SL Game 3: MIA vs. DAL | 2:00pm CST on ESPN2

[KillerLeft]

I get why Dallas wanted to move away from the Donnie Nelson school of just employing nothing but shooters. I fought it for a while, but it was fun watching an actual athletic NBA team last season.

Having said that, they have soooooooo many players in their organization who can't shoot right now. Even their shooters, like Ajinca, can't shoot. It's tough to watch.

[KillerLeft]

Hey I may be having a too critical eye for Omax but that just tells you my expectations of the player he could be.  He is slow to react to a lot of things both on offense and defense.  Small things bother me. For instance, On an inbounds pass when he is going to the ball he is not quick and decisive making it a hard pass.  I noticed this last year when he was the target when a ball was being rotated.  Just either slow reaction or not decisive.  Or on breaks he sort of gallops when a sprint would lead to him filling a lane.  Small things like that.  It may not mean much separately but it does matter when playing real games.  He just needs more time on the floor.  His slow reaction really doesn’t allow him to use all his length and athleticism as a huge advantage.

Again, I disagree. I think his reaction time in many situations is lightning fast. Earlier, he prevented a 7-footer from getting a shot off after catching the ball in the middle of the paint. It was called a foul, but it was a borderline call, and even better, the "play" or "foul" took place before a shot attempt, so no free throws. This is not a small thing, and it's just one example.

I might agree if the point was that there's still something to be desired in terms of defensive consistency, because he is capable of making the wrong play at times, but I've seen plenty of defensive play from him, this summer and previously, to make me feel like he's ready for real game play...ON THAT END.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Enough about OMax. He's guaranteed a spot on the roster. What about the other players who may have a shot? Anyone?

[KillerLeft]

Enough about OMax. He's guaranteed a spot on the roster. What about the other players who may have a shot? Anyone?

I don't see anyone to excited about. You? 

Ajinca needs to go back to France, at least for a while. I'm not as hard on Lawson as some, but I feel like we've seen enough to know he's not breaking into the Mavs rotation. Sharp is intriguing, but for me he doesn't seem to have enough raw, explosive athletic ability (to go along with the length) to justify spending developmental time to improve his feel/instincts.

[KillerLeft]

Then again, I don't really care much for those two-way spots. The Mavs are pretty deep, and as long as we know they're generally focused on finding young players with upside, I don't care whether they get a hit with each swing.

Also, it's important to remember that they don't have to choose from only their team. Honestly, I care more about whether they have scouts watching the other teams than I do about how well they put their own team together.

[The Jom]

Coaches to Omax: SL is for working on the things you need to improve.

This board to Omax: Why you keep doing those things you suck at?

[Chicagojk]

Enough about OMax. He's guaranteed a spot on the roster. What about the other players who may have a shot? Anyone?

Not really.  Melvin has a pretty mature game for his young age.  I am just not sure if he is going to be an NBA caliber player.   Good thing though is the Mavs got a good baseline with him in practices and games and can see how he improves with a year of play.   If he can get a comparable salary in Europe, he should stay there.  Regardless if he ever comes over.    I think playing in a better European league (I believe they said he wasn't in a great league last year) is a better place for him to be than in G league.   Ideally, if he ever comes over, it is without coming over thru the G-league....imo.

There are some guys I would be interested to bring to our G-league team.  I just don't think any are two way worthy.  So, we have two spots.  I don't think Fudge is that level either.   I would be fine with replacing all three, but Brandon Williams is fine.   I hope the Mavs are pretty aggressive with those two spots.   Unfortunately, you are targeting guys who are  unclaimed by teams.   With teams having 3 spots, the talent is gobbled up pretty quickly.   Especially with the type of players we are looking for.

[Chicagojk]

Coaches to Omax: SL is for working on the things you need to improve.

This board to Omax: Why you keep doing those things you suck at?

Personally I am fine with them asking Jaden and Omax to get outside their comfort zone in summer league.   If they improve on these things, it can be the difference in 50 million dollars or so over their careers.  IMO, Omax running to the corner in the summer league is less desirable than him taking additional responsibility.   He will be running to the corner plenty when he is playing with the real team.

[BigDirk41]

I don’t know if this is meant for me, but whatever.  Omax is good mirroring already.  In games like this, you want to see elite defenders gets steals, blocks, deflections etc.  Omax is not getting those. That is all I am saying.  With his build and length, he should be getting a lot more of those plays.

