(08-25-2021, 12:42 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]I agree that thinning out the 5 spot should be a goal.
I agree that it's possible to move Powell and/or WCS (and would've been possible to simply let Boban seek mascot employment elsewhere, but oh well).
I do not agree that they'll move Powell in such a way that brings in a return of even a marginally useful player, let alone a moderately useful player like Markannen. I think the Powell/WCS and Markannen conversations are probably best had separately.
Perhaps at this point, receiving decent value for Powell is a fools errand. They could either cut their losses and trade him for less of a value, keep him and limit his minutes substantially or maintain the status quo and play him is normal allotment of minutes and struggle in familiar ways until his deal runs out. Im not sure of a fourth option.
WCS is passable on defense but this has to be graded higher simply because of how nonexistent he is on offense; and i dont think his defense offsets limitations on offense. Same with Powell and Maxi. Maxi is a far better defender than all three, but he struggles to find any rhythm on offense.
I tend to think that if youre struggling that bad as a team on one side of the ball, limiting yourself on the other to split the baby makes you worse as a team overall and this is what DAL tried to do with Richardson and others. Sell out to what you do best and then add pieces that dont diminish that capability down the road.
(08-25-2021, 12:06 PM)luka_skywalker_77 Wrote: [ -> ]That doesn't mean moving Maxi, but it certainly means moving Powell and possibly WCS since neither can defend their position and are both semi useless offensively.
We have differing views on the concept of 'offensively useless'. Let's see how the team did offensively during three periods of time last season:
From 1/13 on (this is the point KP returned. DP isn't close to being himself again, but we'll use this date as it is illustrative and fair)
From 2/1 on (the point Maxi returned from COVID)
From 3/1 on (the point the team seemed for the most part to be at full strength)
O-Ratings Period 1 DP 115.7/MK 114.5
O-Ratings Period 2 DP 116.7/MK 114.8
O-Ratings Period 3 DP 115.8/MK 114.5
Oh BTW, Useful Maxi achieves his numbers playing 82% of his minutes with Luka. "Useless" Powell achieves his better numbers playing only 74% of his minutes with Luka. Would i prefer a superior roll man who could also hit a 3? Absolutely. Is Powell's net positive offensive production useless? No.
(08-25-2021, 03:04 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ] Is Powell's net positive offensive production useless? No.
Totally. Powell is probably overpaid, and is problematic defensively, but I don't know how he could be considered "useless" offensively. He is arguably still the team's best screener/roller. I wonder if he would be open to developing a three-point shot.
Not intending to cape for Powell, but I agree that it's just as bad to undervalue your talent as to overrate it.
(08-25-2021, 03:04 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ]We have differing views on the concept of 'offensively useless'. Let's see how the team did offensively during three periods of time last season:
From 1/13 on (this is the point KP returned. DP isn't close to being himself again, but we'll use this date as it is illustrative and fair)
From 2/1 on (the point Maxi returned from COVID)
From 3/1 on (the point the team seemed for the most part to be at full strength)
O-Ratings Period 1 DP 115.7/MK 114.5
O-Ratings Period 2 DP 116.7/MK 114.8
O-Ratings Period 3 DP 115.8/MK 114.5
Oh BTW, Useful Maxi achieves his numbers playing 82% of his minutes with Luka. "Useless" Powell achieves his better numbers playing only 74% of his minutes with Luka. Would i prefer a superior roll man who could also hit a 3? Absolutely. Is Powell's net positive offensive production useless? No.
Powell is getting underrated. I really thought he was done after the injury and he looked really bad in the first few month but he recovered and was one of the better rotation players in the last couple of weeks. I really thought that he should have played more against the Clippers. Not sure why WCS played a single minute in the series. Powell had by far the best +/- impact among Mavs bigs and was a way better option against the five out small ball offense. Mavs had a 103.1 D-Rating when he was on the floor. 124.4 when he was on the bench
For comparisation...D-Rating with other bigs on the floor: KP 123.4, Boban 122.1, WCS 116.9, Kleber 121.7
Some of us might have to accept a new reality. Powell might not be the rim running high flying lob threat he used to be but his defense was never better.
