Building Around Cooper: A Backward-Looking Thought Experiment

[mvossman]

I tend to think of a traditional 6th man sort of how I think about a traditional 3&D player. They're out of style. The best teams these days come in you with relentless waves of talent. They're young, athletic, big, disruptive defensively and you have to guard them or any one of them can drop 25 on any given night. Think OKC. Think Indiana last year.

Look at the Spurs this year. They have Fox running the show and six interchangeable guys who bring it (not to mention Wemby).

1. Champagnie 6' 7" 220 - only averages 11 but dropped 27 just two weeks ago.
2. Barnes 6' 7" 225 - averages 10 but just dropped 20 on the Mavs
3. Castle 6' 6" 215 - need I say more than 40 / 12 / 12 ?
4. Vassell listed 6' 5" 200 but notably bigger than Max - lottery pick (11) - has averaged 20 over a whole season
5. K Johnson 6' 5' 220 built like a bowling ball - dropped 25 on OKC two games ago
6. Harper 6' 5" 215 - number two overall pick might become the best of them

That's what we're up against. I look at the Mavs roster and see 1. Flagg, 2. PJW, 3. Naji and maybe 4. Max who can match up with that stable of wings. 5. Martin is a try hard. 6. Klay can still shoot but brings nothing else. TBH the Mavs could use least TWO rotation wings. They can and should get one in the draft. Then maybe they can move off Klay at the trade deadline to add another.

The entire OKC model is a few great players and 3&D wings.  Dort, Wallace, Wiggins, Joe and Caruso are all basically 3&D players.  Champagnie, Barnes and Vassell are all primarily 3&D players.  If anything, those rosters scream that 3&D is crucial to success.  Next to elite creation, that is this teams second biggest need.