06-11-2022, 08:44 PM
(06-11-2022, 07:16 PM)mvossman Wrote: Maxi is arguably his most effective as a small ball 5. If we are keeping Powell and Maxi, I would argue we only need one more center (preferably a starter) and potentially another 4.
I think you raise an interesting question here. Are we better with DFS at the four or the three? I’d love to see some post-KP positional splits for DFS. At a very basic level, B-Ref says Finney’s D-Rating was much worse post all-star. By then KP was gone and Dorian was exclusively a four. If you move DFS back to the three, you are probably having Bullock come off the bench. I’m fine with that if you’ve added some defense to the front line.
To talk this through, I’ll go back to my original Holmes idea which was THJ. Sacramento is trying to win and a salary dump or some Dallas youth doesn’t help with that goal. You mention adding a starting center (Holmes) AND another PF. I’ll use Jalen Smith for the TP-MLE as an example. It just makes too much sense that he ends up here since Indy can’t match our TP-MLE offer. So, now you have some combo of Maxi, Smith and Holmes at the 4/5 with Powell getting some minutes when Luka is playing with bench guys. Maxi, Smith and Holmes are all decent shot blockers and two of those guys can hit 3’s and Homes has his highly effective push shot in the lane. I don’t think you’ve clogged the lane and even if you have, Maxi and Smith are decent spacers and you can always push DFS back to the four as a specialty lineup.
A deal for Holmes may or may not require picks. Sacramento has a $4mm TPE that can help with the body count. Say THJ/Brown/Chriss for Holmes/Holiday. The savings is enough to use the TP-MLE without changing the budget. You end up with one too many players plus your pick (which can always be a Euro-stash). What I like is you’ve added two bigs for essentially someone who didn’t play in the playoff run and you’ve solved the issue of your incumbent bigs being older FA’s a year from now.
Holmes/Powell (Boban)
Maxi/J. Smith (Bertans)
DFS/Bullock (Frank/Holiday)
Brunson/Green (Pinson)
Luka/Dinwiddie (Burke)