Building Around Cooper: A Backward-Looking Thought Experiment

[KillerLeft]

Correlation as in no Luka or Kyrie this season or something else?

Kind of...

Complementary players tend to come alive when they're complementing the right guy(s) and look like JAG's when they're complementing the wrong guy(s). Almost NO ONE here wanted PJW when the Mavs traded for him. I was ecstatic and told everyone they'd love him. But now, everyone is wondering why he doesn't look as good, and I think it's pretty obvious. HE hasn't changed, the TEAM has. PJW isn't playing worse this season - there's just less of a way for him to make an impact.

I get that Flagg can't/shouldn't be pigeonholed now, but neither should he be asked to go away from what he's clearly ALREADY able to do in the name of fitting with players who should, in theory, be trying to fit with him. Flagg IS a forward. He IS an inside player. Sure, he'll get better at shooing, and sure, his iso game is already good and will continue to improve. None of that is why I've said anything I've said about terms of fit this whole year, and frankly, when someone inevitably says some version of "give up the 90's positional paradigms," they're betraying an imperfect understanding of the point being made by the other side of the argument, not a flaw in it. 

It literally could not be more obvious: What Flagg needs in order to continue developing his offensive game at the fastest rate possible is space - the kind offered by guys who can shoot off the catch. Unfortunately, that is the one glaring weakness the other two (or 3, if you count Martin) forwards on this roster have. 

Further, we as Mavs fans have, until recently, always followed teams with tons of shooting and not enough defense, and I believe we've been desensitized to the benefits of shooting. And, part of the reason the Mavs never had enough defense is that it's REALLY difficult to build a great defense around a star who either can't or doesn't try to defend at a reasonably high level. Even with our homer glasses on, I hope we'd agree that both Dirk and Luka fit into one of those two categories, but, and this is key: FLAGG DOES NOT. He's going to be one of their BEST defenders, and for a long time.

Mix all that together, and what made guys like PJW such a dream fit here just isn't there anymore. He's a great player, and it sucks to feel like they should move him, but that is how I feel. Same goes for Marshall, especially if he's about to get a raise.