07-02-2024, 11:11 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-02-2024, 11:14 PM by KillerLeft.)
A really good example of what we're talking about that will pull this into focus right away is Trae Young. Dude averaged like 25 and 10 last season but his team sucked and nobody wants him. With HIM, it might be about "selfish," although I wouldn't be comfortable declaring that unless I watched him much more than I have. Again, ATL literally tried to trade him this summer and couldn't do it. I don't think they tried to give him away like the Bulls with LaVine, but they traded Murray because they got better offers for him than they did for Young, and the package they got for Murray wasn't anything to write home about.
Every one of these smart basketball guys says the same thing about Trae Young when it comes up: his contract is huge and if you trade for him he becomes your whole offense. You have to completely morph into what he wants it to be. Casual Trae Young homers don't see this as a negative, but even moderately interested hoop fans can tell after a while that a team won't ever win a championship with him playing that way, right?
That's kind of the same thing with Harden and with Luka. They're both so ridiculously better than Trae (thinking of prime Harden more than current Harden) that their teams were GOOD playing that way. But so far, it doesn't really seem like any team that plays like that has been GREAT. Unanimously, these ex-players will all say how difficult it is to be in a rhythm and at your best when you never know if/when you're going to touch the ball.
Think back to the 2011 Mavs. Basketball has changed a lot since then, but some things never change, and that's probably the best team most of us have watched night in and night out in our entire lives. Think about how much the ball moved on that team. Jason Kidd was the PG, and he might have had the ball the least out of everyone, in a weird way. They all knew what each others' strengths were, who needed the ball where and when, etc. There was designed intent in how the offense worked, and not just to spam the same advantage over and over.
I don't think Luka should play like 38 year old Jason Kidd, that's not the message. I just wish he understood what 38 year old Jason Kidd understood. Making it to the finals and getting embarrassed (I don't think Luka has anything to be embarrassed about, don't get me wrong, but the offense was a joke in that series) is probably one of the best possible teachers. I'm really happy the team had that experience, and when I see the Mavs taking the steps they're taking this off-season (even if they aren't the exact moves we think they should've made) I see recognition that something has to change on the offensive side of the ball. I hope Luka is on that same page, that's all.
Every one of these smart basketball guys says the same thing about Trae Young when it comes up: his contract is huge and if you trade for him he becomes your whole offense. You have to completely morph into what he wants it to be. Casual Trae Young homers don't see this as a negative, but even moderately interested hoop fans can tell after a while that a team won't ever win a championship with him playing that way, right?
That's kind of the same thing with Harden and with Luka. They're both so ridiculously better than Trae (thinking of prime Harden more than current Harden) that their teams were GOOD playing that way. But so far, it doesn't really seem like any team that plays like that has been GREAT. Unanimously, these ex-players will all say how difficult it is to be in a rhythm and at your best when you never know if/when you're going to touch the ball.
Think back to the 2011 Mavs. Basketball has changed a lot since then, but some things never change, and that's probably the best team most of us have watched night in and night out in our entire lives. Think about how much the ball moved on that team. Jason Kidd was the PG, and he might have had the ball the least out of everyone, in a weird way. They all knew what each others' strengths were, who needed the ball where and when, etc. There was designed intent in how the offense worked, and not just to spam the same advantage over and over.
I don't think Luka should play like 38 year old Jason Kidd, that's not the message. I just wish he understood what 38 year old Jason Kidd understood. Making it to the finals and getting embarrassed (I don't think Luka has anything to be embarrassed about, don't get me wrong, but the offense was a joke in that series) is probably one of the best possible teachers. I'm really happy the team had that experience, and when I see the Mavs taking the steps they're taking this off-season (even if they aren't the exact moves we think they should've made) I see recognition that something has to change on the offensive side of the ball. I hope Luka is on that same page, that's all.
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