Omax is a project. Nothing more. He's just a fan favorite. He's the new Roddy B. He's not going to play much this year. The good plays he makes means he's going to be awesome next year and if anyone criticizes the bad plays and there's a lot of them, then it's just summer league. Can't have it both ways. I like the guy and hope he plays at some point, but this is the defending Western Conference champs, not some lotto team. Omax is too raw imo and he's behind where he should be in year 2. I'm not going to get into a back and forth pissing match because it's fun to root for our players and I get that. I'm just in the group that doesn't think he's ready. I have seen no reason to believe he's going to be a good 3 point shooter. There's lots of strong defenders in the NBA that would be rotation pieces if that could shoot. If someone can shoot, is a HUGE part of it.

[KillerLeft]

Coaches to Omax: SL is for working on the things you need to improve.

This board to Omax: Why you keep doing those things you suck at?

Oh, I totally understand WHY they're having him do those things, I'm just saying we shouldn't be deciding he sucks because he's not good at those things (yet). 

And, it's bonkers to hold that stuff so against him that we can't acknowledge the very, very good things he's doing on the other end. 

It's similar to the Hardy conversation from last summer, only a little different (imo) in that Hardy MUST be an on-ball player to be anything. O-Max doesn't have to be able to initiate offense from above the break to get onto the floor, so to watch him try to do that and draw conclusions about his NBA readiness is wild to me.

[KillerLeft]

This thread has gotten pretty passive-aggressive, all of a sudden. Who knew O-Max would be such a polarizing topic?

I'll buy land on O-Max island from anyone selling, and I'll pay full price!

[WillE]

This thread...I came to read about the game and how the players performed. Yet, there's nothing but OMax.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

This thread has gotten pretty passive-aggressive, all of a sudden. Who knew O-Max would be such a polarizing topic?

I'll buy land on O-Max island from anyone selling, and I'll pay full price!

I mean when the main conversation is about him, what is one to think? I hope for you guys sake he pans out. He looks a little awkward to me, but from my vantage point, he needs to work on a lot and shooting is the main course of the meal. We've seen this movie before as there have been plenty of players who have come and gone labeled with POtential. Just because you have a prototype NBA body doesn't mean you're a NBA player. If he gets in the lab, and works hard at his craft, he has a chance. But as one other poster said, he looks like a project and until he takes a massive step, I tend to agree. Josh Green got the same hype and now he's gone with his inefficiencies. Maybe going to a different team and system he can reach his potential. Not hating, just calling it like I see it.

[KillerLeft]

I mean when the main conversation is about him, what is one to think? I hope for you guys sake he pans out. He looks a little awkward to me, but from my vantage point, he needs to work on a lot and shooting is the main course of the meal. We've seen this movie before as there have been plenty of players who have come and gone labeled with POtential. Just because you have a prototype NBA body doesn't mean you're a NBA player. If he gets in the lab, and works hard at his craft, he has a chance. But as one other poster said, he looks like a project and until he takes a massive step, I tend to agree. Josh Green got the same hype and now he's gone with his inefficiencies. Maybe going to a different team and system he can reach his potential. Not hating, just calling it like I see it.

My comment had zero to do with you. I agree with a lot of this, and you're FOR SURE not passive-aggressive. 

Actually, this response pretty much proves why it's weak it is for people to respond to others without quoting them. Such a weak, weak move, and I ironically fell into the trap of making this error myself (in the process of bringing attention to it, lol) trying to avoid hurting people's feelings (never again, I hope - direct communication is always the only right decision). I apologize for my vagueness, as it has given you the wrong idea (understandably so). My bad, pal! 

On the O-Max conversation, specifically, OF COURSE he's a project! I think he's a GREAT one to engage with, personally. Like I said - give me all the land you have on O-Max Island, I'm paying top dollar!

[Scott41theMavs]

WRT OMax -
1) It seemed clear to me on draft day that, given his arc in college, he was the safer of the two picks we made, and I was over the moon that we got him;
2) Summer league '23 seemed to bear out that we had made two phenomenally great picks considering where we had drafted - Lively seemed not to be quite as good as OMax at that point, but with a godlike acquisitional BBIQ that suggested he would indeed be the better player at some point. Meanwhile OMax seemed to be defensively dominant, skilled at attacking the rim with the ball, and his college work suggested that any shortcomings in his 3p shooting would come along. Overall, he seemed already inked-in for a back of the rotation slot on the main roster;
3) In training camp and pre-season games last year, he seemed completely unready for NBA play, which, given #1 and #2, made zero sense to me whatsoever and gave me pause;
4) Last year was an agony of seeing him get few opportunities on roster, not do great most of the time when he got them, not looking great in the GLeague, but gradually progressing to the point that there was hope that he could be the player I thought he was back in last year's summer league;
5) This summer league is, in terms of offensive polish and ability, one big face palm. I hope to goodness that that is 100% due to our PG-less roster, but that smacks of lipstick on the pig at this point.

