(11-27-2022, 10:46 PM)IamDougieFresh Wrote: [ -> ]The "issue" is obvious. He is not a get his own type player like Luka or Dinwiddie. Can he post up and get his own every once in a while? Yes. Should he be relied on to do it? No.
Agreed.
I'm just so used to the memory of the Mavs version of KP that seeing Wood do what's KP was supposed to do (on offense) had me thinking, he can be that guy where you can just dump the ball and let him operate. He can still be more than adequate at this, but not the basket go getter, automatic 2 points, I thought he is.
KP was unable to score on the block against defenders a foot shorter than him, KP was unable to dribble past anyone on an ISO without fumbling. Wood at least is better and still can work against a lot of matchups and defenders. In KP's time with the Mavs, I felt like you can put a McConnel on him and KP still shoots 8 feet away from the basket, fading away. Wood can at least, force his way in the lane.
Not all-star material, but the Mavs have no real choice on offense aside from SD and probably Green (hopefully in due time).
(11-27-2022, 09:15 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]Who do you think is a more talented basketball player on the Mavs than Wood other than Luka? Serious question.
I don't think Wood is special....I just think he is better than everybody on the Mavs not named Luka.
I think he’s incredibly talented.
He just looks like he’s winging it out there though. Not sure how to describe it. I can see why NBA coaches, who are generally egomaniacs anyway, can dislike him. Nothing with him looks structured.
I’d start him with Luka and surround them with 3 defenders.
(11-27-2022, 11:17 PM)RoyTarpleysGhost Wrote: [ -> ]I think he’s incredibly talented.
He just looks like he’s winging it out there though. Not sure how to describe it. I can see why NBA coaches, who are generally egomaniacs anyway, can dislike him. Nothing with him looks structured.
I’d start him with Luka and surround them with 3 defenders.
"Winging it" -- I wonder if you've hit on something.
I have heard it said with some regularity (often enough to trust its veracity) that what NBA coaches want the most is some idea of what they are going to get when you play. They want to trust you, with this or that. Inconsistent effort, inconsistent offense or defense, not playing to the team scheme on one end or the other (or both) and it becomes too much of a dice roll for them to want to
depend on you.
Is that an explanation for how he's being used?
As for the last part, ie "
I’d start him with Luka and surround them with 3 defenders," I'd think the YTD +/- results with such lineups might help us see if that's a promising direction to head.
(11-27-2022, 11:17 PM)RoyTarpleysGhost Wrote: [ -> ]I think he’s incredibly talented.
He just looks like he’s winging it out there though. Not sure how to describe it. I can see why NBA coaches, who are generally egomaniacs anyway, can dislike him. Nothing with him looks structured.
I’d start him with Luka and surround them with 3 defenders.
I have been watching Wood and will agree with you except that he does seem lost on the court sometimes. I observed other players directing him to where he should be. Sometimes he was late. However...he is a rare talent that deserves some consideration and positive development.
Kyrie Irving seems to have only 7 brain cells...one cell goes to breathing and the other six go to basketball. I don't think this is the case with Wood: I hope this is not the case with Wood. Wood seems like a good guy, possibly with a frustrating learning difficulty, but not lacking in intelligence. At least more intelligence than KI.
I'm also not a fan of Wood's "Kidd" glove treatment...
But what do I know?
I'm with Benedict now.
It's all going to be Wood's fault no matter what.
(11-27-2022, 09:08 PM)RoyTarpleysGhost Wrote: [ -> ]He reminds me of Chris Gatling
Now that you said this I can't get it out of my mind. Perfect comp.
Luka is the only one that can fix the Wood starting/minutes conundrum.
(11-28-2022, 06:58 PM)cow Wrote: [ -> ]Luka is the only one that can fix the Wood starting/minutes conundrum.
That's somewhat true perhaps (not that I think that's Luka's nature at all), but ONLY if the minutes are being allotted arbitrarily without any connection to what Wood is doing (and what they want him to do).
But if the minutes are connected to Wood's behavior, on or off the court, then it should be reworded as:
Wood is the only one that can fix the Wood starting/minutes conundrum.
