NEWS: Dirk Joining the Mavs Front Office as a Special Advisor

[cow]

KP looked better than ever prior to the 2nd injury. He wasn´t happy with his role but it´s not like he was a low maintenance guy in NY. Don´t think you can blame the coaches or even the GM for his decline. He simply wasn´t good. Of course that is going to tank his value. What are the options. Feature KP and risk a worse record. Luka probably won´t like that. Not an option. Go with the Mavs approach and limit his role. That´s basically the middle ground. Bench him. Let him recover and hope that he can improve when he comes back. KP won´t like that. He thinks he is ready to be a star player.

In hindsight it is easy to say that the Mavs panicked and rushed his return. Would he have more value if he had missed another season but looked like an allstar when he last played?

His integration back into the offense is a failing of Rick's.  How Rick and the organization managed Luka and KP's relationship is a failing.   I don't think Rick coached Luka very well either.  He went from being too stringent to not being able to reign him in.  

KP got what, 10 shot attempts in the playoffs?  Yes, his confidence looked busted and he passed up open looks, but I think that's more of a biproduct of regular season failings and not working to get your max players involved in the offense consistently.  I put most of that blame on Luka for being a bad teammate to KP (not to be confused with being a bad teammate as a whole) and Carlisle for not being able to coach his players.

[ClutchDirk]

Loyal Dirk coming back to save his fans and team...


https://media.giphy.com/media/l4FGjC1OWd.../giphy.gif

[mavsluvr]

Injuries play their part yes, but KP is playing with no confidence and that has a lot to do with how he was coached and who he played with.  He certainly gets blame too.  I fully believe he can become the player the league so potential in from his New York days and who we saw flashes of with our own eyes, but if we trade him, we are being taken to the woodshed on value. 

I hope that you are right. I fear that injuries and extreme tallness may turn out to mean that his value will only decline with time, but will certainly be delighted if he can be rehabilitated. 

A lot will depend on what happens next, but I do think Dallas could be a much more attractive destination with Carlisle and Donnie out of the picture.  Cuban is still an issue with some of his relationship with agents and his lack of loyalty to all but a very select few players.

Yeah, Dallas is going to be more or less the same city, whether Carlisle and Donnie are here or not. But maybe the team will get in a couple guys in who can sell their vision to some Tier 1 players. Never say never!

[DallasBasketball]

@"mavsluvr" wrote:

I have wondered over the years why Rick stayed here so long after the title, through all the mediocre and rebuilding rosters, when he seemed pretty clearly overqualified for the season-by-season jobs. It seems really weird to me that he went through all that, and then left just when things were looking up, at least on paper. I'm not saying that the change is necessarily a bad thing. The way it has all gone down has caused me some concern, I admit. 

I believe that Carlisle believed he had the coaching position he wanted in the organization he wanted to part of. He had a President he trusted and believed that their team could put him in position to win. He had a championship here. He had an owner that valued him and was willing to do almost anything to be competitive. He had a good support staff. He had Dirk for many years with hope of finding a 2nd star. He liked the city and his family laid down roots. He could stomach a rebuild because he believed in what we were doing here. He has input. He was valued. We needed a “top 10 defense to go with our top 5 offense.” This is what Rick believed was needed to win a championship. Donnie tried to deliver. Now this is all what I believe. I believe he could have made it work with Doncic. I believe he wanted to. I believe when Donnie left, he knew his time was limited, and rather than wait around for a new GM, he had to leave now and control his own destiny. 

There is probably a story about a bad Apple in the organization but I didn’t need to mention it. The way I see it, Donnie leaving was something no one saw coming. Except Vulgar Bob the reported bad Apple.

[cow]

@"mavsluvr", while I don't really love how we got to this point, it's what I've wanted for a long time.  I'm pretty excited all and all.  Cuban could pop that bubble at any moment, but I have a lot of hope for what could be.

---

@"mavsluvr" wrote:

I have wondered over the years why Rick stayed here so long after the title, through all the mediocre and rebuilding rosters, when he seemed pretty clearly overqualified for the season-by-season jobs. It seems really weird to me that he went through all that, and then left just when things were looking up, at least on paper. I'm not saying that the change is necessarily a bad thing. The way it has all gone down has caused me some concern, I admit. 

I believe that Carlisle believed he had the coaching position he wanted in the organization he wanted to part of. He had a President he trusted and believed that their team could put him in position to win. He had a championship here. He had an owner that valued him and was willing to do almost anything to be competitive. He had a good support staff. He had Dirk for many years with hope of finding a 2nd star. He liked the city and his family laid down roots. He could stomach a rebuild because he believed in what we were doing here. He has input. He was valued. We needed a “top 10 defense to go with our top 5 offense.” This is what Rick believed was needed to win a championship. Donnie tried to deliver. Now this is all what I believe. I believe he could have made it work with Doncic. I believe he wanted to. I believe when Donnie left, he knew his time was limited, and rather than wait around for a new GM, he had to leave now and control his own destiny. 

