(07-13-2021, 10:09 AM)Kammrath Wrote: Right, I do NOT think he has any inside connection to DAL to know what the REAL priority is for the new front office. 

HOWEVER, I think he has other team insiders telling him that THEIR impression is that trading KP is the top priority. 

Is trading KP the top priority? Only DAL knows. But other teams seeing the activity of DAL get the idea that it is their main objective. That's how I am understanding this.

(07-13-2021, 09:45 AM)Kammrath Wrote: 100% agree. With ONE addition... get a starting C (like Richaun Holmes) to go next to JC. 

My current "ideal" offseason is trade KP for Dejounte Murray (if at all possible), sign and trade for JC, and then sign Holmes.

(07-13-2021, 12:15 PM)VintagePejav2 Wrote: I thought the primary takeaway from last season is that the Mavs top need was another ball-handler that could create his own shot?

(07-13-2021, 12:33 PM)mvossman Wrote: why would you want to get Holmes and JC?

(07-13-2021, 12:21 PM)ItsGoTime Wrote: 1. The truth to that is not about 1 decision. Sure, we got Luka right. Great, I'm glad we can swing for home runs and get a grand slam. Problem is those other teams are scoring every other inning (1-2 runs per), and we got the 1 grand slam. It's a blow out, but we got that Sportscenter moment!

2. If Donnie didn't have enough backbone to fight for making MC let him make the decisions or quit, what makes you think we would have probably been better off if MC gave him the ability? If he ever gets another high end FO job in the NBA, maybe we'll see something from him. I'm willing to bet either he doesn't get that job, or he doesn't do much with it.

(07-13-2021, 12:33 PM)mvossman Wrote: You are spending nearly 50 mil on the front court

(07-13-2021, 12:48 PM)mvossman Wrote: This is not a good analogy.  In the NBA its all about the home run.  It's nearly impossible to win it all with singles and doubles (just ask Boston).  That Luka trade was probably more important than all the decisions combined for any of those franchises in the last 3 years.

We should also be careful about comparing apples to oranges.  The Suns have been tanking/rebuilding longer than the Mavs.  They are at a different stage.  They were also extremely fortunate to be in the finals.  Every opponent they have played had a key star injury that made a huge difference.  

(07-13-2021, 01:01 PM)Kammrath Wrote: To be clear (and I think it is an IMPORTANT difference), I am suggesting spending up to $27M on JC (preferably $23-25M if you can get away with it) and something like $15-17M on RH. This is $38-44M between the two. That $6-12M difference is a big deal IMO.

(07-13-2021, 12:38 PM)Kammrath Wrote: Because I think an elite, complementary-to-Luka frontcourt is the primary need for this team and the hardest role to fill with random guys from year to year. I think spending $50M on a starting frontcourt that complements Luka is a great decision.

(07-13-2021, 01:34 PM)mvossman Wrote: what stood out was Luka getting worn down by the 4th quarter, the other 4 starters struggling to take advantage of 4 on 3 when Luka was doubled, and the bench generally sucking when Luka was not on the court

(07-13-2021, 01:34 PM)mvossman Wrote: This teams biggest issue is clearly defense

(07-13-2021, 01:46 PM)jesusshuttlesworth82 Wrote: In general, I want to spend more money on wings/guards than bigs going forward.

(07-13-2021, 02:51 PM)Okstate819 Wrote: You know what both your + offensive rating lineups have in common? Luka. We are never going to struggle offensively, especially in the regular season with Luka running the show.

Luka/Powell/KP vs Luka/Holmes/Collins -        estimated offensive rating - Maybe a wash (Id go with the latter)

Luka/Powell/KP vs Luka/Holmes/Collins -        estimated defensive rating - Luka/Holmes/Collins (By a mile)

Yes we do need a competent second creator. (Id be looking to trade  KP for that player like Hayward). But I'm with Kamm, the frontcourt that fits on Offensive but particularly is a plus on defense is a must for a team headlined by Luka.

(07-13-2021, 03:05 PM)mvossman Wrote: I have stated that if KP's mobility is lost for good, then he has to go.  But you don't need to spend 45 mil to improve on his defense.

(07-13-2021, 02:59 PM)Scott41theMavs Wrote: That's a great principle to have. Thing is, with this free agent class, the only great wing available is Kawhi (maybe), who is a pipe dream, and the only great guards available are Ball (whom many here are leery of money-whipping, for whatever reason) and 2 or 3 dudes who need a cane. Oh, and Dennis Schroeder, whom I want no part of. 

If you don't want Ball and can't get Kawhi, then Collins is likely our best-case scenario for offseason. In free agency, that is. Perhaps we should be thinking entirely in terms of trades. We just don't have a lot of great assets for that (everyone knows that what I really want is Brogdon, but given RC and our lack of assets, that's going to be a tough get). That's one of the reasons I like the idea of trading KP for White or Murray, thus clearing a bunch of cap space, and then getting all four of Portis, Jackson, Tucker, and Payne, and signing the best center possible for the rMLE. Then you've stocked up on a lot of tradeable assets. You haven't really punted on the year because that's a decent enough team around Luka (who, after all, has established himself as a one-man wrecking crew) to have a shot at the second round or better, and can improve through trade (or clearing cap room by shedding tradeable guys) next summer.

All that said, I still think Collins is the best-case scenario because the Mavs used their best asset - cap space - to *improve their team,* something they notably haven't done the past two offseasons. Improvement of the talent base is huge this offseason. I am also hoping that Kidd and Sweeney can coach up Green, Terry, Bey, and Hinton into rotation players and/or tradeable assets. That would be huge, no?

(07-13-2021, 03:08 PM)Scott41theMavs Wrote: Um, what? Defense is what we were looking for primarily when we traded for KP. If, as you said, his mobility is lost for good, then yeah, we'd better improve on his defense. 

Both Collins and Holmes look like one of their greatest strengths is defensive switchability, which is the best single trait in big men in this day and age. The Mavs could do a lot worse with their offseason.

(07-13-2021, 12:35 PM)Kammrath Wrote: I feel very strongly about this opinion, but I might be mostly alone in it. Not sure.

(07-13-2021, 03:26 PM)mvossman Wrote: And defense is not what we were primarily looking for in KP.

(07-13-2021, 03:48 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Well, one person we absolutely know for sure disagrees, at least according to what he has recently said in public, is Mark Cuban. Now, I have observed that Mark will change his tune from interview to interview, depending on what has happened in between, even if the public speaking events are only weeks apart. But, this could be our first chance to see who is really running things over there, within reason.

I predict that Spencer Dinwiddie will be trumpeted as a ginormous free agent signing on the very first day of free agency, and that most people here will buy into a narrative that he is a real accomplishment of an acquisition, and just what the team needs. Personally, I plan on throwing up several times that day.