Bogi will be interesting today. You already saw the Spurs back off their reported demands for Poetl. Detroit has been saying they will keep Bogi if they don't get an offer that blows them away. Lets see if that is correct.
The Wood thing is fascinating. Is the Mavs 18 mil offer still on the table? If Mavs plan to bring him off the bench, what does that do to his FA value? Any effect at all? It certainly appears there aren't crazy offers for him. That would seem to believe there are not 20 plus million deals from him, but maybe that is mistaken.
Just really weird the lows and high of Wood and how he and his agency view his game and how the Mavs appear to view his game.
(02-09-2023, 09:18 AM)Chicagojk Wrote: [ -> ]Bogi will be interesting today. You already saw the Spurs back off their reported demands for Poetl. Detroit has been saying they will keep Bogi if they don't get an offer that blows them away. Lets see if that is correct.
I think Utah capitulated too. I agree with you.
If no moves are made it will be interesting what Dallas does with Wright. This is certainly a audition for him. Right now, he is no threat to score outside of a layup and it really bogs down the offense when teams are not afraid of him scoring. He does other things well on the court though. Albeit with some mistakes for a player still trying to find a footing.
Dallas definitely needs a emergency guard to play a handful of minutes in certain games. Two way guys cannot play in the playoffs. So they will either need to fill the last roster spot with a veteran(Silva is on a 10 day now) or move Wright up if no other options present themselves.
(02-09-2023, 03:09 AM)F Gump Wrote: [ -> ]Don't be fooled, they are all in on keeping Kyrie.
Never, for even one second, have I thought otherwise, and have said so 1,000 times since the trade went down.
My interest in this though-line is about
additional players they might be targeting. Personally, I think they're looking at expiring deals only, but we'll see.
They need a 9th man, and that guy can't be a big.
A PF/SF combo would be fine...a SG/SF combo would fe fine...but tbh, they kind of do need another ball-handling guard, too, so any of those options are in play.
If THJ goes out, they need TWO of them.
If Wood goes out, they ALSO need a big.
It's not the easiest spot from which to make a deal, imho, though there are lots of options out there.
(02-09-2023, 10:04 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]They need a 9th man, and that guy can't be a big.
A PF/SF combo would be fine...a SG/SF combo would fe fine...but tbh, they kind of do need another ball-handling guard, too, so any of those options are in play.
If THJ goes out, they need TWO of them.
If Wood goes out, they ALSO need a big.
It's not the easiest spot from which to make a deal, imho, though there are lots of options out there.
It was eye-opening to me last night that in spite of having Irving, Green, Hardy, Bullock, and THJ play fairly big minutes, Wright and Pinson also played. That's with Luka as the only "small" who wasn't available. It's analogous to McGee playing and Maxi being out. Your THJ and Wood points are on the money. Where we differ is with regard to Wood's role. I think we need a starting big whether he is traded or not, and if he is traded, we need a giant wing as well as that starting big. The "small" doesn't bother me much in that Wall or Dragic won't both go to Phoenix, will they?
Wood for Toppin/Hartenstein? Unfortunately we don’t have any SRPs to add.
(02-09-2023, 10:12 AM)Scott41theMavs Wrote: [ -> ]I think we need a starting big whether he is traded or not, and if he is traded, we need a giant wing as well as that starting big.
Sure, but I think they're locked into Powell/kleber/Wood, unless Wood gets traded. I don't think they have enough to be thinking "upgrade a rotation guy" right now...I think it's going to take everything they have to "fill out" the existing rotation.
But we'll see.
(02-09-2023, 10:04 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]They need a 9th man, and that guy can't be a big.
A PF/SF combo would be fine...a SG/SF combo would fe fine...but tbh, they kind of do need another ball-handling guard, too, so any of those options are in play.
If THJ goes out, they need TWO of them.
If Wood goes out, they ALSO need a big.
It's not the easiest spot from which to make a deal, imho, though there are lots of options out there.
I would argue that a 9th man and a ball handling guard are nice to haves. What they currently have is a giant hole at big wing. Maxi is the only rotational one we have, and he is currently injured, needs limited minutes, and also backfills center position.
If we get nothing else done, we need to turn one of wings (Timmy) into a big wing.
If Wood is on the way out (and it seems that he is) he needs to be replaced by a big wing or combo big (like Maxi).
This team is too small. If Wood is not traded but not starting, a Powell/Bullock frontcourt is not going to cut it.
(02-09-2023, 11:28 AM)mvossman Wrote: [ -> ]I would argue that a 9th man and a ball handling guard are nice to haves. What they currently have is a giant hole at big wing.
sorry to be unclear.
