Trade & FA 2024-25:

[mvossman]

Big difference between someone we perceive to be better with the ball in their hands (there are many, many of those today) and someone with a chip on their shoulder about playing point guard. Seems like the same thing, but really isn't. Kyrie was ok playing off-ball mostly last year, Murray was NOT ok with it in Atlanta.

Yep.  The biggest reason KP did not work here was because he did not want to set picks.  Dallas needed him to run P&R with Doncic and instead he wanted to ISO.  

There was reason for concern with Kyrie that he would be disgruntled with playing off ball (although he had his greatest success next to an elite on ball superstar) because who knows what Kyrie was thinking.  I'd like to think those discussions were had prior to the trade (they clearly were not with KP).  But when a guy comes out and publicly says he wants to run point, it makes no sense to spend significant assets on him and then put him in the starting lineup next to Doncic.