(08-25-2021, 03:43 PM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: [ -> ]Powell is getting underrated. I really thought he was done after the injury and he looked really bad in the first few month but he recovered and was one of the better rotation players in the last couple of weeks. I really thought that he should have played more against the Clippers. Not sure why WCS played a single minute in the series. Powell had by far the best +/- impact among Mavs bigs and was a way better option against the five out small ball offense. Mavs had a 103.1 D-Rating when he was on the floor. 124.4 when he was on the bench
For comparisation...D-Rating with other bigs on the floor: KP 123.4, Boban 122.1, WCS 116.9, Kleber 121.7
Some of us might have to accept a new reality. Powell might not be the rim running high flying lob threat he used to be but his defense was never better.
Interesting. Hadn't seen that focused on before. Thanks for finding.
Probably their best episode so far. Insight on the latest developments from a guy that spent the last 15 years on the Mavs staff. Talking about Luka, KP, Bob and analytics. Sharing a lot of stories (locker room, warm up routines, practice).
..and yet they can´t give Powell away, despite being such an underrated advanced stats super statstuffer. A pity all these other 29 front offices just don´t understand what a stud he is.
(08-25-2021, 11:13 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]Re: Markkanen, my opinion is that if the Mavs can get the player to come down to a signing price that they like AND the Bulls to accept a trade scenario that does not include either a current rotation player or a future first, it's a positive addition. "Addition" meaning adding to the roster talent, which is how they should be thinking.
If the Mavs cave and give up in the game of chicken (which certain rumors seem to suggest is what's happening) I'll be very, very disappointed. I don't view him as enough of an upgrade over Kleber (or really any other rotation player) to justify shaking up the culture. I would see that as a lateral move that could potentially make the team worse in the short term (though I do comprehend that it might make sense longterm because of the players' ages).
Exactly and my biggest issue is that LM has been pretty injury prone.
vis a vis the coaching staff...
Between Dudley and Igor, are we seeing a succession plan in place if JK under performs?
(08-26-2021, 09:22 AM)michaeltex Wrote: [ -> ]vis a vis the coaching staff...
Between Dudley and Igor, are we seeing a succession plan in place if JK under performs?
Igor almost certainly. Dudley probably not--it looks like he is being brought in as one of Kidd's 'guys', continuing their relationship from LA, and more importantly, even Kidd acknowledges that the biggest problem with his previous stints as a head coach is that he went directly from playing to being head coach without getting any experience as an assistant. Dudley may have a great career as a coach ahead of him, but I doubt anyone is going to repeat the Kidd mistake of making him a head coach without a couple of years of seasoning as an assistant.
(08-26-2021, 09:22 AM)michaeltex Wrote: [ -> ]vis a vis the coaching staff...
Between Dudley and Igor, are we seeing a succession plan in place if JK under performs?
Nah. Thinking more positively, I find it reassuring that Kidd is confident enough in his own abilities to hire good assistants without feeling threatened.
Cato and Fischer highlights from our discord app posted by Samwise and SterlingMallory...
fischer says it's been really quiet on the dragic front.
But also they still expect him to be bought out eventually
They're saying the Mavs are still pretty confident they'll get Dragic via buyout eventually
Fischer says he's hearing that Markkanen doesn't want to take the qualifying offer. Says he would rather stay in Finland than take the QO
Cato saying that Cuban drove the 70 million offer to Nerlens Noel, potentially against the advice of Donnie
(08-26-2021, 03:59 PM)ClutchDirk Wrote: [ -> ]Cato saying that Cuban drove the 70 million offer to Nerlens Noel, potentially against the advice of Donnie
"Potentially."
Major weasel-word qualifier in this context. Was Donnie for or against it? It's a simple question not requiring such ambiguity if Cato really does have a source for that claim. The way that's worded it comes across as Cato just trying to blame-shift to Cuban without being pinned down on the facts.
But honestly, the more I hear from Cato the more I'm convinced that he's really just a Donnie lackey who wrote the BV hit piece to benefit his guy and has been bitter ever since his primary team connection was fired. I don't really trust his objectivity on Mavs reporting right now.
(08-26-2021, 03:59 PM)ClutchDirk Wrote: [ -> ]They're saying the Mavs are still pretty confident they'll get Dragic via buyout eventually
Fischer says he's hearing that Markkanen doesn't want to take the qualifying offer. Says he would rather stay in Finland than take the QO
Great news on Dragic. Makes sense that the Mavs are confident here.
Great news on LM too. I think as we get close to LM's Oct 1 date CHI is going to eventually back off their crazy expectations.
I thought Fish was the one washing Donnie's truck...
Guess Fish was really washing the Janitor's truck instead...
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