(07-27-2022, 02:53 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: I’m not sure the Murray comparison applies. What Brunson was last summer and what he is now is viewed pretty differently. Murray has been the same good player for a while now. San Antonio dealt him two years prior to his becoming a FA. Nico didn’t have that luxury with Brunson (and wouldn’t have gotten a thing for him two years ago if he did).
I do agree Donnie didn’t deal Nico the greatest hand on this one. I do think Nico has done some good things. I get tired of the ‘smartest guy in the room’ crap and always swinging for the fences. Nico seems more willing to hit singles and doubles when appropriate. Hopefully the cupboard is being restocked for a home run swing later.
Who knows if Nico should get credit for Bullock, but that was a nice single. Wood might be a double, especially for what we gave up. McGee isn’t ideal, but he is an improvement in rim protection and rebounding at a position we are apparently going to continue to use. So, another single. Hardy may be a single or a double also. Most everyone wanted us to trade back into the draft and we did. I was watching some Collin Sexton highlights the other day and thought all those mid-range pull-ups looked a lot like something Hardy seems to do well. IF Hardy just gets rotation minutes, he is another single. If he can score anything like Sexton (with less tunnel vision and greater efficiency) it may be even better than a double.
The reason I mention the Spurs is they aren't afraid to take a step back. That's probably easier for them to do as they aren't as close to competing, but Mark Cuban has rarely liked going backwards for the long term good of the team. Patience isn't his strong suit and he thinks he can shortcut his way to building a team. It's not the 2000s anymore and the amount of poorly run franchises is fairly small. In fact, it could be argued that he helms one of the few that are left.
Losing Jalen for nothing should be disheartening and a better front office wouldn't have allowed that to happen. Will MBT2.0 learn form it?
Even if I think Nico was a terrible hire based solely on his complete lack of experience and the mess he inherited from the previous regime, I think he can turn out to be a good or great GM given time. Bullock might have been an overpay but that's the type of slight overpays we need to hit more often. Even if Wood is a disaster, I think that's a single just for getting rid of four guys that wouldn't contribute. The grade for that will be largely incomplete until we figure out what is done with Wood long term. I was the biggest "sign McGee" guy here and while I like the signing, I hate the contract length because of his age. I've also long said we need to overpay players to get them here and that's why we have McGee and not Crowder. And McGee at three years is better than any amount of years for the likes of WCS.
I'd say those are all mostly wins for the Nico tenure. It's also the moneyball type of moves I've thought the MBT2.0 needed to operate within to be successful.
We've got some Debbie Downers on the board but we also have some sunshine pumpers. I don't think it's really fair to point any of those out or be critical of them. I also don't think the Mavs reaching the WCF validates one side or invalidates the other. Luka could find success in the NBA with his national team, he's that good. It's important that no one takes that for granted and it goes double for the MBT2.0.
Personally, I'm not sure if this current construction of the Mavs will be better or worse. I do think no matter what direction the pendulum swings, it will be within the margins. That doesn't mean we'll make the WCF again as other teams have made more significant moves, but it wouldn't surprise me either. Again, he's that good. But within the margins is where this roster has been for years. And unless you are a championship team or competing for the top of the draft lottery, that's not a favorable place to be.
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