MAVS NEWS:

[mvossman]

While I follow your point, I tend to disagree that this road is the one that's going to get you farthest when all is said and done.

If the team sux, yes a singular player imposing his will is the best path to being very good. Let one very good player always do it all, because the rest will mess up. 

But imo that has a ceiling. 

For me, looking at overall basketball theory, I come down to the idea that 1 player can be limited easier than 5 ... so if you become completely heliocentric, you create a limit on your overall potential as a team. Potentially attacking from any of 3 or 4 directions any time up the court is better. Not a my turn your turn model, but a dynamic "anyone on any possession" approach with synergy. 

Speaking to the Luka model in particular: because the ball has to go to him EVERY play, it creates a choke point that helps the defense. The vast majority of times, the ball came up court only as fast as Luka did, and the attack only started when Luka attacked. The ball often went backwards to Luka. 

Luka is superior in being creative in attacking (in the half court) of course, but imo he is partly overcoming the obstacle that is artificially created by having the ball always in his hands, and only going through Luka, and going so slow. 

If Luka being hyper-heliocentric was superior, Mav's offense ppp should have been league's best if he's the best at that style. I don’t think that's been the case. 

Luka's style is always a star showcase, to be sure. 

APPLICATION. Luka is the best at what he does ... but I think there are better more effective overall approaches than how he does it. 

So imo Mavs dont need "another Luka" to be able to be effective. They need a better overall attack, which can come from many players in many ways.

You seem focused on Luka's style (heliocentric) and I am more focused on the simple fact that he is one of the two best creators in the NBA.  That is very hard to replace (regardless of style).  Most of the NBA champions/contenders had an elite offensive creator (generally not as heliocentric as Luka).  I don't think a 34 year old Kyrie coming off an ACL tear is going to be that guy.  He is an elite secondary creator.  And AD is not that guy.  And if Flagg is ever going to be that guy (which would make him MVP with everything else he brings to the table) it will take significant time/development for him to get there.  That means in the shorter Kyrie/AD window they are going to have to create by committee.  Not a lot of history of that being successful unless you count Boston, but Tatum is at least near elite and he was surrounded by an insane amount of talent.  If that is the model to follow (I think their only option) then the move would be to play out this season and then trade for your Jrue (or even Derrick White) next offseason.