(08-25-2025, 04:29 PM)F Gump Wrote: 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. - I would not ever intentionally misrepresent your words, but with all respect, I really don't think I did. These are not my negative takes at all, nor me putting words in your mouth.
"Do you think Kyrie at age 34 will still be in his prime?" --- You are of course wanting to imply that Kyrie at 34 is headed over a cliff. In so doing, you ignore that until he was injured, objectively Kyrie at 33 was playing some of the best hoops of his career, at an all-NBA level, for the whole season. He (not Luka) carried this team (Luka only played about 45% of the Mav games prior to his trade). The issue ahead is the time it takes to heal, not his ability at this point. And his injury is not one of a change-your-ability nature. Having observed Kyrie's professionalism as a Mav, I think it's massively over-negative to assume the rare outcome that he won't be near the same player after an ACL rehab.
"I said I don't think he will ever be what he was." -- And I said that is an extremely negative assumption, which it is. Kyrie was showing NO sign of slowing down last season before the injury (in fact, he was better). Please put the shovel back in the shed and stop digging his grave.
"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 won't?" --- OBJECTIVELY, you are assuming with that statement that "each minute AD plays as a 4 is bad" and bemoaning his use there. That statement (1) flatly assumes that he can't play well as a 4 at all, and (2) it also assumes that the coaches will be mindlessly unable to know to do something different if that AD role is not working -- both of which are assuming extreme negatives. I think all parties are better than that, frankly. And based on his track record, AD will play well, not poorly.
"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?" --- Of course there are questions, because we are going to get something new and different, and we have yet to see it at all. Yes it's likely to be something unknown, but no it is not doomed to fail if it's different from the one-man ball Luka played. Will it work, to diversify the offense rather than have one guy "creating" shots for everyone? You have blindly assumed it is not possible - and yep, that's another negative assumption. [I think the very talented set of Mav players will be able to find ways to thrive without having to have every shot filtered through Luka. Are we to believe that these very good players have to have the final-second long cross-court passes on the back of the shot clock to be able to produce anymore? I sure don't buy that thinking, and it's certainly a negative assumption to assert they can't, without any observation yet to show that.]
"I think this team should be able to tread water even with a few early injuries." --- "Tread water" is your idea of someone being optimistic, right? While you want to think of that as some sort of rosy thinking, it's not even close.This is a team that is oozing talent, and they also get an early schedule that will help give them an edge as they are figuring things out. [One take very opposite to yours - I think the Mavs will be salty on defense, even early on, which will allow them to lock down teams in the 4th quarter and close out games in a superior way.]
"I don't see AD and Kyrie as building blocks. I see them as win now players ..." --- What would building blocks be used for, if not to win games? That's the whole point of a roster, to win (and win and win). So I'm not seeing the problem in having them on this roster, assuming that winning is the goal.
This is hilarious. You claim you are not putting words in my mouth (without addresses the three examples I provided) and respond by putting more words in my mouth.
I did not imply "that Kyrie at 34 is headed over a cliff". I think he is due for age related decline.
I did not state "each minute AD plays as a 4 is bad" or "flatly assumes that he can't play well as a 4 at all". I think he is better at the 5.
I don't know why you keep telling me we don't need Luka heliocentric offense? I have never once advocated for that. I have made it clear in the past that its not Luka style we will miss but his elite creation ability. Yet you make ridiculous statements like "You have blindly assumed it is not possible". There is absolutely no basis for putting those words in my mouth.
You claim "One take very opposite to yours" that this team will be salty on defense. Where did I make any comment whatsoever on this thread regarding defense. I suggested they should eventually trade for a POA defender. Is that what you are basing this on?
The building blocks comment just meant I don't see them as assets to build a team. I see them as the focal point (along with Flagg) for the first window. Your last sentence is a perfect microcosm of this entire thread. At what point did I ever say I had a problem with AD or Kyrie being on the roster?
Please stop parsing my posts to the board. I am not the greatest communicator, but you seem to be wanting to read things into it that are not there. I would suggest you ask for clarification if it seems like I am being overly negative, but it doesn't really seem like you want to listen.