I AGREE with you that the PF spot is the weakness, currently, so that's the guy I'd target...to be the 9th guy in the rotation. It's not that I specifically want the rotation's 9th best player, it's that there are currently only 8 players here good enough to be in a playoff rotation.
My point is that lateral trades for either Wood or THJ, or even UPGRADES, for that matter, aren't enough. they are currently one rotation player short, and if they move one of them, they need TWO rotation players back. If they move both of them, they need THREE rotation players back.
(02-09-2023, 11:41 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]sorry to be unclear.
I AGREE with you that the PF spot is the weakness, currently, so that's the guy I'd target...to be the 9th guy in the rotation. It's not that I specifically want the rotation's 9th best player, it's that there are currently only 8 players here good enough to be in a playoff rotation.
My point is that lateral trades for either Wood or THJ, or even UPGRADES, for that matter, aren't enough. they are currently one rotation player short, and if they move one of them, they need TWO rotation players back. If they move both of them, they need THREE rotation players back.
So you were not unclear. I think it would be nice to have 9 playoff rotational players, but I think its more important that we convert a rotational wing to a rotational big wing. We have no assets left unless we use 27 or Hardy. Without that, I don't see a reasonable path to converting a current playoff rotational piece who has limited trade value into two playoff rotational pieces.
(02-09-2023, 11:47 AM)mvossman Wrote: [ -> ]but I think its more important that we convert a rotational wing to a rotational big wing.
Oh, hard disagree, in that case. HARD.
I think it's far more imperative that they add ANOTHER guy who can play some combo of 1-4.
It's not that I necessarily LIKE the big situation, but Powell/Kleber/Wood with McGee for emergencies is certainly ENOUGH bigs, and they're at least the right type, imho.
I do not like this team's chances in the playoffs if they feel like they have no choice but to play one of Pinson, Hardy, Wright or Ntilikina in most games.
But, then again, it's possible that 9th man (in this case, literally a 9th man) can be addressed via the buyout market.
(02-09-2023, 11:50 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]Oh, hard disagree, in that case. HARD.
I think it's far more imperative that they add ANOTHER guy who can play some combo of 1-4.
It's not that I necessarily LIKE the big situation, but Powell/Kleber/Wood with McGee for emergencies is certainly ENOUGH bigs, and they're at least the right type, imho.
I do not like this team's chances in the playoffs if they feel like they have no choice but to play one of Pinson, Hardy, Wright or Ntilikina in most games.
But, then again, it's possible that 9th man (in this case, literally a 9th man) can be addressed via the buyout market.
I think you and I both don't like the Powell/Wood combo, so my question is, who is our PF when Maxi is not on the court?
We basically played a 6 man (7 if you count Powell) rotation and got to the western conference finals last year. I would like to have a 9th for injury insurance, but playoff rotations generally don't go past 8.
What reasonable trade do you see where we add a 9th rotational piece without sending 27 or Hardy?
EDIT: I missed your buyout suggestion.
(02-09-2023, 11:50 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]I think it's far more imperative that they add ANOTHER guy who can play some combo of 1-4.
Probably not available but.. one guy who fits that is Deni Avdija.
Not very good at shooting though, but can dribble some, dish some, rebound, and can defend the perimeter.
Not sure what the Wiz wants to do.. but if they can accept this, I'd be more than ok with it:
Wood+THJ+Frankie+FRP for Deni+Barton+Delon+Gafford.
Wizards erases the Gafford contract and may find the talent upgrade in Wood enticing although the fit with KP would be clunky. THJ would be the second best player in this trade at least stat-wise. Frankie maybe a lesser player than Delon, but not by much. And Barton has no value but an expiring.
Deni doesn't look like he is going to be more than just a role player, but I see him as a smaller Maxi with poor shooting, but better overall skills.
(02-09-2023, 12:00 PM)mvossman Wrote: [ -> ]I think you and I both don't like the Powell/Wood combo, so my question is, who is our PF when Maxi is not on the court?
Right, which is why my
preference for that 9th guy would be a 4/3 type.
BUT, for sure not something I'd call a "big"...maybe it's just the semantic terminology that's jamming us up here.
No matter what I write here, rest assured that I will ALWAYS be against playing two "bigs" at the same time, from now until the end of time.
(02-09-2023, 12:00 PM)mvossman Wrote: [ -> ]What reasonable trade do you see where we add a 9th rotational piece without sending 27 or Hardy?
Not sure, but I am not deadset against including either, provided the return is good enough.
