team is healthy.

The West's top 10: 1. Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers (No matter where he ends up, he's still tops); 2. Tracy McGrady, Houston; 3. Manu Ginobili, San Antonio; 4. Kevin Durant, Seattle; 5. Kevin Martin, Sacramento; 6. Brandon Roy, Portland; 7. Morris Peterson, New Orleans; 8. Raja Bell, Phoenix; 9. Monta Ellis, Golden State; 10. Mike Miller, Memphis

Assets: A much-improved shooter who also slashes to the basket and can play in the backcourt if needed. He's a conscientious defender who won't back down and has a tough edge to him.

Debits: Not many. He's not the best passer, but the Mavericks don't ask him to be a distributor. When he starts plays, he usually finishes them, too. Needs to work on keeping his turnovers down.

Expectations: They want him to become the second superstar behind Dirk Nowitzki, and Howard has shown the ability to be that. He must rebound better and continue to hit his outside shot. He needs to be a star.

The West's top 10: 1. Carmelo Anthony, Denver (Easily the best of a thin crop); 2. Josh Howard, Dallas; 3. Corey Maggette, LA Clippers 4. Ron Artest, Sacramento; 5. Stephen Jackson, Golden State; 6. Andrei Kirilenko, Utah; 7. Boris Diaw, Phoenix; 8. Bruce Bowen, San Antonio; 9. Shane Battier, Houston; 10. Luke Walton, LA Lakers

Assets: MVP has shown a better post-up game and the ability to make a decent pass, but it's still his outrageous shooting and willingness to drive to the bucket that make him unique. He can score with anybody.

Debits: His rebounding has been average for a 7-footer, and he's a poor offensive board man. He wore down at the end of last season. He's also being asked to be more of an emotional leader, which isn't his strength.

Expectations: He still has to be the Mavericks' primary offensive threat and the one who draws the defense and opens things up for teammates. He also may play more small forward and less center.

The West's top 10: 1. Tim Duncan, San Antonio (If you classify him as center, he'd be No. 1 there, too); 2. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas ; 3. Carlos Boozer, Utah; 4. Shawn Marion, Phoenix; 5. Pau Gasol, Memphis; 6. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland; 7. Lamar Odom, LA Lakers; 8. Al Jefferson, Minnesota; 9. David West, New Orleans; 10. Luis Scola, Houston

Assets He has the hunger this season as he's playing for next season's contract. His rebounding and shot-blocking are strengths, and he's shown a nose for offensive rebounds and put-backs during the preseason.

Debits: Opponents still will leave him on the offensive end to tend to penetrators to the basket until he proves he can be a scoring threat. He is prone to foul trouble, especially against quick, athletic teams.

Expectations: Scoring is not the priority. Diop must be a presence in the paint, giving any opponents driving to the rim a hard foul or a blocked shot when they venture in. He needs to be aggressive as the defense's last line of defense.

The West's top 10: 1. Yao Ming, Houston (Has to stay healthy to stay No. 1); 2. Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix; 3. Marcus Camby, Denver; 4. Mehmet Okur, Utah; 5. Andris Biedrins, Golden State; 6. Tyson Chandler, New Orleans; 7. Fabricio Oberto, San Antonio; 8. Brad Miller, San Antonio; 9. Andrew Bynum, LA Lakers; 10. Chris Kaman, LA Clippers

Assets: They are deeper than ever, although that's not saying mu ch after Jerry Stackhouse was the only punch off the pine last season. They have scorers, defenders and distributors they can rely on. Getting the right combinations on the floor is the trick.

Debits: There's only so much playing time to go around, and somebody is going to get squeezed out. Fortunately, most of the reserves are operating on nice contracts and don't need to worry about their future.

Expectations: They absolutely have to lighten the load for the starters. If they don't, there's a problem. Saving the heavy lifters in the regular season is a necessity. They clearly wore down last season in the playoffs.

The West's top 10: 1. Dallas (Mavs have numbers and talent but have yet to prove it); 2. Houston; 3. Denver; 4. Golden State; 5. San Antonio; 6. Phoenix; 7. Utah; 8. New Orleans; 9. Seattle; 10. Portland

Assets: He knows how to squeeze all he can get from players and has been solid when it comes to handling sensitive issues. There's nobody who researches players and opponents any harder or longer.

Debits: Making in-game adjustments, particularly at the offensive end, has not been a strength. When defenses gang up on Dirk, it's been a difficult process to find ways to get him free. Of course, teammates haven't always stepped up, either.

Expectations: Managing games and playing time are going to be his major chores this season. He also must delegate some of the problem-solving to his assistants, all of whom are proven winners. The Mavs and Johnson will be judged on the postseason.

The West's top 10: 1. Gregg Popovich, San Antonio (Top six are all fabulous leaders); 2. Jerry Sloan, Utah; 3. Nate McMillan, Portland; 4. Don Nelson, Golden State; 5. Phil Jackson, LA Lakers; 6. Avery Johnson, Dallas; 7. George Karl, Denver; 8. Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix; 9. P.J. Carlesimo, Seattle; 10. Mike Dunleavy, LA Clippers