2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[sterlingmallory]

So I know we just guaranteed his contract, but does anyone think Moses might be the one waived for Chriss? Moses has been terrible lately, can't move laterally at all and thus can't defend in space, and is only 2 years younger than Chriss. He's non-guaranteed next year so it would be a minimal cap hit to waive him.

[KillerLeft]

So I know we just guaranteed his contract, but does anyone think Moses might be the one waived for Chriss? Moses has been terrible lately, can't move laterally at all and thus can't defend in space, and is only 2 years younger than Chriss. He's non-guaranteed next year so it would be a minimal cap hit to waive him.

Now that I know WCS’s deal is fully guaranteed (not sure how I ever got the idea it wasn’t) I think releasing MBrown should’ve been the move, but I doubt they’ll do it now. The time to do it was before the money became guaranteed.

[dirkfansince1998]

Now that I know WCS’s deal is fully guaranteed (not sure how I ever got the idea it wasn’t) I think releasing MBrown should’ve been the move, but I doubt they’ll do it now. The time to do it was before the money became guaranteed.

Why? WCS not playing and being on the roster or waiving him doesn´t make a difference as long as they aren´t involving him in a trade. Sunk cost.

[KillerLeft]

Why? WCS not playing and being on the roster or waiving him doesn´t make a difference as long as they aren´t involving him in a trade. Sunk cost.

If I ran the team, I’d value the chance to use WCS’s contract in a trade more than MBrown the player. Ditto for the chances of WCS contributing something down the stretch, no matter how slim.

I just don’t think much of Brown. I like his energy, but not his game.

[cow]

I heard a stat on LOM yesterday, I think.

KP is one of 5 players in the league that average at least 20 points, 8 rebounds and 1 block.

The others...AD, Embiid, Giannis, and KAT.

And that's with him in a slump from 3 point.

It is amazing to me the "dump him for peanuts" crowd... Everyone on this board would trade for any of those guys and would expect to give KP, Brunson and a FRP and probably more to get any of those guys, and everyone here would probably go for some sort of trade package with KP + multiple assets for one of those guys.

I'm not even saying he's the same player, but I like the way the LOM guys put it.  It didn't mean your saying that he is one of those guys, but it shows what a unique player and skillset that he truly is AND careerwise, he's a better 3 point shooter than all of them except Karl Anthony "the greatest big man shooter in the history of the NBA" Towns.

60% of games played tanks his value.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

If anyone's worried Sabonis will clog up the paint for Luka, just look and see how Luka and Bobi play together.

Luka (at least the none fat, quicker version) usually sees Bobi for a drop off or lob. It's an effective 2 man game. Now imagine replacing Bobi with Sabonis. You get two cerebral players who knows where to go and what to do.


However:..
I think we can worry about having the lane clogged when Fat Luka can actually go in the paint.

[Omega_Supreme]

I meant the plays he makes at 06:24 in below video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRbpkWgjr3o

Sabonis does this all the time, at an elite level. At the moment Luka can only throw it up for a dunk or back to 3pt. With Sabonis he has an elite player that can get the ball in mid range after pick and roll, drive and score. Sabonis, has PG skills, almost as Jokic. He drives to the basket exceptionally well. He finishes around the rim with elite touch light years ahead of any of our bigs. His positioning is what makes it happen. And Luka thrives when players know how and where to position.

Luka-Sabonis would be the best one two punch in the league IMO, they would flat out dominate. Other than Jokic, I cant think of another big that could fit better in playing style.

Not only that, but Sabonis has near PG passing skills as well. I can defintitely envision Sabonis setting the screen to Luka, receiving the pass in mid range as in the above example, drive, (and if not score) passing it out to Brunson that drives to the basket and either scores or passes further.

Sabonis is the link that would make it glue all togehter. It would make a much more flowing offense capable of easy baskets at the rim. And since Kidd is asking for this, this is definitely the player to go after. Not another KP.

The description of playing with your back to the basket does not always mean post ups. A lot of Sabonis game is starting in the midrange and finishing in the post area using his foot work and touch. He has a outside/in game but he can play and score over both shoulders consistently which is probably the better term. 

