PRESEASON GAME 2: LAC (1-2) @ DAL (2-0) | 122-114 win

[DanSchwartzgan]

 

Eugene was excellent.   He looks to have a nice feel to his game.   He is an older rookie but his game is also mature for a rookie.   

I thought Green was much better last night.    
 
Trey Burke and WCS are NBA players but at this point I would not be bummed if we moved on from either. 

WCS is more of a risk to losing as he could potentially get rotation minutes this year.   But if everyone is healthy, are you looking at a 10 minute a game player?   Eugene may be able to provide more flexibility to the roster instead of keeping another big.   For instance if KP is out, would Eugene or WCS be more valuable to the team?   
 
I think Moses Brown development is worth an end of the roster spot.  

I like Powell and maybe this is unfair but the defense certainly looked worse when he was the sole big man in the second half.

Brian Dameris reported in his pod that the developmental coaching staff is indeed working with Green to try to get him up to rotation-level as a player. Brian acknowledged that it is disappointing that Josh has not been able to crack the rotation, and that the team has instead had to bring in Sterling Brown to compete for that role.  

But the good thing is, they apparently still deem him worthy of their development efforts.

I see Willie, S. Brown and Burke as veteran insurance policies while the team tries to develop Moses, Green and Frank (I'd much rather invest time and effort in him than Terry).  I'm all for Dallas using roster spots for those three guys (and a two-way on EO with a shot at making the big roster a year from now) to see what they have.  I'm not sure any of them are NBA starters.  But, spending $90mm on your top three players (and $30mm on your next three plus whatever it takes to retain DFS and Brunson) means you have to find some low cost contributors.  They can go young and cheap or old and Vet. Min.  I like at this stage of the team's development that they are still trying to develop some young guys.  

Willie, Sterling and Burke are at best 9th, 10th and 11th man types.  They aren't needed for your 8 man playoff rotation, yet they can be plugged into bench roles if needed.  But, they aren't so expensive that you feel terrible if they sit several games in a row while you give Moses, Green and Frank some developmental minutes.  I do agree EO could get some call-ups with the Mav's on nights when KP needs to rest (or KP or Maxi suffer an injury).  I could see Moses passing Willie at some point and I see a pretty good three way battle for table scraps at bench two between Sterling, Frank and Green

As to Powell as a stand-alone center, even "Dan the Powell-lover" hates that lineup.  But, I am fairly pleased with what I'm seeing of Powell and KP together as starters.  The "O" will be just fine, but defense is the issue.  I don't recall seeing any drop coverage yet.  We have good size at all five positions and we are either fighting through screens or switching.  You will occasionally get KP on a PG or Hardaway on a big.  But what we are doing is less predictable than in the past and more of a playoff approach IMHO.

I also like the increased pace and ball movement and emphasis on attacking the basket.  Having Luka walk the ball up every possession gave teams too much time to set their D.  We aren't exactly running and gunning, but it looks like we won't continue to be one of the slower paced teams in the league either (24th last season).  KP is getting lots of easy looks out of the increased pace.  We are also getting PNR's out of KP and Powell...again, much less predictable than in years past.  

Something I spend time thinking about is where the next bit of improvement comes from.  Who do you upgrade if given the chance?

Powell?  I think the team considers center to be a position by committee spot.  I suspect Powell is 24 minutes a game and the upgrade you might get here HAS to be able to do what Powell does well and fit with KP.  Would we like better D and outside shooting?  Absolutely.  Who is that guy?  As much as people rag on Powell, getting significant improvement in one area might cost you something in another.

DFS?  He's kind of the odd man out offensively so far.  Not an all-world defender, but good.  Not a creator at all, but is there room for another creator among the starters (plus he's a great cutter).  Not a volume 3 point shooter, but hits a good percentage.  It is really hard to find guys at this possession and if they do what DFS does already and is better at any of those three things listed, they are $18mm guys.  If you look outside the obvious superstars, it is going to be hard to upgrade what DFS does.  OG and Bridges are better versions of the same thing, but are integral to their teams.  De'Andre Hunter...sure, but how is that going to happen?

Bench?  Rather than messing around with Green, Frank, Sterling and even Moses, might we be better served to get another bench scorer to compliment Brunson, Bullock and Maxi?   Since Bullock is a multi-position guy, this could be a two or a three.  Could also be a big next to Maxi.  The role Bobby Portis played last season comes to mind if you go with a big.  The role Scottie Barnes is likely to play behind Trent and OG (until he eventually starts) comes to mind as an example of a wing.  Huerter, Mann and Maxey are other names.  Clarkson/Dragic are also obvious examples at guard.  Basically, someone beside Brunson who can get the bench a basket when things dry up for a few possessions in a row.  Right now we have specialists and to get that kind of guy we have to use a starter with four bench guys.  We are one Brunson ankle twist from our benches ability to generate offense from crashing and burning.