(06-27-2025, 05:57 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: I think we're all using (and confusing each other with) the term "traditional" differently. 

Luka was absolutely not a "traditional" PG in the way I take that label's meaning. 

I keep seeing this conversation devolve into "heliocentric vs. ball movement," and I just can't believe our collective understanding of the game (quoted poster excluded) is so lacking in nuance. Using the example of Indiana (again), I think they moved the ball and ran a beautiful, rhythm-building offense the likes of which the league hasn't seen for quite a while. But, I think they were able to do that because they had (before the injury) possibly the best "traditional" PG in the league right now. 

You could convince me that some type of 5-out, dribble handoff system with lots of cutting that allows AD and/or Lively to make decisions at the top could work, but...if that's the plan, why on Earth is Daniel Gafford still on the team? He'd have no chance of thriving in an offensive system like that, and desperately needs to be on a team that plans to spam spread pick and roll. 

There are loads of ways to run offense, but they all depend on creating advantages, and I'm not seeing a way for the Mavs to do that at the moment. I suppose at this point we just need to see what else they do and then see how it looks, but I'm definitely not getting "contender" vibes at the moment unless we see a pretty big offensive add (in addition to the tpMLE guard).

(06-27-2025, 06:07 PM)Smitty Wrote: Offensive philosophy is different than what I posted. What gets me irked is when people say player X is a “Position X”. What do they even mean? Like you say, Gafford and Lively and Davis are all Centers but they are very different players. Are they putting players in a box? Are you looking for something specific when you put a label on that position? Are we talking offensively or defensively?  This isn’t 1995.

I think you and I are on the same page when it comes to offensive philosophy. If you want to be a heavy PnR team, Gafford is great. If you want to be a 5-out team, AD is your guy. If you want a short roll passer and DHO guy, Lively is ideal. 

We don’t do deep dives in here on the nuance of offensive philosophies, but I’d love to grab a beer and do a deep dive sometime.

(06-27-2025, 06:13 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: I've been trying, my guy! 

As to the first paragraph...I think how players synergize (not sure that's a real word, but I'm rolling with it) with each other matters. I wouldn't even know how to put these players in a box, because the nuances of what they're planning completely escape me. I keep waiting for some type of move that will indicate their direction somehow, and they keep just keeping everyone like Luka is still here. 

Essentially, this team is still set up to play pick and roll basketball - you'd just have to swap AD and Luka. Then, Gafford makes sense again instantly. I know what I need from Lively, from PJW and all the rest. But, we factually know THEY think they're building around AD (Harrison said as much in the presser, and I can't believe more people didn't freak out - it was my biggest takeaway).

I think the roster is 1995, personally. This roster would DOMINATE that era. In 2026??? I don't see it yet.

(06-27-2025, 06:06 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Personally, I think we're on track for a metric ton of mid-range jumpers coming from AD and Flagg. I think the paint is going to be clogged, due to lack of spacing (for a few reasons), so cutting, dribble penetration, the post pass...all options are going to be difficult for this team. That's my prediction. At this time, anyway.

(06-27-2025, 06:23 PM)RasheedsBigWhiteSpot Wrote: Ex: Nuggets need depth.

Klay, Naji, Hardy, Powell and OMax
For
Porter Jr

(06-27-2025, 01:46 PM)Smitty Wrote: Talks about a lineup of:

- Cooper Flagg
- Klay Thompson
- P.J. Washington
- Anthony Davis
- Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford

(06-27-2025, 10:30 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: I'm not the biggest DLo fan, but if something like this actually happens, it slots the TX MLE guard as a backup.

Flagg           (DLo)           BWill       Irving
Thompson    Christie        Hardy
PJW             Martin          
Davis           Naji             OMax
Lively           Gafford        Powell

I've kind of envisioned the stopgap PG starting and holding down Kyrie's spot.  But, that might not be true if this comes to pass.  I suspect Christie closes (he was already doing that in front of Thompson last season some).  The question is who moves to the bench when Kyrie returns?  

One note on the Exum speculation.  BWill is not guaranteed.  So, absent a trade or eating a contract (not likely), Exum instead of BWill might be the path.

(06-27-2025, 10:30 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: I'm not the biggest DLo fan, but if something like this actually happens, it slots the TX MLE guard as a backup.

Flagg           (DLo)           BWill       Irving
Thompson    Christie        Hardy
PJW             Martin          
Davis           Naji             OMax
Lively           Gafford        Powell

I've kind of envisioned the stopgap PG starting and holding down Kyrie's spot.  But, that might not be true if this comes to pass.  I suspect Christie closes (he was already doing that in front of Thompson last season some).  The question is who moves to the bench when Kyrie returns?  

One note on the Exum speculation.  BWill is not guaranteed.  So, absent a trade or eating a contract (not likely), Exum instead of BWill might be the path.

(06-27-2025, 11:02 PM)Smitty Wrote: AD at the 4 just makes this whole thing difficult for me, but I don’t want to beat a dead horse.

(06-28-2025, 12:16 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: That's the elephant in the room. It just won't work. Maybe they know that.

(06-28-2025, 05:29 AM)Winter Wrote: "Within his latest NBA rumor round-up for The Stein Line (Substack link), Marc Stein reiterates a report he published on Twitter earlier this week, writing that the Mavericks are “increasingly regarded as the favorites” to sign point guard D’Angelo Russell.

Dallas will likely be limited to offering free agents the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception, and Stein suggests Chris Paul will be another Mavs target using that MLE. However, there’s a growing belief that Paul would want to play somewhere closer to his home in Los Angeles if he continues his career, Stein explains."


From what I've heard from Kidd in press conferences is that they aren't necessarily committed to PG with scoring skills. They believe they can operate with the opposite - a scoring guard with some PG skills (D'Angelo). That may be true with Flagg. We'll see.

But it appears more and more likely that D'Angelo gets signed by the Mavs.

If he is signed, I have to hope his decision-making is more disciplined than what I've seen in the past.

(06-28-2025, 06:36 AM)Chicagojk Wrote: So help me out here.  If the market for Jaden, Omax and Powell is nil, what are our options to create another spot?  If we released Powell could we sign minimum guy?  Williams could be an option but that would sort of be a sucky thing to do.  I get it is a business but he earned that spot LAST year.

Ideally I would prefer a 2-1 deal where we got a better fitting player, but what happens if that doesn’t open up?

(06-28-2025, 05:29 AM)Winter Wrote: "Within his latest NBA rumor round-up for The Stein Line (Substack link), Marc Stein reiterates a report he published on Twitter earlier this week, writing that the Mavericks are “increasingly regarded as the favorites” to sign point guard D’Angelo Russell.

Dallas will likely be limited to offering free agents the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception, and Stein suggests Chris Paul will be another Mavs target using that MLE. However, there’s a growing belief that Paul would want to play somewhere closer to his home in Los Angeles if he continues his career, Stein explains."


From what I've heard from Kidd in press conferences is that they aren't necessarily committed to PG with scoring skills. They believe they can operate with the opposite - a scoring guard with some PG skills (D'Angelo). That may be true with Flagg. We'll see.

But it appears more and more likely that D'Angelo gets signed by the Mavs.

If he is signed, I have to hope his decision-making is more disciplined than what I've seen in the past.

(06-27-2025, 11:02 PM)Smitty Wrote: Shooting is the biggest issue I see in the starting lineup. Next is playmaking. It’s different, that’s for sure. AD at the 4 just makes this whole thing difficult for me, but I don’t want to beat a dead horse.