11-09-2021, 03:18 PM
(11-09-2021, 02:55 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: I absolutely did not want DSJ, like at all. I remember doing like a one-day dive on all the projected lottery picks and identifying him as the one I wanted least. Like, "anyone but that guy." I remember hoping the Mavs could find a way to trade up for Fox.
Then, the Mavs got him and everyone was super excited, including national media guys, and I talked myself into it. My journey with DSJ was not unlike the Josh Green journey.
I just want to chime in and say I really really wanted DSJ. Thought he could be a mix of Steve Francis/Baron Davis if he worked out. I was so excited the Knicks picked Frankie up and the Mavs picked Dennis.
Sadly he didn't work out. I don't think Dennis ever had the work ethic he needed to improve in the NBA, having gotten to that point coasting on his outlier athleticism. I think we saw the signs of that with how he finished (or lack of) over big guys, lack of court awareness, and poor shot mechanics.
Thankfully we sold as high as we could on him.
I am also one of the people that regularly trashed Frankie Smokes. I truly thought he could never survive in the NBA watching how he played in NYK. I am cautiously optimistic he's found a home here. He's playing with more confidence here than I ever saw watching him with the Knicks and I think that is truly the difference maker. I don't know if he'll ever be better than a 7-8th guy off the bench, but that's all we need him to be.
To round out the convo, I never wanted Josh Green. I was so furious that they took him over Saddiq Bey. As the draft continued after the pick I talked myself into it saying "Ok, a project. We can work with that. He's a starter kit Klay Thompson. And hey look, I know we're going to snag Desmond Bane so not all is lost we're going to get a steal, he's fallen all the way and it's the 30th pi....."
Yeah....2020 draft night had me go and restock my liquor cabinet. By the time they picked Terry I was so disengaged it hadn't even registered they f'd up that pick too.
14x All-Star, 12x all-NBA, 1x MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 1 NBA Championship: Dirk Nowitzki, the man, the myth, the legend.