MAVS NEWS:

[mvossman]

Reading some of the well thought out opinions of others here, I find myself agreeing with bits and pieces of most everyone. The biggest thing that would get to me was the media saying the Mavs are a better team now, this year, And I couldn't wrap my head around it. You can't trade a top 3 player for a top 15 player and get better, right? But I read and listened and researched here and there and see that there's something to it. Luka hasn't been "great" this year. Davis has been. There are several advanced stats that show Davis as a Top 5 player in the NBA this year. Luka somewhere in the mid 20's. And maybe Max Christie is legit.

I guess I'm not seeing the same advanced stats you are.

AD is +.5 net rating and 10th on the team.
Luka is +10 net rating and 1st on the team.

AD EPM of 4.0
Luka EPM 5.5

From what I am seeing, Luka playing well below his standard is still significantly better than AD.  

Then you add in current fit.  We have three starting centers and no pure point guards.  We have seen Kyrie struggle when asked to play the point and run the team.  Call me wildly skeptical we are going to put two non shooting centers on the floor and not have issues on both sides of the ball.

Then you add in continuity.  Making big changes to the lineup generally takes a long time for players to learn how to jell.  PJ and Gafford worked in so quickly because they were perfect fits for what we were already doing.  Going from Luka to AD is a massive change to everything.  Its going to take significant time to figure out how all of the pieces fit together, and we haven't even started yet (not to mention one of the most important pieces wont even be available until end of the season).

Given all of that, I have no idea how someone can think this team has a better chance now than it did.  From what I have read, the high quality analysts think the ceiling has been lowered, and I agree.