(04-29-2021, 11:37 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]We thought the Mavs were buying a stud defender and instead they got a below average problem at the most important defensive position.
I really wonder if the problem is KP got worse or offense improved overall. PnR drop coverage just doesn't work anymore and Mavs are killed by good PG. One important thing - Luka can play defense when he is locked in and he will certainly be locked in in the playoffs. Will that count as "only one of the stars is on the court"? As we can see in the article - Mavs defense is good when only one of the stars plays.
(04-29-2021, 11:44 AM)omahen Wrote: [ -> ]As we can see in the article - Mavs defense is good when only one of the stars plays.
I thought this was the biggest takeaway for me from the article, to see that the pairing is the biggest problem and that KP seems to hold his own a little better when we have defenders in front of him who are better at fighting over screens than Luka. Having said that, it's not like Luka isn't going anywhere and it's hard to really understand what kind of solutions we can put in place for them to gel defensively on the court together.
(04-29-2021, 11:37 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]I sure hope the Mavs are ready to fix it this off-season.
I was pretty firmly in the camp of we need to keep KP for the duration of his contract until seeing how much more competent we look in a switch heavy defense when he's off the court. I understand why people don't want to "sell low" but I would argue having a healthy KP who's averaging nearly 20/10 on the trade market is not selling low and that holding on to him at this point is really just giving into sunk cost fallacy. To me our timer for urgency doesn't truly start until Luka's next contract kicks in so I can see them giving this another year but my hope is that we explore all of our options very heavily this offseason.
It's funny because I think most people think GM's don't want to trade for KP because of his injuries but I think that's very overblown and that the real problem is exactly what we're experiencing, it's hard to build a competitive defense with him on your roster. I'm rooting for the dude because our ceiling is much much higher when he's locked in and playing well but I'm incredibly worried that he'll never be the anchor of a championship level defense.
(04-29-2021, 12:05 PM)StrandedOnBeauboisHill Wrote: [ -> ]holding on to him at this point is really just giving into sunk cost fallacy.
Perfectly articulated, in my opinion.
(04-29-2021, 11:44 AM)omahen Wrote: [ -> ]I really wonder if the problem is KP got worse or offense improved overall. PnR drop coverage just doesn't work anymore and Mavs are killed by good PG.
That's a decent point. However, to my thinking, knowing the answer doesn't solve the problem. Imagining the Mavs trying to duct tape a defense together to hide Porzingis just gives me a hopeless case of apathy towards the future of the team.
Piece of the Cuban interview yesterday with Tim Cato in The Athletic yesterday. Nothing surprising.
How has Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis’ relationship evolved over the past two years, and are you surprised it’s been scrutinized the way it has?
I’m not surprised about anything being scrutinized. That’s the way the NBA works and more often than not it’s the work of one team or another trying to invent the rumor mill so that players and teams have to respond. Whether it’s trade rumors or whatever.
And as far as their relationship, it’s a good, solid business relationship like two coworkers in any other business may have. You may not go to happy hour with your peers all the time. You might go out to dinner with them now and again and you are work friends and get along great at work. That’s pretty much how they get along. Over time, relationships improve, particularly if a team is winning.
No one expected Doncic to be this good so soon. How much did his immediate stardom change the way you wanted or planned to build this team after drafting him?
When you have a generational talent like Luka, you build around him. It’s pretty straightforward and obvious. And the more games you play with him as the focal point, the more you learn what pieces you need and then you do your best to go out and get them.
Doncic is eligible to sign a max extension before next season. Would you agree that using cap space to sign free agents becomes a less viable method for team building once you have two maximum salaried players on the roster? Does it put a particular emphasis on the significant cap space you’re projected to have this offseason, since it could be viewed as an expiring asset of sorts?
Depends on what the marketplace is. On one hand, players want to play with Luka and KP. On the other hand, sometimes it’s easier to combine assets to get top-tier players. We will do whatever we need to build around LD and KP.
How much do you believe other star players, circumstances permitting, want to play with Doncic?
From what I’m hearing from them, a lot.
(04-30-2021, 07:51 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ]How much do you believe other star players, circumstances permitting, want to play with Doncic?
From what I’m hearing from them, a lot.
I sure hope this kicks in soon.
I have no trouble believing it will happen, eventually, but I’m skeptical that people are lined up RIGHT NOW. The sooner we get to the point where this is a reality, the easier building this roster will be.
(04-30-2021, 08:07 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]I sure hope this kicks in soon.
I have no trouble believing it will happen, eventually, but I’m skeptical that people are lined up RIGHT NOW. The sooner we get to the point where this is a reality, the easier building this roster will be.
Yeah, the roster limits eventually kick in for Brooklyn and the two LA teams. Sooner or later someone has to pick us. Maybe this is the year...unless it isn’t. There is still a version of the summer where we retain “flexibility” for 22 even if it isn’t max room.
I listened to a podcast yesterday where they went through the extension eligible guys for this summer (which impacts 22 and in some cases 23 free agency). It has the potential of taking the legs out of 22 in the same way extensions have hurt 21.
(04-30-2021, 08:18 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ]I listened to a podcast yesterday where they went through the extension eligible guys for this summer (which impacts 22 and in some cases 23 free agency). It has the potential of taking the legs out of 22 in the same way extensions have hurt 21.