I would also caution that the periodic praise we hear about Wood from Luka (and Kidd too) might to some degree be their attempts to motivate him to do better (as in, 'we know you can do this' or 'we see better things possible') when he's holding himself back by continual screwups and failure to perform. They want him to do well.
(11-28-2022, 08:06 PM)F Gump Wrote: [ -> ]That's somewhat true perhaps (not that I think that's Luka's nature at all), but ONLY if the minutes are being allotted arbitrarily without any connection to what Wood is doing (and what they want him to do).
But if the minutes are connected to Wood's behavior, on or off the court, then it should be reworded as:
Wood is the only one that can fix the Wood starting/minutes conundrum.
I would also caution that the periodic praise we hear about Wood from Luka (and Kidd too) might to some degree be their attempts to motivate him to do better (as in, 'we know you can do this' or 'we see better things possible') when he's holding himself back by continual screwups and failure to perform. They want him to do well.
I don't think Luka will say anything either. I also don't trust Luka's praise of anyone as it his personality to build up rather than tear down. He still has wonderful things to say about KP and we can assume he didn't enjoy his time on the court with the big man.
There is obviously some Kidd/Wood tension currently. Considering both of their pasts, I'm not willing to assign blame more heavily in either direction.
(11-28-2022, 08:53 PM)cow Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think Luka will say anything either. I also don't trust Luka's praise of anyone as it his personality to build up rather than tear down. He still has wonderful things to say about KP and we can assume he didn't enjoy his time on the court with the big man.
There is obviously some Kidd/Wood tension currently. Considering both of their pasts, I'm not willing to assign blame more heavily in either direction.
The exception being McGee. He gave him some really withering looks. He might be at least part of the reason McGee lost his starting spot so quickly.
(11-28-2022, 10:25 PM)mvossman Wrote: [ -> ]The exception being McGee. He gave him some really withering looks. He might be at least part of the reason McGee lost his starting spot so quickly.
I do often wonder if the hate for "Joel" comes from the Suns playoff series.
A proper GM would have sorted this situation right about now. First of all, he´d aborted this hopeless season right about how.
He´d approach Wood and say:
Listen we cannot compete this year. We know that´s the last thing you wanted to hear right now, but we have to tank this year.
We are looking to be a long-term contender with you at the PF/C position, but you have to improve your defense, rotations, schemes. We don´t care about the offense. We know how good you can be. We´ll give plenty of minutes to you each night, but you focus on defense. Show us the hustle and effort.
We have the young pups Hardy and Green. We have to accelerate their development. They get plenty of minutes. They´ll make plenty of mistakes. Don´t get frustrated. Be a leader. That´s what we need from you. When this transformation is complete you´ll be one of the older guys and we need you at your best behaviour.
Here is what we can offer you in the summer. Give us your thoughts. You want long-term security, a permanent home, or two years with Luka spoon-feeding you for your next big contract. Let´s talk.
Are you willing to commit to this project?
Talk to him like an adult. Evaluate the next eight weeks how he does in that role with the young pups.
Instead of all this childish f*ckery between Kidd and him, that I´m 100% sure is going on right now, cause that is how Cuban "runs" this shop.
Same with Kemba Walker: We know your body ain´t in the best of shape. Let´s work on your body and game this year. You can mentor Hardy and Luka. And next year, we´ll go into attack mode, we´ll carve out 15-20 MPG for you off the bench to compete for the title. This season it might be more than 10-15 MPG and not each night either.
From all the evaluations you here this draft genuinely has 6-7 All-Star talents with superstar potential. So maybe you can coach Green up to become a 3&D guy on higher volume, so that he lands at 13/4/4 by the end of the year. You add a young stud in the draft, you nuture some veterans and next year you can compete.
I also genuinely believe one problem that Bullock and DFS have is they still feel the physical and mental after effects of that playoff run. The Mavs simply ran them into the ground due to their shitty depth. Give them a season to "rest" and I believe they´ll bounce back next year.
There is so much to like about a one year tank. Wembanyama, Henderson and the Thompson kids look like can´t miss prospects. If you finish bottom eight, you got a pretty decent chance to land one of them already. Even if you don´t fancy them (because you are Cuban), that pick is STILL a massive trade asset to acquire a star, cause you can beat your ass 25 other GMs see the superstar potential and be happy to ship out some guys in their early 30s.
