Why the Mavs are Potentially Much Better Already...

[DanSchwartzgan]

So are Reggie Bullock and Sterling Brown actual upgrades to JR? Well only time will tell, but the numbers are very promising. 

Reggie Bullock was a go-to defender on one of the four elite defenses last year in NYK, often taking the hardest matchup on the court. The Knicks were 1.1 pts better defensively without Bullock, but when you take into account matchups with a stat like DRPM, he was +3.74 defensively (good for 7th best in the whole NBA...!). He also was elite in defending the perimeter, allowing only 30% shooting from outside from the guys he defended.  Bullock was also +1.4 offensively for the Knicks, shooting 41% from three (42.5% on catch and shoot).  

Would you mind running a Bullock chart with and without E. Payton?  Thanks

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I'm not trying to defend Josh Richardson because I hated that trade from moment one and I do think Bullock will be an upgrade in at least his shooting, if not his defense.  But one perimeter player isn't going to impact the defense on this team.  Wright didn't do it and neither did Richardson.  I just don't want to put that same expectation on Bullock, especially when we didn't have great interior presences to funnel offensive players into.

It is encouraging to have two guys now (RB and DFS) who can take the other team's most difficult offensive assignment.