07-18-2025, 11:13 PM
(07-18-2025, 10:51 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: I'm not as up on other teams' situations just yet. I still follow the whole league, but things happen so fast during the off-season I usually become somewhat disconnected from the league as a whole at this time of year, and my focus becomes hyper-focused on the Mavericks.
Here's thing:
Davis
Flagg
Irving (injured)
Thompson
Washington
Marshall
Russell
Gafford
Christie
Exum
Martin
That's ELEVEN players who are all worthy of being in some team's top 9, imho. In fact, I bet all 11 expect to be in the Mavs' top 9 THIS SEASON. And yet, somehow, the Mavs' top 9 (although we might disagree which 9 names to choose from the list above) doesn't quite feel like a good enough team, with or without Kyrie. It's plausible that they miss the playoffs, even if relatively healthy.
Williams (some would probably add him to the list above, and he might deserve it, but I'm being ultra conservative here, despite the idea that including him in the previous list might support my overall point)
Powell
Hardy
O-Max
Nembhard (2-way)
Kelly (2-way)
Those guys are all "end of the bench, not in the rotation" types, probably, and depending on how we feel about their contracts, potential or both, there's nothing really special to see. Some have value as up and coming players with potential, others have value as locker-room vets, etc. Some of them could possibly even be better than other teams' 9th, 10th or 11th men.
To me, this situation is SCREAMING for a 2-for-1 or even a 3-for-1 consolidation trade where 1-2 names from the top group go out (possibly with 1-2 from the bottom group, but not necessarily) for an impact player who fits squarely into the top 9 (or preferably the top 6), so that:
1) the rotation makes more sense
2) player roles are more defined
and, most importantly
3) the amount of talent OF THE TOP 9 is significantly improved and not just relying on "depth." Depth is a good thing, particularly after a season nuked by injury concerns (some of which are spilling over into this season), but if your rotation isn't good enough when everyone is healthy, what good is depth?
We don't know what was actually available and out there this summer. And, we don't know exactly how this team is going to fit together just yet, particularly regarding the Cooper Flagg of it all. Lastly, we don't know who's going to have a good year, health wise, so I'm ok for now just maintaining the status quo (assuming Washington is extended) but I just can't believe anyone over there at Mavs HQ thinks this roster is a finished product. If they do, then I think we're all about to wast quite a bit of time watching a style of basketball that has little chance to work.
TL;DR: I'm happy with each of this summer's moves in a vacuum, but I'm underwhelmed with the resulting team they have to show for their effort. I don't want to give players away, but I wouldn't want to go too much longer before creating better synergy and adding to the top of the roster, and I feel like not doing so at some point soon might end up making this next season or two a real missed opportunity.