AROUND the NBA:

[Smitty]

This is not a justification of the trade, but that OKC freight train was coming.  Much different team from two years ago.  Obviously SA was able to capitalize on lottery luck and good graces and they are a freight train.   Mavs with Luka may be sitting in the same place as Jokic and Denver.   Denver just got an easier path to a championship while Dallas got stuck with a great Boston team.   Both may have been looking at an impossible path now.   Not saying I wouldn't want to figure it out, but I do think it is a little misleading Dallas with Luka would have been at this level...despite being the last team to beat OKC.  That team is much different now.

This isn't going to go over well here, but there's some truth to it. Luka still has maturing to do before he's "the guy" on a championship team. His playstyle doesn't make it all that easy either. Speaking of easy, it's NOT easy to win a championship. Dirk was what, 32/33 years old when he got his one and only. As great as he was... BUT we don't have to worry about what it would be like with Luka here. Pledge allegiance to the Flagg. 

When Flagg hits 22 years old, 3 years from now, we'll see if he's having a Wemby type progression where "the guy" (SGA) could be passing the torch to the next "the guy" (Wemby). I hope it's a battle between Coop and Wemby the next 20 years. Bring back the Spurs/Mavs rivalry!