What would you have done as GM that would have gotten you an A+ this off-season?

[DanSchwartzgan]

I loved the whole of this post, and honestly, I love most of your posts. But, the above snippet seems to go out of its way to be pointedly snarky. I don't know that it's aimed at me, obviously, but I know I've used that term and qualifier for the term before. 

Be honest. Do you not agree that there are almost always 2-5 teams that stand out from the rest of the league pretty much right at the beginning of the season, and sometimes even before the season starts? Do you not agree that the winner almost always comes from that group? Are you meaning to poke fun at people who think that way, suggesting that any playoff team has a chance? Because that has not really been my experience with the NBA over the years, personally. 

Now, if your point is "well, tough - you've got to try! Just keep getting better and see what happens!" that's another story. I can totally get behind that message. But, I think many of us believe that the gap between playoff team and "true contender", which, sorry, I think is abundantly clear, is even wider than the the gap between making the playoffs or landing in the 10th-11th seed most years.

Apparently I don’t do “clever” well as IGT thought he offended me (he didn’t come close) and I made you think I was taking a shot at you (I wasn’t, you are always extremely kind to me).  

Here is something to ponder.  At the beginning of the last season, who were those 2-5 teams?  I would submit both LA teams and Philly and Brooklyn.  Milwaukee didn’t have Holiday yet and flamed out famously in the playoffs the season before.  Phoenix was a nice story, but no one imagined them getting past the big boys.

The year we won the championship, were we in the mythical top 2-5?  I would submit not.  But then LA imploded and OKC and Miami weren’t ready yet.  Sometimes you have the obvious winner and you don’t (win).  Sometimes the eventual winner catches some breaks and the unexpected happens.  

We were the fifth in the west and were just a mess much of the season.  Then when we finally got healthy, we just took nights off and lost to some of the worst teams in the league.  Despite all those nights off, we were 6th in Net Rating in the league from 3/1 on, just a little behind a Denver team that doesn’t have their PG right now.  That is what I mean by “close”.  And that is with internal dysfunction, JRich stinking things up, bad Maxi and bad KP.  Some here won’t be satisfied unless we add another top 10 NBA player, but what is the path?  If there isn’t a path, admit it and aim for lots of small improvements at the margins.  Brooklyn might win the next three championships, but injuries could keep them from winning any.  When you are as close as we are to that next rung up (whatever you call it), it is going to take great good fortune to win it all.  This is the Finley/Nash/Dirk era of Luka’s career.  That trio didn’t win a ring, but man it was fun to be a fan back then.

[fifteenth]

Great series of posts, @"DanSchwartzgan"

Some here won’t be satisfied unless we add another top 10 NBA player, but what is the path?

Seems like, at the moment, there are two paths (maybe not to "top 10", but at least to "star":

1. Get KP back to unicorn status, and then if you still want to move off him because of fit, make a trade for another star who doesn't quite fit, or wants out.

2. A star player really wants to be here and orchestrates a way, with their agent and team, to get here.


But, I'm down with the making small changes approach, if those are the changes that are available and doable. There must be a how-to team building video or podcast out there (wouldn't be a book these days) because I keep seeing folks say this thing, "these small moves are finishing moves, not moves that a non-contending team like the Mavs should make." I reject that logic completely. Give me improvement. And then the contributors to our good team, if on fair contracts, can be traded if a star player wants to make his way to the Mavs. If not, you do your best in the meantime to win as much as you can.

[KillerLeft]

Here is something to ponder.  At the beginning of the last season, who were those 2-5 teams?  I would submit both LA teams and Philly and Brooklyn.  Milwaukee didn’t have Holiday yet and flamed out famously in the playoffs the season before.  Phoenix was a nice story, but no one imagined them getting past the big boys.

The year we won the championship, were we in the mythical top 2-5?  I would submit not.  But then LA imploded and OKC and Miami weren’t ready yet.  Sometimes you have the obvious winner and you don’t (win).  Sometimes the eventual winner catches some breaks and the unexpected happens.  

Not offended, and I wasn't sure that you were aiming at me, so no worries about that. I just like to be direct (I'm not very smart, so it's really helpful for me to do things that way). 

As to the above, I probably would've included Milwaukee in the top tier (though I admit, near the bottom) at the beginning of last season, but to your point, not PHX. Further, these past two seasons have been about as abnormal as they come, wouldn't you agree? Maybe we're in store for another one in which vaccination is resisted and Covid dramatically alters the day-to-day process of the league, I'm not sure. 

I also agree with your point when using the 2011 Mavs, but the key word (YOUR word) is "sometimes." 

And, I don't disagree with your implication that the Mavs are "closer" than most people around here might believe. 