I'm just saying, even if no trade is made, I think the rotation is one player short of comfort, and that player is not a "big"....moving either wood, THJ or BOTH, especially a 2 for 1, compounds that problem.
(02-09-2023, 12:15 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]Right, which is why my preference for that 9th guy would be a 4/3 type.
BUT, for sure not something I'd call a "big"...maybe it's just the semantic terminology that's jamming us up here.
No matter what I write here, rest assured that I will ALWAYS be against playing two "bigs" at the same time, from now until the end of time.
Not sure, but I am not deadset against including either, provided the return is good enough.
I'm just saying, even if no trade is made, I think the rotation is one player short of comfort, and that player is not a "big"....moving either wood, THJ or BOTH, especially a 2 for 1, compounds that problem.
Think people might be forgetting what made Powell a complete and utter liability and pretty much unplayable in the playoffs. You play drop coverage in the PnR like the Suns consistently did, we are playing with 4 players on offense when Powell is on the floor. That's not changing these playoffs. Right now Wood and Maxi are the only bigs who IMO could be relied upon for big minutes without being complete unplayable liabilities if our opposition plays smart defense. Still, small ball has been proven to work, but we need the right players to make it work particularly on defense.
(02-09-2023, 12:21 PM)Dundalis Wrote: [ -> ]Think people might be forgetting what made Powell a complete and utter liability and pretty much unplayable in the playoffs. You play drop coverage in the PnR like the Suns consistently did, we are playing with 4 players on offense when Powell is on the floor. That's not changing these playoffs. Right now Wood and Maxi are the only bigs who IMO could be relied upon for big minutes without being complete unplayable liabilities if our opposition plays smart defense.
It's not drop coverage that makes neutralizes Powell, it's switching. Drop coverage doesn't really work at all against anyone, anymore, at least not at that playoff level. If you have a big in your top 6-8 (must play) who has to play drop coverage, you've planned your roster very, very badly, imho.
And while he didn't have a good playoffs, I don't think that means he's
never going to have a good playoffs. I think there WILL be times that 5-out is their best way to go at the center position (like against the Suns and Jazz last year), but I'd make the argument that unless Wood is traded, having him AND Kleber makes that a MORE viable strategy than it was last season, not less, and it has zilch to do with whether or not Powell is here.
What is guaranteed not to work is
having not enough wings and being forced to play two bigs at once just to extend the rotation enough. Sure, that option is nice, and Kleber can play with either Wood or Powell, but you're right - there will be games in which Kleber/Wood need to rotate at CENTER. A lot, I'd think. Maybe even most.
They NEED a guy who's not a big, but actually a FORWARD. Like DFS, for example.
I'd even argue that 3rd PG is a more glaring need than another big.
Current 8 man playoff rotation:
Kyrie/Green
THJ/Green
Bullock/Luka
Luka/Maxi/Wood
Powell/Wood/Maxi
I would love to find a trade that pushes Powell to the 9th man in the rotation (the 9th man is usually the player with a low amount of minutes) and since the Mavs aren’t going to start him, get off Wood. Who is that guy though?
I’d say the list of somewhat/possibly available players at our offering level is:
Collins (I honestly don’t actually like his defense all that much)
Grant Williams
PJ Wash
Jerami Grant?
Crowder (as I’m writing and researching this, his trade comes through…)
Harris
Toppin
Gafford
Draymond
Probably others I’m not thinking of. Building a trade to involve one of these guys would be great IMO.
(02-09-2023, 12:28 PM)ItsGoTime Wrote: [ -> ]Current 8 man playoff rotation:
Kyrie/Green
THJ/Green
Bullock/Luka
Luka/Maxi/Wood
Powell/Wood/Maxi
I would love to find a trade that pushes Powell to the 9th man in the rotation (the 9th man is usually the player with a low amount of minutes) and since the Mavs aren’t going to start him, get off Wood. Who is that guy though?
I’d say the list of somewhat/possibly available players at our offering level is:
Collins (I honestly don’t actually like his defense all that much)
Grant Williams
PJ Wash
Jerami Grant?
Crowder (as I’m writing and researching this, his trade comes through…)
Harris
Toppin
Gafford
Draymond
Probably others I’m not thinking of. Building a trade to involve one of these guys would be great IMO.
I agree with all of this and I think its a real shame that we did not do anything to address.
I think we are going to have to look at this team a little differently from a lineup construction standpoint. You already have it above. Luka is our starting Power Forward (unless they start Wood and Maxi). After you get through our 3 bigs, Luka is the biggest wing that we have and by far the rebounder of the group. He is a point forward that will take on PG duties when Kyrie is not on the court. I think your playoff rotation is probably spot on.