He is the perfect big for us. I wish we could go for both guys. 

Indiana is in a rebuild right now so they may not want a lot back. 

It would take KP and THJ off the rip

[burekemde]

The description of playing with your back to the basket does not always mean post ups. A lot of Sabonis game is starting in the midrange and finishing in the post area using his foot work and touch. He has a outside/in game but he can play and score over both shoulders consistently which is probably the better term. 

He is the perfect big for us. I wish we could go for both guys. 

Indiana is in a rebuild right now so they may not want a lot back. 

It would take KP and THJ off the rip

Totally agree Omega!

Someone had a concern, and this is indeed valid to have this, that his 3pt game is not as great (Sabonis). This is a valid concern, although i do see him knock the 3 when he is fully open. But due to the way he plays pick and roll, Sabonis has a unique inside and outside threath to the pick and roll, its just different than what is traditionally done at the moment in the NBA. He can get under the defense and get the easy layup/dunk at the basket if the defense focuses on the PG. However if the defender draws back to protect the basket, Sabonis is absolutely elite in lowering the pace and positioning himself perfectly in the mid range distance where he gets the ball, and from here its game over, he drives and finishes at the rim as good as everyone in the NBA (as in the example in video).

My point here is that the way Sabonis plays pick and roll, he doesnt need to space at the 3pt line as most other bigs need to, because they dont have this skill after the screen that Sabonis has. Sabonis doesnt need to draw back all the way to 3pt line as his counter move. He draws back to the mid range distance as his counter move, from where he punishes the defenses regularly. Thus, like other traditional modern bigs he has an inside and outside threat after the screen is set. For other bigs these two moves tend most often  to be the threath of a dunk and then the counter-move being the threat of dropping deep to the the 3pt line. For Sabonis, he has the inside and outside counter, but they are different. The inside is his attack to the rim if defense allows that, while however his counter is this hesitation move and receive the pass at the mid range (as in the example of video i provided) from where he executes his deep counter move. From there he drives and scores at the basket where he is near unstoppable.

The difference between Sabonis and our bigs is that Sabonis is far more effiecient in both his inside as well as his outside counter move from pick and roll. And given what we know about Luka and how well he reads defense, and how Luka would provide the ball to Sabonis in this counter move, IMO both Sabonis and Luka would be improved players if played together. I believe this would open more space up for Luka and would open even more space for Sabonis. G

Also, not all other 4 guys other than Luka need to space at the 3pt, we cant run the iso offense all the time. Spacing can be accomplished by the way Sabonis hesitates at the mid range distance after the screen while our other 3 players space at the 3pt line (that is DFS, Maxi and Brunson). This actually is also providing more space to the 3 players that space the floor and lanes for Luka to pass the ball outside. 4 outside at the 3 can be too much sometimes.

EDIT: I want to highlight this also from yesterdays game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lh0o0j1J2c

When the defender focuses on the PG: He has elite inside game under the rim: At 2:18 and at 03:22 in the video.

When the defender focuses on defending the rim, Sabonis executes then his counter-move by hesitating at the mid range, positioning well to receive the pass, drive, and when he comes at that speed and given his skills under the basket, he is near unstoppable. Examples of plays at 2:05 and 2:55 in the video.

I can imagine how that would work even better with Luka. First of all the elite level of these screens that Sabonis sets would free up Luka to run at the rim.

The next defender would need to decide whether to step up to stop Luka, and if he does Luka would get the ball to Sabonis under/above the rim. If the defender would step back and protect the rim, Luka can make the floater or pass to Sabonis like at 2:05 or 2:55 examples and Sabonis is destroying the bigs in the paint when he is given a full speed open run at the rim (even when a big is waiting there). In my view that's the go and countermoves, and this is the way Sabonis spreads the defense unconventionally than other bigs. It looks easy, but is super difficult. The skills needed for a big are ability to screen, then drive with the ball from mid range with the skills of a PG, then having an elite game inside to score. Our bigs cant do any of that! This is a rare player Sabonis, and would fit perfectly in our scheme.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

Sabonis is a true inside presence (at least on the offensive end), something the Mavs lack. And you know what the Mavs are lacking too?