I'm just saying: This Luka Doncic era sure feels to me like an opportunity for the Mavs to finally claim a seat at that "big boys" table. For just one 3-4 year period of my Mavs fandom, I'd love for them to be the team everyone just knows you have to beat to get to the Finals. If they can't do it during Luka's career, then they probably never well, and for me, that's pretty sad. 

That's not to say I won't root for another 2011-style story or enjoy the hell out of it if/when it ever happens again.

[Kammrath]

We were the fifth in the west and were just a mess much of the season.  Then when we finally got healthy, we just took nights off and lost to some of the worst teams in the league.  Despite all those nights off, we were 6th in Net Rating in the league from 3/1 on, just a little behind a Denver team that doesn’t have their PG right now.  That is what I mean by “close”.  And that is with internal dysfunction, JRich stinking things up, bad Maxi and bad KP.

[KillerLeft]

But, I'm down with the making small changes approach, if those are the changes that are available and doable. There must be a how-to team building video or podcast out there (wouldn't be a book these days) because I keep seeing folks say this thing, "these small moves are finishing moves, not moves that a non-contending team like the Mavs should make." I reject that logic completely. Give me improvement. And then the contributors to our good team, if on fair contracts, can be traded if a star player wants to make his way to the Mavs. If not, you do your best in the meantime to win as much as you can.

I think most people here would agree with this, especially if the "powder" or cap space approach is now in the rear view mirror. 

There's so much hyperbole around here (we're all guilty of it) that it gets to a point where any/every statement gets interpreted as hyperbole, even those that aren't intended that way.

[fifteenth]

There's so much hyperbole around here

how much, like, ALL the hyperbole?

---

There's so much hyperbole around here (we're all guilty of it)

I just got it!! He he!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CWiqbb2cU8

[omahen]

Where I depart from a lot of people is that I think we were closer than most here perceive.  “Closer” is a nebulous term.  People often retort that I’m nuts if I think we are a “Contender”…another nebulous term (I really like when people add “True” in front of “Contender” like that makes it more clear).  As I’ve said, if we had the marginal improvement of us having Batum or Crowder instead of them playing for LAC/Phoenix, I think we might have won two series last season (especially if we hadn’t had all the internal in-fighting).  I see Bullock instead of JRich as just such a move.  I really like us to win game six against the Clipps (with Kawhi) with that exchange.  Sterling has a chance to be helpful also.  Both are really good moves.

It does feel like we need one more piece (how good would it be if we had De’Andre Hunter or Patrick Williams to push someone to the bench and provide a slightly bigger frame at the 4/3 than what DFS provides).  Heck, imagine if we had done Crowder or Batum last summer to go with Bullock/Sterling this summer (never mind, that’s completely another topic).  But, more than anything, we need good KP back.  There isn’t any secondary playmaker who is going to make more of a difference than Good-KP makes.  And, there isn’t any secondary playmaker who can make up for Bad-KP.

I agree Mavs are close, but I don't agree with the pieces you listed. Mavs have to get a running mate for Luka as Hakeemfan noted. I agree it is very likely we would beat Clippers with that another wing. But then there would be Utah, than Phoenix and then Milwaukee. I can't see Luka being able to play 40+ minutes of off the charts offensive basketball, with all the weight on his shoulders to create for the team. I think sooner or later he would fall of the cliff. Perhaps as we saw in the Olympics. That's why I think only a good secondary facilitator could make a difference. Even one as Dragic, coming of the bench. Plus he needs a vet leader. Luka is not mature enough yet.

[Mapka]

Certainly a possibility. At the same time this same improvement is expected by many other teams. I think Utah/Phoenix will run away with the regular season again. Denver/Clippers due to their injuries fall back into the pack of Mavs, Blazers, Grizzlies, Lakers, and Warriors. We´ll have a pretty tight race from third to ninth. Same drop off to Spurs/Pelicans/Kings/Wolves as last year with the Wolves getting better and the Spurs getting worse. Rockets/Thunder in tank mode again.

How do the Wolves get better by trading one of their best players?

I´m looking forward how this will sort out. Hope for the best.

[KillerLeft]

I can't see Luka being able to play 40+ minutes of off the charts offensive basketball, with all the weight on his shoulders to create for the team. I think sooner or later he would fall of the cliff. Perhaps as we saw in the Olympics. That's why I think only a good secondary facilitator could make a difference. Even one as Dragic, coming of the bench. Plus he needs a vet leader. Luka is not mature enough yet.

I agree. 

Make the team as "Luka-friendly" as you want. Give him shooters, defenders and athletes. This is a good approach, and it should be a huge part of the thinking here. 

But, in the playoffs, my opinion is that no matter how successful that approach is, it will fail at some point when he has to beat multiple teams who employ three of the top four players in the series. It's just too much to ask of any one player, and it seems to me that it's exactly why so many star players choose to leave their teams and search for success elsewhere.