There is probably a story about a bad Apple in the organization but I didn’t need to mention it. The way I see it, Donnie leaving was something no one saw coming. Except Vulgar Bob the reported bad Apple.

I think it is just a matter of loyalty to Dirk and Donnie.  And then they stumbled upon Luka to keep his interest.  Donnie leaving and the other nonsense was probably just too much to bare.

[mavsluvr]

Really hope that Dirk knows what he is getting into. He is putting his reputation on the line to help the Mavs.

Do you think so?

Seems like a pretty low-risk move to do a solid for his friend who's in trouble. Dirk's place in history seems pretty secure. 

This probably sounds like quibbling, but I raise it mostly to say that this seems like a PR play for the Mavs, and not something that is going to require much of anything from Dirk, who is not equipped to advise on searching for the president of a business in any case (to our knowledge, anyway).

[cow]

I don't see it has a PR play.  Dirk isn't stupid and I don't think he'd let himself get used that way.  24 years of stability was just removed.  Days later 13 years of stability were removed.  Bring back 21 years of stability and someone your two super stars trust and will listen to.  He might have some cursory input on the next GM, but he's giving a voice to a mostly voiceless organization at this point, Cuban aside. 

I wish Dirk were around in a player development role for KP/Luka these last two years.  I really think it would have turned out differently.  And while I don't think KP is salvageable for the Mavs at this point, Dirk might be the only guy who could do it.

[dirkfansince1998]

His integration back into the offense is a failing of Rick's.  How Rick and the organization managed Luka and KP's relationship is a failing.   I don't think Rick coached Luka very well either.  He went from being too stringent to not being able to reign him in.  

KP got what, 10 shot attempts in the playoffs?  Yes, his confidence looked busted and he passed up open looks, but I think that's more of a biproduct of regular season failings and not working to get your max players involved in the offense consistently.  I put most of that blame on Luka for being a bad teammate to KP (not to be confused with being a bad teammate as a whole) and Carlisle for not being able to coach his players.

Probably not the right topic for this thread and it´s not like we haven´t discussed the topic to death so I will keep it short. I just don´t see a reason to feature the current version of KP on offense. He simply wasn´t good enough. Just really bad when he had to do more than just catch and shoot/finish. Coaches did him and the team a favor when they reduced his iso/post volume and turned him into a catch and shoot only guy. 12.5 percentile for isos, 58.8 percentile for post ups, 50 percentile as the roll man, 81.3 percentile as a spot up shooter. We already mentioned the importance of analytics. The Mavs probably have even more numbers to justify the decision.

[cow]

Probably not the right topic for this thread and it´s not like we haven´t discussed the topic to death so I will keep it short. I just don´t see a reason to feature the current version of KP on offense. He simply wasn´t good enough. Just really bad when he had to do more than just catch and shoot/finish. Coaches did him and the team a favor when they reduced his iso/post volume and turned him into a catch and shoot only guy. 12.5 percentile for isos, 58.8 percentile for post ups, 50 percentile as the roll man, 81.3 percentile as a spot up shooter. We already mentioned the importance of analytics. The Mavs probably have even more numbers to justify the decision.

I just see that as a self fulfilling prophecy at that point.  If he wasn't good enough, why play him at all?  Why did you trade for him?  Why did you give him a max contract?  I guess my greater point, is that there is more than enough blame to go around in the KP debacle.  But we are here now.

[dirkfansince1998]

Do you think so?

Seems like a pretty low-risk move to do a solid for his friend who's in trouble. Dirk's place in history seems pretty secure. 

This probably sounds like quibbling, but I raise it mostly to say that this seems like a PR play for the Mavs, and not something that is going to require much of anything from Dirk, who is not equipped to advise on searching for the president of a business in any case (to our knowledge, anyway).

I think RC and Donnie are also among his friends. Just hope that he knows all the details. Would hate to see him as the face of a front office that continues with the same shenanigans that we saw in the past.

[KillerLeft]

Would hate to see him as the face of a front office that continues with the same shenanigans that we saw in the past.

I don't think he'll be the face of the front office, or that he's even going to get all that involved, really. 

I think he'll be mentioned a few times and do a few things over the summer, during this transition, mostly to distract people from how crazy this all is.

