The last 2 NBA champions

[KillerLeft]

I think this is based more on the limited sample of this recent season coming back from injury as opposed to his entire career before that.  I think this mindset assumes that a basic meniscus tear was the last straw in permanently ruining his mobility, versus him never really getting his legs under him after returning from the injury mid season.  I'm not sure that is a good assumption to make.  I don't know what he is going to be like next season, but I feel like there is at least a reasonable chance he is closer to bubble KP than what we saw this season.

This is definitely the question. None of us know for sure. 

Some think this was a temporary issue born from not being healthy enough for long enough to truly get in shape and in "movement rhythm." I can't say this is ridiculous - it might be true. For his sake, I hope this is it. But if so, what's our general level of confidence that a reasonable interim will pass before the next injury? Is he going to take a year to work back from all of them?

Others think that KP's many injuries, "basic" and otherwise, have started to exact a cumulative toll on his physical abilities, and that even if he's able to work back into better shape, he might not ever recapture the movement-ability that earned him the "unicorn" nickname. 

We even have some who think it's all in his head, and that his entitled attitude (or justified frustration, depending on your POV) about how Carlisle used him or about his relationship with (and status relative to) Luka contributed greatly to his sudden drop in defensive effectiveness. Basically, that he wasn't close to fully engaged. There might be some truth to this, too, but is he really of a level that would make dealing with him (if he's actually this challenging of a personality) worthwhile? 

I can buy all three lines of thinking above, but I'm personally most invested in the "already in decline" camp, and I think we can also mix in the simple idea that teams are getting better at isolating big, stiff guys in the modern spread-pick-and-roll, the concept on which like 4/5 of NBA teams' offenses are built. It's possible that guys who are 7'4" are simply becoming less at home in the NBA right in front of our eyes.

Regardless, when I see Porzingis move these days, I'm reminded of Shawn Bradley, not of Giannis or AD, which is closer to what I expected, maybe somewhat naively. 

The bottom line for me (and others, but not for everyone) is that this is simply an untenable situation. I could be wrong, and I'd LOVE that, honestly. If he could just find a way to be above average defensively and to punish smaller players when the defense switches, that would pave the way for him to do what was intended: pull opposing bigs out of the paint to make space for Luka to dominate. Personally, I don't hold much confidence that he can do either of those things, and I believe that he'll have to do BOTH to even approach becoming the impact player we all hoped (believed?) he'd be. 

I was ALL IN on the trade at the time, and I really wasn't shocked when they maxed him before he had ever suited up for the team. Looking back, I think there was reason to question these moves (especially the contract) but I won't claim to have seen it at the time. I was up to my back teeth in Mavs-flavored Kool Ade, just like everyone else. 

I voted that he'd be here in @"omahen"'s poll, mostly because I buy the idea that with so much invested in the player, Cuban will likely hope that the change of coach, the healthy offseason and another year of maturation from Luka will make a significant difference. I know many here feel that way, too, and I sincerely hope that's the case if KP is still here when the dust clears.