(04-15-2022, 10:52 PM)Hogmelon Wrote: I wonder how any "publication" or "news site" could know more about Luka's status than the Dallas Mavericks organization.

(04-16-2022, 01:29 AM)cow Wrote: Imagine if the MBT were more patient after drafting Luka and pulled the trigger on someone like CJ instead of rushing into the first big name that presented itself.

(04-16-2022, 01:29 AM)cow Wrote: Imagine if the MBT were more patient after drafting Luka and pulled the trigger on someone like CJ instead of rushing into the first big name that presented itself.

(04-16-2022, 08:24 AM)Jommybone Wrote: Don’t get the Pelican love. They beat a team without it’s 2 best players. Wow.

(04-16-2022, 07:12 AM)hakeemfaan Wrote: How long were they supposed to wait?  

(04-16-2022, 07:10 AM)Mapka Wrote: Is it strange to say I like Spencer/THJ better than CJ?

(04-16-2022, 11:00 AM)cow Wrote: As a person, I could see preferring THJ and even Spencer.  Then again, we don't get an up close and personal look at CJ on the regular as Mavs fans.  As a player, CJ is a tier or two above Spencer/THJ.  There are health concerns to go around with all of the players now.

(04-16-2022, 11:00 AM)cow Wrote: At least until they knew what they had with Luka and had a better feeling for what would work well around him.  We still have a long way to go until we are free of the ransom we gave up for getting and jettisoning KP.  Cuban is impatient, that can't be argued.


As a person, I could see preferring THJ and even Spencer.  Then again, we don't get an up close and personal look at CJ on the regular as Mavs fans.  As a player, CJ is a tier or two above Spencer/THJ.  There are health concerns to go around with all of the players now.

(04-16-2022, 11:36 AM)hakeemfaan Wrote: They got a center who if healthy was a great 3D center.  Just the type of guy you wanted around Luka.  Plus he could be the focal point for stretches when Luka was on the bench or hurt. 

What no one could forecast was if he would stay healthy, if he could develop a 2 man game with Luka, if he was ok playing a 3D role and being just one of the other 4 options when Luka was on the floor, if he could grow other aspects of his game closer to the bucket.  But even with just a 3D base skill he would have been great but even the D was affected by his injuries. Anthony Edwards recently made a comment about how everyone praises Gobert but KP was the most difficult shot blocker he played against.  

Sure someone like a CJ would be able to get his own shot and so would need less integration time but there are other things that a center brings that CJ could not. Plus as I said even if you feel the right time was later, the Mavs are not guaranteed to get any stud. We have seen the years of hope and prayer and cap space amounting to nothing. IMO they absolutely had to take that chance when KP was made available.

(04-16-2022, 11:34 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: I'll agree he's a tier or two above THJ. IF (big, big if) Dinwiddie can play during these first couple of games without Luka the way he has played since coming here to Dallas, I think he might be my favorite of the three. I just love how he gets to the free throw line!

(04-16-2022, 11:48 AM)cow Wrote: KP didn't work with Luka even with healthy  KP's best stretches with the Mavs were with Luka hurt.  Hindsight and all but I think a better front office wouldn't have made that move.  KP was a cherry on top move and the Mavs mostly didn't have bananas, whipped cream, syrup or other toppings to go with their Slovenian ice cream (which you already owed future assets for).  KP was a gamble on health alone and the amount of asset spent took away a lot of future opportunities.  My post wasn't specifically about CJ but more of the opportunities to get guys like CJ once you've built a better foundation and collected assets.

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(04-16-2022, 12:44 PM)hakeemfaan Wrote: I didn’t say he worked. I said it didn’t work but no one could have known that before the trade.  It would seem like a perfect PnR fit with KP able to either pop and hit the jumper or roll and dunk.  But who could have predicted his spatial awareness for the PnR would be so poor? 

I understood your point but the reality is there is no guaranteed opportunity to get a player who you believe can become a foundational piece. You have to take chances when the opportunity does present itself. Sometimes those chances work out. Sometimes they don’t.

(04-16-2022, 01:16 PM)cow Wrote: I didn't say you did.  I said a better front office wouldn't have done that deal.  It wasn't the right time.  The team wasn't built to pivot should that trade not work out.  And it wasn't like KP didn't have massive red flags when it came to health.  There are good and bad times to take risk.