It is very simple. If a player wants to come to Dallas, he won't sign an extension.
(04-30-2021, 08:18 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ]Yeah, the roster limits eventually kick in for Brooklyn and the two LA teams. Sooner or later someone has to pick us. Maybe this is the year...unless it isn’t. There is still a version of the summer where we retain “flexibility” for 22 even if it isn’t max room.
I listened to a podcast yesterday where they went through the extension eligible guys for this summer (which impacts 22 and in some cases 23 free agency). It has the potential of taking the legs out of 22 in the same way extensions have hurt 21.
Which podcast was this? I'd be curious to hear the rundown.
The only name that keeps popping up in relation to being friends with Luka is Lavine. Kind of feels like is things go poorly for the Bulls next season and he wants out it would more likely be a trade deadline move as opposed to a lose him for nothing scenario but he's always the name that pops up as the one being the first to say "I want to play with Luka. You can trade me anywhere but I'm finding my way to Dallas." Could always be wishful thinking.
(04-30-2021, 08:18 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ]Yeah, the roster limits eventually kick in for Brooklyn and the two LA teams. Sooner or later someone has to pick us. Maybe this is the year...unless it isn’t. There is still a version of the summer where we retain “flexibility” for 22 even if it isn’t max room.
I listened to a podcast yesterday where they went through the extension eligible guys for this summer (which impacts 22 and in some cases 23 free agency). It has the potential of taking the legs out of 22 in the same way extensions have hurt 21.
I understand the roster limits, but I don't think that's a problem for the LA teams:
LAL Free Agents
D. Schroder UFA (Bird)
M. Harrell PO
W. Matthews UFA (non-Bird)
A. Caruso UFA (Bird)
J. Dudley UFA (early Bird)
M. Morris UFA (early Bird)
T. Horton-Tucker RFA (early Bird)
A. Drummond UFA (non-Bird)
B. McLemore UFA (non-Bird)
K. Antetokounmpo RFA (Bird)
D. Cacok RFA (early Bird)
LAC Free Agents
K. Leonard PO
S. Ibaka PO
P. Patterson UFA (early Bird)
N. Batum UFA (non-Bird)
R. Jackson UFA (early Bird)
D. Cousins UFA (non-Bird)
J. Scrubb RFA (non-Bird)
A. Coffey RFA (early Bird)
Looks like either team can free up a slot pretty easily for the right addition.
BTW, how doe J. Scrubb ever aspire to be more than a bench player?
BKN Free Agents
S. Dinwiddie PO
J. Green UFA (non-Bird)
T. Johnson UFA (early Bird)
B. Brown RFA (Bird)
B. Griffin UFA (non-Bird)
R. Perry RFA (non-Bird)
C. Chiozza RFA (non-Bird)
(04-30-2021, 09:51 AM)StrandedOnBeauboisHill Wrote: [ -> ]Which podcast was this? I'd be curious to hear the rundown.
The only name that keeps popping up in relation to being friends with Luka is Lavine. Kind of feels like is things go poorly for the Bulls next season and he wants out it would more likely be a trade deadline move as opposed to a lose him for nothing scenario but he's always the name that pops up as the one being the first to say "I want to play with Luka. You can trade me anywhere but I'm finding my way to Dallas." Could always be wishful thinking.
Hollinger and Duncan. It is part of the Locked On podcast network, but more of a national show. BTW, where are you seeing anything about LaVine and Luka being friends?
In other podcast news (I’ve had a lot of driving time lately), today’s Hardwood Knocks podcast is about the most underrated players on each team in the west. One host picked Maxi and the other picked Brunson. National perspective, no local. I would have probably picked DFS because Maxi and Brunson seem to get a lot of love. But, it isn’t possible for me to divorce myself from my “local” perspective. They had an interesting stat (don’t recall the details) that showed Maxi with pretty elite company in having a couple of good defensive metrics combined with 3 point shooting. Late in the show they had a different list of factors to show how good Mikal Bridges is playing. The interesting thing is Danny Green made both lists.
Michaeltex: It was supposed to be sarcastic...as in someday Brooklyn and the LA teams will have all the prominent free agents they can possibly stand and MAYBE at that point Dallas will have a shot at one.
(04-30-2021, 03:02 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ]BTW, where are you seeing anything about LaVine and Luka being friends?
They're gamer bros. They're also really friendly whenever they play each other (Lavine trying to cool off Luka and yada yada). May be nothing, I just know they at least have some sort of relationship.
![[Image: Luka-Doncic-Zach-LaVine.jpg?resize=3600%2C2559&ssl=1]](https://i2.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Luka-Doncic-Zach-LaVine.jpg?resize=3600%2C2559&ssl=1)
(04-30-2021, 03:02 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ]Michaeltex: It was supposed to be sarcastic...as in someday Brooklyn and the LA teams will have all the prominent free agents they can possibly stand and MAYBE at that point Dallas will have a shot at one.
I kind of got that after I posted the lists. But it is surprising that there are three favorites where significant portions of their rosters are into some form of free agency this summer. I know some, like Drummond, are ring chasing and may move on to another payday next year.
I've been advocating keeping most of the DAL team together to let it grow, but it doesn't seem like you have to do that if you are a Finals favorite in a major market. I guess we can try to pick a few cherries when their group disperse.