[Mavs2021]

How do the Wolves get better by trading one of their best players?

I´m looking forward how this will sort out. Hope for the best.

With Russell + Beasley healthy, KAT further removed from all the personal tragedy in his life, Edwards coming on like a freight train, they were playing around 0.500 ball against a tough schedule over the last two months. I think it´s fair to assume they can make a jump to 33-35 wins.

Though I find it very strange that they traded Rubio. I get that on paper there are overlaps with the playing time and Prince is also a good veteran player/presence, but when my other franchise player Anthony Edwards talks about Ricky Rubio like his basketball daddy, I might want to hang onto that guy.

Besides Ricky Rubio being such a great leader for a young core, as we saw at the Olympics, he´s still pretty good at basketball. That Ricky Rubio has been the best player in the world under FIBA rules over the last 3-4 years makes me happy for him, cause he was supposed to be Luka Doncic before Luka Doncic.

[DallasBasketball]

Apparently I don’t do “clever” well as IGT thought he offended me (he didn’t come close) and I made you think I was taking a shot at you (I wasn’t, you are always extremely kind to me).  

Here is something to ponder.  At the beginning of the last season, who were those 2-5 teams?  I would submit both LA teams and Philly and Brooklyn.  Milwaukee didn’t have Holiday yet and flamed out famously in the playoffs the season before.  Phoenix was a nice story, but no one imagined them getting past the big boys.

The year we won the championship, were we in the mythical top 2-5?  I would submit not.  But then LA imploded and OKC and Miami weren’t ready yet.  Sometimes you have the obvious winner and you don’t (win).  Sometimes the eventual winner catches some breaks and the unexpected happens.  

We were the fifth in the west and were just a mess much of the season.  Then when we finally got healthy, we just took nights off and lost to some of the worst teams in the league.  Despite all those nights off, we were 6th in Net Rating in the league from 3/1 on, just a little behind a Denver team that doesn’t have their PG right now.  That is what I mean by “close”.  And that is with internal dysfunction, JRich stinking things up, bad Maxi and bad KP.  Some here won’t be satisfied unless we add another top 10 NBA player, but what is the path?  If there isn’t a path, admit it and aim for lots of small improvements at the margins.  Brooklyn might win the next three championships, but injuries could keep them from winning any.  When you are as close as we are to that next rung up (whatever you call it), it is going to take great good fortune to win it all.  This is the Finley/Nash/Dirk era of Luka’s career.  That trio didn’t win a ring, but man it was fun to be a fan back then.

Milwaukee is a really good comparison. They resembled the 2011 Mavs in that they featured one superstar, and had knocked on the championship door once before, but were not ready. And for many playoff years in a row, their superstar looked like he could be figured out. Maybe they weren’t technically the best team in the east last year, but they have been consistent for a long time running.

If you can have a transcendent star and be consistent, then make a trade like Bledsoe for Jrue Holiday and make a couple heady acquisitions along the way, you are going to get your chance to knock again.

The West is SO tough. No one would have wanted the Clippers rd 1. Kawhi was a monster. Luka was a monster.

I think we are working toward that Milwaukee level of consistency. And if we can get in position to start knocking, then maybe we can see the path like when we acquired Tyson Chandler.

I always tell the story of me betting on the mavs to reach the finals in 2011 after we beat Miami in the thanksgiving weekend game. But it was in preseason when my friend and I started talking championship bc of Tyson Chandler. He was our Jrue acquisition. We had already been knocking. Jason Terry called it in 2009-10 saying, “we were 1.5 players away” and then got the tattoo.

Maybe 2011 Mavs should have been in that 2-5, maybe 2021 Milwaukee should have too, the margins on this stuff can be so thin. Experience is always an underrated building block as well. Then luck is a factor for everyone, good or bad.

[Branduil]

The Mavs would need KP to be as good as Middleton before we can think about who can be our Jrue.

[DallasBasketball]

The Mavs would need KP to be as good as Middleton before we can think about who can be our Jrue.

[hakeemfaan]

The Mavs are close if KP suddenly regains his defensive ability. Else we are still ways away. It is very difficult to even get a 3rd star let alone a 2nd star.  

The 2011 team was a great team because they had a lot of battle tested and even legendary players who had done everything but won a title. They were lucky that all of them had one good last run in them. Using them as an example to show that teams who were not considered a top 3 contender can win, again misses some glaring issues with this team. 

This is why the regression of KP was such a huge setback.  The previous regime had banked heavily on KP being the 2nd star.

[KillerLeft]

This is why the regression of KP was such a huge setback.  The previous regime had banked heavily on KP being the 2nd star.

Yeah, resolving this, one way or the other, is honestly the only thing anyone should be worried about. 

