(06-07-2021, 08:05 AM)omahen Wrote: Thinking a lot about this. Two things to consider:
- basically all centers have huge defensive problems and are being attacked continously in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how Utah will be able to defend Clippers small ball
- Mavs were only able to run PnR against Zubac. Will we really be able to utilize Holmes (or similar centre) at full extent or will he just clogg the paint?

(06-07-2021, 08:34 AM)Branduil Wrote: Sure seems like a lot of our problems could be solved by getting Brogdon and Turner. I'd give up just about most of the team to make that happen somehow.

Maybe KP to GS for Wiggins+pick to Indy, Maxi+Brunson to Indy, Brogdon and Turner to Mavs.

(06-07-2021, 09:35 AM)hakeemfaan Wrote: It won’t work without a couple more legit  ball handlers. Clippers trapping Luka at the top and in general the high usage rate of Luka exposed the lack of ball handling talent on this team. Even if you put 4 Bruce Bowens around Luka that will not help. 

(06-07-2021, 09:51 AM)mvossman Wrote: I really like the idea of Batum at the 4.  Him and Maxi would be a good team at the 4 and allow DFS to slide down to the 3 where he is more effective.  I seriously doubt he would cost a full MLE and I think the max the Clippers could do is the rMLE.

(06-07-2021, 11:10 AM)hakeemfaan Wrote: How about Dragic? He can still play, fills an important need, and more importantly is one of the few who might legit be available(if Mia is looking to get a bit younger after their debacle) that Luka actually will listen to.

(06-07-2021, 10:56 AM)omahen Wrote: Why would you trade for someone you can sign outright? It makes little sense. It is basically dumping KP for cap space. If we speak about SA, Wright would make way more sense in a KP trade. Perhaps with an asset attached.

(06-07-2021, 11:10 AM)hakeemfaan Wrote: How about Dragic? He can still play, fills an important need, and more importantly is one of the few who might legit be available(if Mia is looking to get a bit younger after their debacle) that Luka actually will listen to.

(06-07-2021, 12:21 PM)StrandedOnBeauboisHill Wrote: With the consensus being that the ideal guard next to Luka is someone who can defend the point of attack and take playmaking duties off of Luka when needed whether it be when Luka is doubled or with the second unit, I'm very surprised that Lonzo isn't talked about much here.

The guy shot like a percentage point less than Hardaway on one more attempt per game from 3, plays elite defense in the backcourt and can actually, like....dribble which was a glaring issue for our roster in general this series.

(06-07-2021, 12:25 PM)StepBackJay Wrote: Smart + filler

(06-07-2021, 12:12 PM)TurkishMFFL Wrote: Hey HF, I haven’t noticed that you are here but you were one of my favourite posters in the previous board.

I totally agree on Dragic but I definitely remember how many Mavs fans raged against a possible trade for him (I belive) two years ago.

(06-07-2021, 12:21 PM)StrandedOnBeauboisHill Wrote: With the consensus being that the ideal guard next to Luka is someone who can defend the point of attack and take playmaking duties off of Luka when needed whether it be when Luka is doubled or with the second unit, I'm very surprised that Lonzo isn't talked about much here.

The guy shot like a percentage point less than Hardaway on one more attempt per game from 3, plays elite defense in the backcourt and can actually, like....dribble which was a glaring issue for our roster in general this series.

(06-07-2021, 12:26 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: Marcus. Smart. Cannot. Shoot. The. Ball.

It doesn't matter how good of a defender you are. The key to succeeding next to Luka is being able to spot up. Smart will have the same fate as Richardson and Wright, 2 players that can actually score better than Smart!

(06-07-2021, 12:21 PM)StrandedOnBeauboisHill Wrote: With the consensus being that the ideal guard next to Luka is someone who can defend the point of attack and take playmaking duties off of Luka when needed whether it be when Luka is doubled or with the second unit, I'm very surprised that Lonzo isn't talked about much here.

The guy shot like a percentage point less than Hardaway on one more attempt per game from 3, plays elite defense in the backcourt and can actually, like....dribble which was a glaring issue for our roster in general this series.

(06-07-2021, 12:26 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: Mostly because Lonzo is an RFA with his sights set on CHI or NYK who are keen to give him a max. 

(06-07-2021, 12:26 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: It doesn't matter how good of a defender you are. The key to succeeding next to Luka is being able to spot up. Smart will have the same fate as Richardson and Wright, 2 players that can actually score better than Smart!

(06-07-2021, 12:32 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Can't argue with any of this logic. It makes a lot of sense. I just can't imagine that having that family connected with this team would be a good thing. Maybe I'm making too much of that, but I actually am one of the people around here who believes in the Mavs' culture stuff. I think it's one of the few things they've done mostly right over the past 20 years. 

And, while I'm with you about the player description you laid out seeming like the perfect fit next to Luka, we somehow need to reconcile the fact that the Mavs tried two players like that during the last two years - first, Delon Wright, then Josh Richardson. In both cases, it eventually became clear that the team was better off with Hardaway, a pure shooter, in that spot instead. How do we make sense of that? Are Wright and Richardson not good enough examples of that type? I mean, it would be GREAT if Hardaway was also a lockdown defender and not just an adequate one, but THAT guy would be a MAX player - a STAR.

I think this is a difficult thing to figure out, especially given how many people's biggest criticism is the offense. It's almost as if the Mavs need TWO starting guards next to Luka, and Luka needs to be the 3, in name and practice both. I know @"omahen" tends to look at things from that angle, and he might be right.

(06-07-2021, 12:32 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: we somehow need to reconcile the fact that the Mavs tried two players like that during the last two years - first, Delon Wright, then Josh Richardson. In both cases, it eventually became clear that the team was better off with Hardaway, a pure shooter, in that spot instead. How do we make sense of that? Are Wright and Richardson not good enough examples of that type?