MAVS NEWS:

[rocky164]

Flagg is capable of being the #1 player. But his game and growth has been even better when he is able to be the #2 (with AD) and I wonder if he takes yet another leap in growth if Kyrie returns and he's able to be #3.

To me, those aspects make me cautious with the value of a trade. It makes me solidly entrenched in the idea that any trade of AD outgoing has to give the Mavs a player who is either a star now, or who has the capacity to become one. Otherwise, I want to see them keep AD and Kyrie TO ACCELERATE THE GROWTH OF FLAGG.

My desire to trade AD was due to his wanting to play the 4.  AD at the 4 with everyone healthy never made sense.  Now that he’s playing center I’m perfectly ok keeping AD unless a trade offer just blows me away.  AD/Lively is a great center rotation assuming both are healthy which I know is a big assumption.  Lively is still young enough and his value and contract low enough that I take a chance that he can back up AD at the 5 and eventually replace AD when he ages out.  Flagg in your 4 period.  Maybe eventually a 3 but I much prefer him at the 4.  I definitely want to see Flagg-AD-Kyrie.  For me Gafford is now the odd man out.  His style of play simply no longer fits in a non-Luka world.  I like PJ and at times his fit with Flagg seems great and other times poor.  I simply can’t make up my mind.  But the idea of a front line of AD-PJ-Flagg is appealing.  For me with Kyrie back the hole is a 2 guard who is big-can play the point if needed-shoots the 3 well and can “get his” when needed.  He needs to be a consistent 18-20 ppg scorer.  I don’t know if that player is available or even exists.  But if he does any combination of Gafford-Martin-Klay-Hardy that gets us that type of player on Flagg’s timeline is the goal.