12-22-2024, 02:00 PM
(12-22-2024, 11:43 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: 1 Having said that, I TOTALLY agree with your point regarding how screwed the Mavericks would be if PJW missed significant time due to injury.
2 I don't have any problems whatsoever giving Marshall those backup 4 minutes when the rotation shortens, but I don't think he could replace the 38 minutes of excellent defense they're getting from PJW there by himself.
1 Agree with the 1st point, although that's also true about any of their key players. You cope when there's an injury like that, but lacking that player weakens you -- and there's no way to have a whole backup set of similar-quality players on the back shelf for just in case.
2 I still see no evidence that Marshall is their looming backup 4 for the playoffs. If he was, I believe they would be using him there now in that role, to make sure he is good enough and to hone his skills and fit. And they haven't been.
Kleber is the backup 4, OMax is next on the depth chart, and in the OKC game when they had neither PJW nor Maxi, Grimes got the start rather than Naji!
Time will tell if they try Naji again as a 4, but it looks to me like he doesn't offer some key abilities that they want from a 4 (rebounding and rim protection) and so they will continue to look elsewhere. It should be obvious that those things are what they want when Kleber is solidly entrenched in the role even though his offense has been abysmal.
And as you've noted, it's not a big minutes role, so they may feel they are adequately stocked already with Kleber (when healthy, with hopes his shooting comes back) plus some development time for OMax to be useful when needed.