[StepBackJay]

Probably not the right topic for this thread and it´s not like we haven´t discussed the topic to death so I will keep it short. I just don´t see a reason to feature the current version of KP on offense. He simply wasn´t good enough. Just really bad when he had to do more than just catch and shoot/finish. Coaches did him and the team a favor when they reduced his iso/post volume and turned him into a catch and shoot only guy. 12.5 percentile for isos, 58.8 percentile for post ups, 50 percentile as the roll man, 81.3 percentile as a spot up shooter. We already mentioned the importance of analytics. The Mavs probably have even more numbers to justify the decision.

Also KP doesn't fit this offense because it finds the open shooter or a playmaker. KP is just 1 shooter out of many on the court. He cannot break down the defense. I do think they could have set up screens for him like they do THJ to get him downhill or freed up a bit. Its unclear why they didn't do that more. Maybe a new coach will try to get him more looks like this since he is a good shooter. I for one would rather have KP shoot off a screen than see DFS take too many shots.

[mavsluvr]

I don't see it has a PR play.  Dirk isn't stupid and I don't think he'd let himself get used that way.  24 years of stability was just removed.  Days later 13 years of stability were removed.  Bring back 21 years of stability and someone your two super stars trust and will listen to.  He might have some cursory input on the next GM, but he's giving a voice to a mostly voiceless organization at this point, Cuban aside. 

I wish Dirk were around in a player development role for KP/Luka these last two years.  I really think it would have turned out differently.  And while I don't think KP is salvageable for the Mavs at this point, Dirk might be the only guy who could do it.

Dirk isn't being used. He's doing a favor for a friend, and presumably is being paid for his trouble. 

You could be right that, in addition to the PR aspects, Luka and the players in general might garner some comfort with Dirk in the picture. 

No doubt, Dirk could have been helpful if he had chosen to remain in an active role. However, he has done a lot for the franchise, and has earned a rest, if that's what he wants. (Realize you aren't saying he doesn't.)

[dirkfansince1998]

I just see that as a self fulfilling prophecy at that point.  If he wasn't good enough, why play him at all?  Why did you trade for him?  Why did you give him a max contract?  I guess my greater point, is that there is more than enough blame to go around in the KP debacle.  But we are here now.

Of course. Personally I was all in on the trade and don´t blame Donnie/Mark/whoever for it. But that´s actually the point. Mavs cannot undo the trade. They have to deal with the current situation. A net negative max player that isn´t happy in Dallas. That might be one of the few advantages of the current situation. A new GM/coach can assess the situation and make a decision. No prior attachment. No bias. No blame.

[Kammrath]

I have wondered over the years why Rick stayed here so long after the title, through all the mediocre and rebuilding rosters, when he seemed pretty clearly overqualified for the season-by-season jobs. It seems really weird to me that he went through all that, and then left just when things were looking up, at least on paper.

My answer at this point: 

POWER


I think Cuban gave RC lots of power and say in the organization over all sorts of things, including GM type decisions. I think that power was ratcheted back over the last couple years and Cuban informed RC that it was going to be ratcheted back even further while also giving a future GM the power to decide his coaching fate. That is my best guess of WHY RC bailed now and didn't before.

[KillerLeft]

I think Cuban gave RC lots of power and say in the organization over all sorts of things, including GM type decisions. I think that power was ratcheted back over the last couple years and Cuban informed RC that it was going to be ratcheted back even further while also giving a future GM the power to decide his coaching fate. That is my best guess of WHY RC bailed now and didn't before.

Very possible.

[Jommybone]

… Cuban is loyal (to a fault).

The summer of 2011 is calling to dispute this take.

[cow]

Dirk isn't being used. He's doing a favor for a friend, and presumably is being paid for his trouble. 

You could be right that, in addition to the PR aspects, Luka and the players in general might garner some comfort with Dirk in the picture. 

No doubt, Dirk could have been helpful if he had chosen to remain in an active role. However, he has done a lot for the franchise, and has earned a rest, if that's what he wants. (Realize you aren't saying he doesn't.)

I'm not critical of Dirk whatsoever.  He more than earned his time away and with his family.

[SleepingHero]

Really hope that Dirk knows what he is getting into. He is putting his reputation on the line to help the Mavs.

Dirk's reputation will forever be untouched.

Dude could become the coach of the Mavs and lead them to 10 win seasons and I wouldn't care.

[KillerLeft]

Dirk's reputation will forever be untouched.

Dude could become the coach of the Mavs and lead them to 10 win seasons and I wouldn't care.

Absolutely, and that's what makes this such a valuable card for Cuban to play at this, specific moment in time. 

I'm not even saying it's the wrong thing to do. Dirk might actually help!