MAVS NEWS:

[Smitty]

" I think most of us agree that the Mavs have to do something to get him through the season healthier. " ... I don't. Not in that "we will ensure it happens" way, at least. 

Until Luka himself makes his personal conditioning the priority (and I don't see evidence that he has), it's a fools errand for anyone to think there's an answer available to the Mavs. You can't fix someone - you can only help someone who had seen the need and is personally committed to do what it takes.

Luka will DEMAND to play. A lot. In a screw you sort of mindset. Not wanting to be benched. It's up to him to make and keep a commitment to have his body in optimal physical shape for the rigors of the competition.

The argument I’m making is that minutes and usage are two different things. The Mavs have to find more ways to get the ball out of Luka’s hands while still being effective. To this point, they’ve never had the personnel to be competitive without Luka initiating nearly every half court possession with high PnR or ISO. I don’t think anyone in the history of the NBA could play 37+ mpg with a usage rate of 37% year after year.

Even Harden, who Luka is compared to often, has a career usage rate of 29%. It’d be one thing of it were for a season, but I think there’s no way he can keep it up and stay healthy for an entire season, let alone a career.

[michaeltex]

The argument I’m making is that minutes and usage are two different things. The Mavs have to find more ways to get the ball out of Luka’s hands while still being effective. To this point, they’ve never had the personnel to be competitive without Luka initiating nearly every half court possession with high PnR or ISO. I don’t think anyone in the history of the NBA could play 37+ mpg with a usage rate of 37% year after year.

Even Harden, who Luka is compared to often, has a career usage rate of 29%. It’d be one thing of it were for a season, but I think there’s no way he can keep it up and stay healthy for an entire season, let alone a career.

I agree with your premise, but the biggest factor in getting the ball out of Luka's hands is probably Luka, himself. If Kidd can have another player bring the ball up then maybe the offense gets started earlier and can engage more players, rather than Luka walking it up and pounding the ball as the shot clock unwinds and limits opportunities to get everyone involved.

I do think, however, that improved reliability of his on-court teammates will encourage him to to play less hero ball and exhibit more of the assist super power he is blessed with. I wouldn't mind seeing his points and rebounds drop a bit if the assists go up. Distribute the points to other players and trust your two active young centers to get the rebounds. 

That's my simplistic view from the August NBA wasteland.

[SleepingHero]

@GrantAfseth
The Dallas Mavericks will hold training camp in Las Vegas on the UNLV campus from Oct. 1-4 before returning to Dallas on Oct. 5.

[KillerLeft]

The argument I’m making is that minutes and usage are two different things. The Mavs have to find more ways to get the ball out of Luka’s hands while still being effective. To this point, they’ve never had the personnel to be competitive without Luka initiating nearly every half court possession with high PnR or ISO. I don’t think anyone in the history of the NBA could play 37+ mpg with a usage rate of 37% year after year.

Even Harden, who Luka is compared to often, has a career usage rate of 29%. It’d be one thing of it were for a season, but I think there’s no way he can keep it up and stay healthy for an entire season, let alone a career.

I agree with the idea that Luka's usage should decrease, but for the purpose of improving ball-movement and including more players, offensively. I don't veiw it as a means of lessening the load on Luka, necessariy. I agree with Gump about that - only Luka taking his conditioning and professionalism to a sicko, Kobe Bryant-like level (which actually isn't so rare when the sample set is only NBA superstars) can solve that. But, I think they've taken "Luka vs 5, find the open man" about as far as it can be taken. Don't get me wrong, I think that will always be a big part of this team's approach, but the finals showed us (again) that the Mavs simply must diversify their offensive approach. To me, that's the positive possible through lowering Luka's usage.

[KillerLeft]

@GrantAfseth
The Dallas Mavericks will hold training camp in Las Vegas on the UNLV campus from Oct. 1-4 before returning to Dallas on Oct. 5.

The new super rich owners want to show off their new toy to their friends. Not sure how I feel about this just yet. Might be nothing, and a change of scenery could be a good thing. But, it could also be a Jerry Jones type of move.

[SleepingHero]

[SleepingHero]

The new super rich owners want to show off their new toy to their friends. Not sure how I feel about this just yet. Might be nothing, and a change of scenery could be a good thing. But, it could also be a Jerry Jones type of move.

It could be the new owners making this move but I think more likely the coaching staff saw how a group trip before the season helped the team gel and might thinking a neutral training ground could provide something similar.

What better place than Vegas where the new owners have connections and can provide an area where players are familiar with?

[KillerLeft]

It could be the new owners making this move but I think more likely the coaching staff saw how a group trip before the season helped the team gel and might thinking a neutral training ground could provide something similar.

What better place than Vegas where the new owners have connections and can provide an area where players are familiar with?

Could be. 

Feels more likely that this was an idea originated by the owners who are located in Vegas to me. Like I said, that doesn't make it a bad thing, necessarily. It's interesting.

[michaeltex]

Get a pre-season look at the Clippers' new home.

[DallasMaverick]

It could be the new owners making this move but I think more likely the coaching staff saw how a group trip before the season helped the team gel and might thinking a neutral training ground could provide something similar.

What better place than Vegas where the new owners have connections and can provide an area where players are familiar with?

Yeah, Vegas seems like a place without distractions, where some 20-25-year olds can really focus.