(11-29-2022, 07:12 AM)Mavs2021 Wrote: [ -> ]A proper GM would have sorted this situation right about now. First of all, he´d aborted this hopeless season right about how.
He´d approach Wood and say:
Listen we cannot compete this year. We know that´s the last thing you wanted to hear right now, but we have to tank this year.
...
I said this elsewhere, its a cheeky idea, tanking a year, but just reading that its hard to imagine a safe way to say those words that can't come back to bite you.
Even without a phone call, text or other insanity to document it, can't imagine a scenario where Wood or some other player spreads the word to somebody, anybody as in "
Hey, Nico & Cuban said we're not competing this year.
We just cant. "
Yeah, its probably something you can't really say.
(11-29-2022, 05:56 PM)Dahlsim Wrote: [ -> ]I said this elsewhere, its a cheeky idea, tanking a year, but just reading that its hard to imagine a safe way to say those words that can't come back to bite you.
Even without a phone call, text or other insanity to document it, can't imagine a scenario where Wood or some other player spreads the word to somebody, anybody as in "Hey, Nico & Cuban said we're not competing this year. We just cant. "
Yeah, its probably something you can't really say.
I bet GMs say that all the time. Players are not stupid. I´d bet a lot of money, about 180M of it, that Presti said exactly that to SGA. Go through the process with us. I give you the full max, no questions asked and in 2-3 years we have a contender for the next decade. It´s a different approach to challenge Wood. Butter him up by praising his offense, give him job security with extension/future talk, but demand defensive commitment and leadership under similar circumstances to Houston with Green/KPJ. Has he changed? That´s a better way to find out.
(11-29-2022, 07:40 PM)Mavs2021 Wrote: [ -> ]I bet GMs say that all the time. Players are not stupid. I´d bet a lot of money, about 180M of it, that Presti said exactly that to SGA. Go through the process with us. I give you the full max, no questions asked and in 2-3 years we have a contender for the next decade. It´s a different approach to challenge Wood. Butter him up by praising his offense, give him job security with extension/future talk, but demand defensive commitment and leadership under similar circumstances to Houston with Green/KPJ. Has he changed? That´s a better way to find out.
Quote:I´d bet a lot of money, about 180M of it, that Presti said exactly that to SGA.
I don't know. I might take your money on that one @"Mavs2021"
Certainly players are far from stupid, but to say "exactly" that as you put it
Listen we cannot compete this year and we have to tank this year.
It has been said Players themselves compete. Its in their own best interest to compete. The teams that really tank are constructed to tank from a talent standpoint. The coaches can make
key game losing moves or fail to make winning moves with playing time etc. and force the tanking results. Players are more than smart enough to understand what those things mean, but I wouldn't be sure at all that the statements to players would be "
we cannot compete and we have to tank".
Watching the Mavericks compete so hard last night against the defending world champion GSW, I can't imagine Wood talking and it gets back to guys like Luka, DFS, Green, Kleber, Dinwiddie that the Nico and Mavs said
"we cannot compete and we have to tank".
I reserve the right to change my mind but for me, the shine is wearing off Christian Wood.
I don't like his slow feet (unless he's making an offensive move) and I don't like his lack of defensive awareness and I don't care if he dominates offensively on 10 of 13 shooting, scoring 25 points with 8 boards, if the Mavs are going lose his minutes by nine points and get crushed on the glass against one of the worst teams in the league.
For the season Wood's Real Plus Minus is -0.22 which is if 35th among centers, worse than Drummond and only a hair better than Mo Bamba.
Wood's RAPTOR is -0.7 which is sixth best on the team
Wood's EPM is -0.7 - also sixth best
Meanwhile his BPM is 56th in the league (indicating a guy who fills the stat sheet but doesn't contribute to winning?)
(12-02-2022, 09:59 AM)vfromlmf Wrote: [ -> ]the shine is wearing off Christian Wood
Kidd has absolutely succeeded.
![[Image: john-cusack-are-you-serious.gif]](https://media.tenor.com/KuPr85mXAhMAAAAd/john-cusack-are-you-serious.gif)