Accurately Assessing the Mavs Recent Personnel Changes

[mvossman]

This is so true. For me, it points to a different conversation, completely. The Mavs were so, so lucky to have gotten that season out of DJJ. There are several things that worked out for them in a "despite the odds" sort of way: rookie play from Lively, Washington fitting here like a glove on the defensive end after the trade, Exum's strong regular season play, etc, etc, but at the very top of that list has got to be the way a vet minimum signing, so close to training camp it seemed like an after thought, had such an insanely positive impact on their season. 

Without any of those pieces of luck, with DJJ being probably the most surprising, we've got a very different vibe around here this summer. We all owe DJJ a lot of respect, imo, and it's probably a good idea to realize that even when your team makes all the "right" kind of moves, a little luck is needed to elevate them.

I don't remember the DJJ signing being met with crickets.  I thought there were several folks that really liked that signing and thought he would end up being a rotational player.  I remember posting that I wished they had signed him to a two year contract similar to Exum.  His performance was unexpected from the standpoint that he took on a bigger role than original planned, but his actual on court impact per minute was very similar to his previous season (3 point percentage, true shooting, points per 36).  It wasn't until the playoffs that his play really overshot expectations (until it didn't in the finals).  As nice as the PJ, DJJ and Exum hits were, I don't think any of them come close to impact or unexpectedness of Lively.  To have a young, raw late lottery pick center become the third best player on the team by the end of the season/playoffs was a complete game changer in so many ways.