Playmakers.

Normally playmakers are guards and small forwards,  someone who can dribble, penetrate and yes, create plays for himself and for others. 

But a playmaker coming from the 4 or 5? that's a real bonus. Sabonis IMHO, is one. He makes things happen. 


For anyone worried about Sabonis lack of interior D. Well.. Mavs are fielding a lineup of Luka, THJ, JB and DP for years now, wouldn't hurt that much if the trio of Luka-JB-Sabonis gets complimentary pieces as Green, FN, DFS and Kleber.


Anyone else can go.

[burekemde]

Sabonis is a true inside presence (at least on the offensive end), something the Mavs lack. And you know what the Mavs are lacking too?

Playmakers.

Normally playmakers are guards and small forwards,  someone who can dribble, penetrate and yes, create plays for himself and for others. 

But a playmaker coming from the 4 or 5? that's a real bonus. Sabonis IMHO, is one. He makes things happen. 


For anyone worried about Sabonis lack of interior D. Well.. Mavs are fielding a lineup of Luka, THJ, JB and DP for years now, wouldn't hurt that much if the trio of Luka-JB-Sabonis gets complimentary pieces as Green, FN, DFS and Kleber.


Anyone else can go.

I totally agree, another playmaker and with Luka and Brunson we have three playmakers. Creativity, passing, ball movement would seriously increase and the level of our offense. Just the sheer opportunities that come for a coach when you have a big like Sabonis with inside presence but also ability to dribble and pass to others, increase significantly the playbook.

What I also envisage is that after Sabonis screen to Luka (Luka being #1) and then passes the ball to Sabonis (being #2), he is one of the few big in the NBA, that has the bbIQ and passing skills to redistribute the ball outside to Brunson etc. (Being #3). Currently our bigs cant do that from the paint. They can step up outside the 3pt line and touch the ball where it is relatively easy to handle the ball and pass easy passes to Luka. However, you rarely see our bigs dominate with passing from the paint. This would dramatically increase the ball movement and the offense. I believe this would improve Brunsons game as well as he would get more space from these passes from Sabonis, to attack the paint with penetration and shooting.

[Mikelo]

Sabonis would fit into a team like Raptors who don't have a primary handler although several 2/3 handlers and yes, a lot of elite 3D guys who can cover their lack of shooting and defense. Luka shares some flaws and virtues with Domantas ... I really think the skill sets do not complement each other overlap .. Surrounding Luka with elite 3D guys would be my plan..Anunoby / MBridges / Siakam etc

[ClutchDirk]

https://twitter.com/All_Things_Mavs/stat...3773281283

[ClutchDirk]

Teams are circling Dorian Finney-Smith as a strong trade candidate in Dallas. Both Finney-Smith and Jalen Brunson will enter unrestricted free agency this summer, and the financial squeeze on the Mavericks will likely be too significant to retain both.

Rick Carlisle was known as Finney-Smith's biggest advocate in Dallas, sources said, and Indiana has been mentioned as a potential destination. League personnel are also monitoring the possibility Dallas waives Willie Cauley-Stein to create a roster spot for Marquese Chriss, who is on his third 10-day deal with the team.

[Tyler]

I feel like we’re being prepared for a DFS/Turner trade.

[ClutchDirk]

I feel like we’re being prepared for a DFS/Turner trade.

Yep 100%

[ClutchDirk]

https://twitter.com/JakeLFischer/status/...63524?s=20

[cow]

I feel like we’re being prepared for a DFS/Turner trade.

[ClutchDirk]

Dorian "trade me" Finney Smith...

[cow]

Dorian "trade me" Finney Smith...

[Tyler]

So for the sake of argument -- DFS/Powell for Turner? 

Carlisle gets two of his favorite system guys and Dallas nets a really good 2-way frontcourt rotation of KP/Turner/Maxi while managing long-term salary obligations.