2021 FREE AGENCY: Markkanen wants out of CHI | DAL "definitely interested"

[Kammrath]

Talk to me like I'm three, very slowly, using only small words and explain to me why it's not just an evaluation of the player relative to his teammates. That's what I've never understood. I think there's a time and place for that kind of examination (see Richardson on the Mavs last year) but I can't quite see how that data helps form a predictive analysis of how another team's player might function on the Mavericks.

IMO it is primarily an evaluation of how a player functions on a TEAM (a specific team for sure, but I think it can be telling and potentially but not always predictive about how he functions generally as a teammate in regard to effecting O and D) and to me that is the most valuable thing you can analyze. Yes, there are comparison aspects between teammates you can make, but I think even that is secondary. Team chemistry is so important for a high functioning O and especially D, and I think On/Off gives the best window into how players help or hinder that function.

The Bulls team D was about the same (looking at a four year sample) whether LM played or whether he sat. We can surmise that it is probably most likely that would be the case in DAL. But of course, you cannot be sure. He could come to DAL and have a particularly bad fit with the players here and make things much worse on D. Or maybe its the opposite and he has a slight positive effect on the trajectory of the team D when he plays. 

I think with D in the NBA it is all about team cohesiveness. Individual defensive prowess CAN be helpful, but if you aren't good about playing within a scheme, then you will ultimately hurt the team D. Dirk is a great example. He wasn't a great individual defender (except the swipe down) but he often had a POSITIVE team impact on D because he played within the scheme and did what he was supposed to do (which goes a long way).