[DallasMaverick]

It could be the new owners making this move but I think more likely the coaching staff saw how a group trip before the season helped the team gel and might thinking a neutral training ground could provide something similar.

What better place than Vegas where the new owners have connections and can provide an area where players are familiar with?

[SleepingHero]

Yeah, Vegas seems like a place without distractions, where some 20-25-year olds can really focus.

Well I suppose it's more team bonding than anything. 4 days in Vegas is more than enough to have 1-2 fun days and the rest is locked in training camp.

[SleepingHero]

@MarcJSpears
Word on the street is the Dallas Mavericks are hiring former Knicks scout Makhtar Ndiaye as director of pro personnel and international scouting. The former Vancouver Grizzlies big man was with the Knicks as a scout for nine years.

[Mavs2021]

@MarcJSpears
Word on the street is the Dallas Mavericks are hiring former Knicks scout Makhtar Ndiaye as director of pro personnel and international scouting. The former Vancouver Grizzlies big man was with the Knicks as a scout for nine years.

Let´s get Nolan Traore as Kyrie´s replacement.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/IanBegley/status/1825307218209550532

Here's his farewell letter to the Knicks.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

" I think most of us agree that the Mavs have to do something to get him through the season healthier. " ... I don't. Not in that "we will ensure it happens" way, at least. 

Until Luka himself makes his personal conditioning the priority (and I don't see evidence that he has), it's a fools errand for anyone to think there's an answer available to the Mavs. You can't fix someone - you can only help someone who had seen the need and is personally committed to do what it takes.

Luka will DEMAND to play. A lot. In a screw you sort of mindset. Not wanting to be benched. It's up to him to make and keep a commitment to have his body in optimal physical shape for the rigors of the competition.

There have been many superstars who struggled with their conditioning.  Moses Malone.  Barkley.  Shaq.  You can't simply say it's up to Luka and the team can't do anything about it.  Luka's never going to be Giannis, but you have to manage his minutes.  I think having Din will help.  I also think Luka needs to play off the ball more when Kyrie is on the court.  The level of energy he gives on offense with the enormous usage just isn't sustainable as he gets older.

Luka is at the point in his career that championships are the only goal.

[F Gump]

There have been many superstars who struggled with their conditioning.  Moses Malone.  Barkley.  Shaq.  You can't simply say it's up to Luka and the team can't do anything about it.  Luka's never going to be Giannis, but you have to manage his minutes.  I think having Din will help.  I also think Luka needs to play off the ball more when Kyrie is on the court.  The level of energy he gives on offense with the enormous usage just isn't sustainable as he gets older.

Luka is at the point in his career that championships are the only goal.

Your examples don't really support your point.

If the standard is Malone, Barkley, Shaq, those players played similar and even MORE minutes/mpg than Luka is playing, year after year. And they were all beasts, playing a VERY physical game that was way more brutal than today's version.

It's on Luka to perceive if he thinks he has a need, and then condition himself to go to war. If he doesn't, he doesn't -- but you aren't going to get him to sit, when the previous and current all-time greats didn't sit. They expect to play a lot.

If Luka wants to be in better condition, the Mavs can't do it for him. Putting him in bubble wrap won't fix the issue either. It's his career, his legacy, his shot at titles, and how he pursues it (or doesn't) will be up to him.

[michaeltex]

Anyone have a whiff of what Luka is up to this offseason? National team play is pretty much shut down, no Olympics, no FIBA. Just wondering if someone posted updates on his summer activities like we have seen with Dinwiddie and DLive.

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Knutsen]

Your examples don't really support your point.

If the standard is Malone, Barkley, Shaq, those players played similar and even MORE minutes/mpg than Luka is playing, year after year. And they were all beasts, playing a VERY physical game that was way more brutal than today's version.

It's on Luka to perceive if he thinks he has a need, and then condition himself to go to war. If he doesn't, he doesn't -- but you aren't going to get him to sit, when the previous and current all-time greats didn't sit. They expect to play a lot.

If Luka wants to be in better condition, the Mavs can't do it for him. Putting him in bubble wrap won't fix the issue either. It's his career, his legacy, his shot at titles, and how he pursues it (or doesn't) will be up to him.

I hope having another true professional and proven winner in Klay next to him, who won 4 rings and came back from having the two worst injuries a basketball player can have back-to-back, will rub off on him and inspire him. Luka is inspired by greatness, you can see that anytime he meets Dirk, so I‘ll hope for the best.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Your examples don't really support your point.

If the standard is Malone, Barkley, Shaq, those players played similar and even MORE minutes/mpg than Luka is playing, year after year. And they were all beasts, playing a VERY physical game that was way more brutal than today's version.

It's on Luka to perceive if he thinks he has a need, and then condition himself to go to war. If he doesn't, he doesn't -- but you aren't going to get him to sit, when the previous and current all-time greats didn't sit. They expect to play a lot.

If Luka wants to be in better condition, the Mavs can't do it for him. Putting him in bubble wrap won't fix the issue either. It's his career, his legacy, his shot at titles, and how he pursues it (or doesn't) will be up to him.

Point being he is who he is.  Dude started to drink a beer after winning the West, before Fin took it.  That speaks volumes.  I hope he changes it and becomes Lebron, or even a shadow of Lebron's taking care of his body, but I just don't see that happening.

This said, all you can do is manage his time on the court and off the ball (again like Lebron).