07-22-2024, 01:18 PM
(07-22-2024, 01:07 PM)omahen Wrote: If Mavs plan to have two of Luka/Kyrie/Klay on court all the time, there is little space for guys like Hardy or SD. They need defenders next to them to keep the defense decent enough, unless they think Klay is still a very good defender. I think most of opportunities for Hardy and SD will come in case of injuries and I think both would probably be out of playoff rotation if everyone is healthy.
I don't think this is a thing, at least not how you're suggesting, offensively. In other words, I don't think we should look at Kyrie/Luka/Thomspon as some three-headed rotation being the goal, though I do think it will work like that as a default, and I DO think there's reason to be concerned about the defense as a result of that default (which is your point).
There are others who are still locked in on this thought that they need to have TWO BALL-HANDLERS on the floor at all times, like they did in '22. I think that's nut bar factor 7, because of the defensive concerns you're bringing up, and because they've added a lot of complementary offensive players since then who CAN attack closeouts and even do more than that WITH THE BALL. Guys like Thompson, Marshall, Washington and Grimes.
IF the Mavs see this the way YOU do, then Exum and Grimes will both be in the rotation and Hardy/Dinwiddie won't. That's not the end of the world, except I'd be even MORE fine with Hardy being the guy in THAT role and understand this move even LESS.
IF the other "two-ball-handlers at a time" guys are right, then what you can expect is that two of Luka/Kyrie/Dinwiddie/Exum/Hardy will be on the floor at all times, and Exum will very quickly fall out of consideration (from that mission, at least) because he won't try to score.
This whole summer has been about offense. All of it, even Grimes and Marshall. They're good defenders, sure, but they're here because they're better offensive players than Green or DJJ.
I'm predicting now, Dinwiddie is going to be one of the top 8 (if healthy) when the playoffs get here, and Hardy won't be. I hope I'm wrong, because Hardy being a legit 6-8th man was a big portion of my optimism going into the year.