Building Around Cooper: A Backward-Looking Thought Experiment

[Jakeospikez]

The Boston model was overwhelming talent.  They had 4 guys in the starting lineup who could shoot, defend, create for others and create (to different degrees) for themselves.  Every one of those guys would be easy to fit on any team and would be top 3 on Mavs roster by a mile.  The hope is we get a guy like that in this draft, and they will likely need to trade for another one.  My guess is Mavs will have to go the OKC model, with two or three really good players, and surround them with quality role players (3&D, defensive center, etc.).

According to most PJ haters, Boston wouldn't have good shooters. Jaylen Brown has tons of terrible years shooting 3s. Derrick White is 39%/32% this year, is he a trash floor spacer? Guess Derrick White is back to his Spurs ways where he couldn't shoot 3s anywhere remotely close to 40%. Obviously not, teams aren't going to let Jaylen Brown take wide open 3s even if he's shooting 32% on the year.

There's still some Moreyball-itis infections lingering it seems. Daryl Morey has 0 championships and hasn't even made a finals. He's less successful than Nico Harrison. Did people actually like the Luka/Brunson/Dinwiddie mavs team? Having both DFS and Bullock as high minutes starters led to very ugly offense. I wouldn't want to do that again. But yeah dunks/layups are as important if not more than 3s are so can't neglect those.

Age also isn't nearly as destructive as it was in the past. Sports science is just that much better I guess. Elite players are still quality starters going into their mid-late 30s. Even excluding KD coming off a torn achilles since he's got bs length to shoot over people, you still have Curry/Butler/Harden. Harden at 36 is still WAY better than Darius Garland that's why they traded for him. Kyrie is one of the most skilled players in the history of the game, maybe the most skilled handler of all time. He's on the level of those guys and should still be a quality starter even 3 years from now.

I originally thought it'd be a terrible idea for the Mavs to trade for Al Horford a long time ago when those reports came out due to him being already like 32? years old. Turns out I was very wrong, Horford was an elite stretch 4/5 into his late 30s and he's 39 now and still solid even.

Stretch 5 will be a million times more beneficial to spacing for Flagg than some replacement for PJ that shoots 40% from 3. Would have been nice in a tanking year to let Lively just launch 3s at will.

Definitely agreed on Gafford though, he needs a heavy P&R offense with a Luka type player, so he needs to be traded. Naji not bad to sell high on but he's fine to keep if no good deal is out there.