I think the Bullock/Brown signings, as well as valuing what THJ does for the team (while convincing him to come back without getting the biggest bag he can) go a long way towards demonstrating that the new front office has a method to their plan. That's not to say the plan was entirely successful, but at least they had a player profile they went after for the smaller deals and got that accomplished. 

The bigger deals are just flat out gong to be long shots until the Porzingis disaster is resolved.

[DallasBasketball]

The 2011 team was a great team because they had a lot of battle tested and even legendary players who had done everything but won a title. They were lucky that all of them had one good last run in them. Using them as an example to show that teams who were not considered a top 3 contender can win, again misses some glaring issues with this team. 

But we are currently going into only year 3 of this playoff process. And not all first round exits are created equal. 

We are like Denver if we can capture a top seed. Denver is further along their ascent, but basically is an example of a young team getting a top seed, winning in the playoffs, getting all the way to the WCF, getting shut down, having to do it again, but will be right back in the mix every year for a 5 year period, I’m sure of that.

And IMO, we are basically as good as them. We are a match up or a lucky break away from the WCF, like Denver would be. 

The west is too difficult to expect to be better than we are at this point.

Totally agree with your points on KP and everyone else. I refuse to give up on him. 

I am not saying we are not an underdog. I’m only saying we are in year 3 and probably underrated by our own fans, and we have the arrow pointing up, way up bc of Luka.

[Mavs2021]

Yeah, resolving this, one way or the other, is honestly the only thing anyone should be worried about. 

I think the Bullock/Brown signings, as well as valuing what THJ does for the team (while convincing him to come back without getting the biggest bag he can) go a long way towards demonstrating that the new front office has a method to their plan. That's not to say the plan was entirely successful, but at least they had a player profile they went after for the smaller deals and got that accomplished. 

The bigger deals are just flat out gong to be long shots until the Porzingis disaster is resolved.

Nah,I don´t think you can´t say that (yet).

What´s the difference between Bullock and Wright/Richardson? Absolutely nothing.

12 months ago Bullock had the same DRPM as 36 year old torn Achilles JJB, so let´s see him play Thibs level defense here before we declare that signing a major success. We have done the same for Wright and Richardson in the past.

Team didn´t get younger. Team didn´t add any assets.

Team seemingly (as of right now) did not have a Plan B for Lowry either, just like in the past.

We are early in the process and it would be harsh to judge Nico on the grounds of what he inherited, but so far this just looks like more lame sh*t out of the Cuban playbook.

If Cuban was on Car Masters instead of Shark Tank, he´d be buying an old Golf beetle, restores it and thinks he can immediately trade it for a 1956 Ferrari Spider worth $30M. Then he´s crying why nobody wants to do business with him. It´s a gradual process, you can´t skip several steps and if they are not willing to accept that, then Luka will leave eventually. Most likely as an UFA, that´s also something Duffy/Doncic should be aware of. Cuban will be too stubborn to accept a monster trade package as compensation for a disgruntled star.He´ll just run down the deal.

[Kammrath]

Yeah, resolving this, one way or the other, is honestly the only thing anyone should be worried about. 

I think the Bullock/Brown signings, as well as valuing what THJ does for the team (while convincing him to come back without getting the biggest bag he can) go a long way towards demonstrating that the new front office has a method to their plan. That's not to say the plan was entirely successful, but at least they had a player profile they went after for the smaller deals and got that accomplished. 

The bigger deals are just flat out gong to be long shots until the Porzingis disaster is resolved.

Yep, there is ONE elephant in the room. The Mavs addressed some major issues with a coaching change and with the upgrade on JR, but KP is the 1000 lb gorilla that didn't allow for much else to be done. 

Maybe the coaching and scheme, maybe some mental health, maybe some physical health will make a big difference...we will see. But if they don't then a KP trade is the only way forward.

[cow]

I wish KP would pull a Dirk, grow a beard and go on a walkabout.  Come back motivated and angry and as much as I appreciate how he handles the media, drop the façade and say it how he feels.

[jesusshuttlesworth82]

Hey guys, none of the good free agents want to come to Dallas.  So lets get that out of the way first.
Ok now...what did you want the front office to do?

When you throw out a caveat that failure is to be expected, then you're not really making a genuine point like you think you're making.  

Being able to attract top talent to play alongside a generational player is one of the primary jobs of the front office.  That's the only reason hiring Nico even makes sense.  Dude has zero experience in the NBA in any capacity: building a team, scouting, cap management, etc.

What I've seen on the forum is a lot of people RUSHING TO PRAISE the new front office when there's no evidence it's any better than the previous front office.  They MOVED ON QUICKLY to other targets and signed a journeyman 30 year old role player.  Wow so impressive.  What we know is that their primary target was a 35yr old who didnt even give them the time of day.