You’re now the Mavs’ GM. What are you going to build?

[mvossman]

"I don't look at things from the worst possible perspective." -- Wait, what?? Your comments were 100% negative, and to the extreme -- you even went BEYOND the worst possible, when it comes to what is realistic. None of that is objective - it's just irrational negative assumptions. 

For example, you used the assumption that Kyrie is most likely injured for life and will never recover (from an injury that, while being severe and can take some time, is never thought of as a career ender). You decided the Mavs will force Kyrie into a misfitting alpha role that will not work (when Kyrie has not in the past been forced to be an alpha player oncourt here, no one has said Kyrie will be the primary player they build everything around, only that he is an important and highly talented part of the equation). You decided AD would be forced to play solely as a 4 to his and the team's detriment (which makes no sense and which they have never said). And more. 

From that palate of "beyond the scope of realism" doom-and-gloom ideas, you decided that ALL of them are looming ahead and then decided here's how they should respond - and flee from -- the pending onslaught of all those supposedly looming disasters that aren't real at all. Sheesh.

All of us have questions and see issues ahead that will probably have to be handled somehow. (NOTE: That is true of 29 other teams too.) But as much as I think Nico is a dolt, I do not think the coaches and players have lost their collective basketball minds, nor do I think they are unaware of the possibilities already, nor do I think they will be too dumb to realize if they have issues, nor do I believe they would be unable to figure out how to deal with whatever those may turn out to be. One truth that keeps getting ignored is that the Mavs have a MASSIVE amount of talent, most of it on very good contracts, which is a significant building block for successful roster-building. They'll only need to figure out the fit(s) and the needed tweaks, many of which might be solved internally, but they are nowhere near a dead end with this roster. Gloom-and-doom my azz. I'm so not buying the crap.

This is such a negative take to the point where you are putting words into my mouth.

Do you think Kyrie at age 34 will still be in his prime?  Is it not reasonable to assume that a 34 year old who is still recovering from a significant knee injury will experience some decline?  Are you really expecting him to come back exactly as he was?  I never said "injured for life".  I said I don't think he will ever be what he was.  Did we get prime Klay at 34?  Why is the reasonable take to completely ignore age?

I did not say AD would play all of his minutes at the 4.  I said too bad he will play a lot at the 4.  Do you honestly think he wont?

I have no idea why you think its unreasonable to be concerned about creation on a roster that lost Luka.  Like there should be no concerns at all?

A doom and gloom scenario is AD get hurt early, Dlo plays like he did last year, Flagg struggles with too much responsibility too early and this team gets in a big hole.  That is a legit possibility.  But I am not nearly as negative as you are making me out be.  I happen to think Dlo will have a bounce back year (just like I though Grimes would last year).  I think this team should be able to tread water even with a few early injuries.

I don't see AD and Kyrie as building blocks.  I see them as win now players and have a hard time seeing them traded on their current contracts.  But I certainly never said they were "at a dead end with this roster".  Where is this coming from?  I have suggested trade proposals recently to potentially get to contention status.

We can have differences of opinion on our outlooks for this team, but I would prefer if you did not misrepresent mine by putting words into my mouth.