Prior to summer league, I was very optimistic that OMax would worm his way to the point of being the 9th or 10th man in the rotation by playoff time. Now, I feel like that would take a miracle. He hasn't quite hit the Hardy "meh - maybe, but very probably not" level for me, but I feel like the stock I bought on OMax Island after last year's summer league has tanked. There's still some hope that its value might go back up, but I'm pessimistic.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

My comment had zero to do with you. I agree with a lot of this, and you're FOR SURE not passive-aggressive. 

Actually, this response pretty much proves why it's weak it is for people to respond to others without quoting them. Such a weak, weak move, and I ironically fell into the trap of making this error myself (in the process of bringing attention to it, lol) trying to avoid hurting people's feelings (never again, I hope - direct communication is always the only right decision). I apologize for my vagueness, as it has given you the wrong idea (understandably so). My bad, pal! 

On the O-Max conversation, specifically, OF COURSE he's a project! I think he's a GREAT one to engage with, personally. Like I said - give me all the land you have on O-Max Island, I'm paying top dollar!

It's all good bruh. I didn't make the comment about me. I voiced my opinion on the subject that happens to differ from most.  Nothing like having an engaging conversation about different aspects and players in the league. We all have varying opinions about players and things, and as long as nobody gets salty about someone else's comments and things go sideways, we're good. I don't take things personally anyway. I enjoy this site. It has well informed posters to engage with.

[KillerLeft]

I enjoy this site. It has well informed posters to engage with.

Me, too! You're one of 'em!

[Mavs2021]

WRT OMax -
1) It seemed clear to me on draft day that, given his arc in college, he was the safer of the two picks we made, and I was over the moon that we got him;
2) Summer league '23 seemed to bear out that we had made two phenomenally great picks considering where we had drafted - Lively seemed not to be quite as good as OMax at that point, but with a godlike acquisitional BBIQ that suggested he would indeed be the better player at some point. Meanwhile OMax seemed to be defensively dominant, skilled at attacking the rim with the ball, and his college work suggested that any shortcomings in his 3p shooting would come along. Overall, he seemed already inked-in for a back of the rotation slot on the main roster;
3) In training camp and pre-season games last year, he seemed completely unready for NBA play, which, given #1 and #2, made zero sense to me whatsoever and gave me pause;
4) Last year was an agony of seeing him get few opportunities on roster, not do great most of the time when he got them, not looking great in the GLeague, but gradually progressing to the point that there was hope that he could be the player I thought he was back in last year's summer league;
5) This summer league is, in terms of offensive polish and ability, one big face palm. I hope to goodness that that is 100% due to our PG-less roster, but that smacks of lipstick on the pig at this point.

Prior to summer league, I was very optimistic that OMax would worm his way to the point of being the 9th or 10th man in the rotation by playoff time. Now, I feel like that would take a miracle. He hasn't quite hit the Hardy "meh - maybe, but very probably not" level for me, but I feel like the stock I bought on OMax Island after last year's summer league has tanked. There's still some hope that its value might go back up, but I'm pessimistic.

Hardy will get a contract next summer. I´m not betting on Omax being in the league once his rookie contract is up. Omax is older than Hardy, too.*

He basically got drafted based on his strong workouts alone (which is almost always a bad idea), not on anything he had done in three years of college. Omax in his 3rd year averaged 13/5. He was a poor shooter, absolutely nothing in his boxscore in terms of steals, blocks or assists. Omax had nine blocks in his whole college career. He´s not even Justin Anderson in terms of his college resume. There is literally nothing that suggests NBA prospect, and yeah yeah defense is more than stats, but he´d be the best defender ever that does not rebound, does not steal or does not block the ball even at an average level. 

If we based Omax on his SL performance (and not on his draft position), he´d struggle to get a roster spot on the G-League squad. Okay maybe that´s harsh, but he certainly wouldn´t be a starter in the G-League. And I get all the spread your wings BS. He practices every week with the NBA team. He plays G-League. That´s plenty of time to spread your wings against actually competition/NBA level. All this does is hurt his confidence and make him look like a bum.

*by two days

[dirkfansince1998]

Based on what I have seen.

OMax: Obviously stays on the roster. Learned nothing new. The usual 3&D guy (Nate Hinton/Justin Anderson) running the offense in summer league experience. Doomed to fail.
Ajinca: Back to France. Clearly not ready for the NBA. Reevaluate next summer.
Lawson: Waive. ASAP. To quote Dirk ""You should learn Chinese because you'll be in China soon."
Williams: Waive. Mavs need to get over their obsession with undersized score first guards.
Miller: Two-way contract. By far the best player. Might be closer to NBA rotation level than OMax right now.

Don't care about the rest.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Going to call it.  OMax will not break into an NBA rotation.

He's an athlete, not a basketball player.