2022 NBA Draft: #37 Jaden Hardy (6' 3", 6' 9" WS) to DAL | two 2nds to SAC

[Dundalis]

Whoa spicy.

For starters, I believe Brunson is a much better defender than given credit for.  

But more importantly, today's NBA is much more about being able to play a lot of different ways as opposed to just one.  We still have everyone on this roster that proved to be good enough defensively to get us to the conference finals.  Not saying we shouldn't be working to add more defense if the opportunity is there but I don't think having Luka/Brunson/Wood on the same roster is going to hold us back considering the pieces we have across the board.

Are you suggesting we simply let Brunson walk to the Knicks?  We don't have money to replace him with anything, it would be a HUGE drop in talent level if that were to happen.  If you have concerns about Luka/Brunson pairing I would hope that you're concerns about Luka/Hardaway or Luka/Dinwiddie are even higher...

I'm not even saying he's a really bad defender. He's not. But he's absolutely an exploitable target, with weaknesses that can be exploited even more in the playoffs (and I think were, both offensively and defensively).

I really don't think us getting the WCF this season past is a good enough reason to say that's where we are as a team. There are teams that make one off runs all the time. I think a Luka/Brunson/Wood lineup will 100% hold us back from reaching the defensive level of play that makes us being a true contender a stable aim season to season without a bunch of other teams having problems like injuries etc.

I'm not suggesting we let Brunson walk, but I don't like the idea that he becomes an untradeable asset for a team with very very limited assets compared to our competitors, when he isn't an ideal fit. Because it means that our competitors will have a much easier time getting better over the next few years than we will. Some of whom are already better. Not really setting up the recipe for success before Luka becomes a FA.