TDL Archived: The 2nd Rnd Pick Yankee Swap

[Halfnir]

Schroder is apparently a locker room cancer

I really wonder, where does this statement come from? I know Dennis is not the most humble or unselfish guy, but a locker room cancer? I read some rumors that he clashed with Kyle Kuzma (not really teammate of the year caliber either) and was blamed for a bad Lakers 20/21 season where noone could stay healthy. Anything other than that?

I think he played well in Atlanta, OKC and most of the time with the Lakers. It's not his fault he got overpayed and could not live up to the expectations. Then he gambled on his extension with the Lakes and lost desasterously, but i never really heard him complain. He's not a bad player if you take him what he is, a very quick, smaller scoring guard with OK defense, a limited ability to create for others and a shaky 3pt shot. Not saying he is the answer to the Mavs roster holes, but he would be a steal at a minimum contract and replace a good part of what Brunson did.

Comparing Jalen's best (last season) to Schroeder at the same age (the worse of his OKC seasons played with Westbrook/PG). Major difference was efficency and turnovers. Next season with CP, he was more efficient.
https://stathead.com/tiny/1zSfN

[F Gump]

I really wonder, where does this statement come from?

Reportedly from Dirk, and many others who have played with him. When he lands on a new team with new teammates, he "wears out his welcome" quickly, it seems.

[Tyler]

We have one roster spot and a glaring hole at 3rd playmaker, so I don't think we can afford to look at any of these guys if they can't pass the ball.

I understand that most Mavs fans feel that Dallas desperately needs a 3rd playmaker. But neither their words nor their actions indicate that the Mavs agree.

[ItsGoTime]

I understand that most Mavs fans feel that Dallas desperately needs a 3rd playmaker. But neither their words nor their actions indicate that the Mavs agree.

I have been saying this for a bit. If I myself was in charge? I’d like to get at least 1 more, but if Kidd was telling me he can make it work, I wouldn’t use the word “desperate” as to how far I’d go to find that guy. I think that is what’s happening right now and the evidence is there from what Dragic said about not choosing Dallas.


Time will tell if what we have will be enough (if we don’t do something else that is), but now is not that time. Have as little faith in that as you want, that won’t really change their mind.

[mvossman]

I understand that most Mavs fans feel that Dallas desperately needs a 3rd playmaker. But neither their words nor their actions indicate that the Mavs agree.

I don't disagree, but its crazy to me because they made the same mistake last offseason, and didn't address it until the Dinwiddie trade.  I'm not excited about waiting until the TDL to address it again.

[ItsGoTime]

I don't disagree, but its crazy to me because they made the same mistake last offseason, and didn't address it until the Dinwiddie trade.  I'm not excited about waiting until the TDL to address it again.

If the cost to get that guy was a first right now and not a first at the TDL, I’m sure Nico will sleep well enough til then.

[Kammrath]

I understand that most Mavs fans feel that Dallas desperately needs a 3rd playmaker. But neither their words nor their actions indicate that the Mavs agree.

"Playoff rotation wing"....that's what the Mavs are seeking according to MacMahon and Stein, and have been all off-season. AND they passed on Dragic. 

The Mavs intentions and desires do not match the loudest voices on this forum.

[F Gump]

I understand that most Mavs fans feel that Dallas desperately needs a 3rd playmaker. But neither their words nor their actions indicate that the Mavs agree.

I think that's bad info, amigo.

For those who say that the Mavs have not been speaking of another playmaker as a priority, those root Mav comments originated BEFORE the Mavs found out that Brunson was gone. At that point, with Brunson penciled into the mix as an expectation (as the top goal), a big, and a backup wing, were the primary remaining off-season goals.

The Mavs haven't commented on their priorities since. Some media have simply assumed the same list as before, and spoken of the focus as that original list. But imo, to think that their needs haven't changed (nor should have changed) when Brunson bailed is absurd.

Important to note, it's not like they have a REAL solution already figured out, either. In the interview with St Jean, he really had no answer on who would back up BOTH Luka and Dinwiddie other than "maybe we can do a bit of this and a bit of that, and somehow fill the hole." Do we really think this team can go a whole season with no real backup for TWO key players? A gaping hole like that doesn't exist anywhere else on the roster.

[Tyler]

I think that's bad info, amigo.

For those who say that the Mavs have not been speaking of another playmaker as a priority, those root Mav comments originated BEFORE the Mavs found out that Brunson was gone. At that point, with Brunson penciled into the mix as an expectation (as the top goal), a big, and a backup wing, were the primary remaining off-season goals.

The Mavs haven't commented on their priorities since. Some media have simply assumed the same list as before, and spoken of the focus as that original list. But imo, to think that their needs haven't changed (nor should have changed) when Brunson bailed is absurd.

That's a fair point about the timing of their statements. But it doesn't address their actions in telling Dragic that they had no need for him in anything more than a Boban-sighting role every few weeks. Maybe they have something cooking that nobody knows about, but Dallas certainly isn't acting like a team who feels strongly about getting another ballhandler.

[F Gump]

Tyler, I certainly agree that the Dragic approach made no sense. One reaction would be to assume they have all the playmakers they need, as you say.

I just don't buy that, especially when I see that they plan to play them 2 at a time, which was so important to their success last year. The coaches have already shown that's their intent with SD starting alongside Luka, rather than being his backup. So they need 96 minutes filled, and they have about 60-65 maybe.

So with Dragic, I see the job described to him, and it sounds just like he was getting offered the replacement for Burke (4th playmaker, emergency guy, plays when someone is out, gets DNP-CDs a lot) rather than Brunson.

When Brunson bolted, why wouldn't they offer him the Brunson job? It makes me wonder if they smugly assumed they had some sort of snt deal worked out with NY that would solve that issue, without having the deal truly closed, where they ended up with a big bag of nothing instead. That's what it felt like to me as things played out, like they were waiting for something they were confident in, that they whiffed on. The 15th slot was for that guy, but they didn't get him. Oops. Now what? Don't know. Leave the space open and hope we find an answer.

But I don't think the gaping hole has gone anywhere. I just think they screwed up and found themselves with a big issue that they could have avoided, but didn't plan for properly. It's still there.

[Mapka]

Tyler, I certainly agree that the Dragic approach made no sense. One reaction would be to assume they have all the playmakers they need, as you say.

I just don't buy that, especially when I see that they plan to play them 2 at a time, which was so important to their success last year. The coaches have already shown that's their intent with SD starting alongside Luka, rather than being his backup. So they need 96 minutes filled, and they have about 60-65 maybe.

So with Dragic, I see the job described to him, and it sounds just like he was getting offered the replacement for Burke (4th playmaker, emergency guy, plays when someone is out, gets DNP-CDs a lot) rather than Brunson.

When Brunson bolted, why wouldn't they offer him the Brunson job? It makes me wonder if they smugly assumed they had some sort of snt deal worked out with NY that would solve that issue, without having the deal truly closed, where they ended up with a big bag of nothing instead. That's what it felt like to me as things played out, like they were waiting for something they were confident in, that they whiffed on. The 15th slot was for that guy, but they didn't get him. Oops. Now what? Don't know. Leave the space open and hope we find an answer.

But I don't think the gaping hole has gone anywhere. I just think they screwed up and found themselves with a big issue that they could have avoided, but didn't plan for properly. It's still there.

Or they have been informed, that the NBA will waive Brunsons NYK-contract.

Rofl

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status...7865952259

[Scott41theMavs]

Tyler, I certainly agree that the Dragic approach made no sense. One reaction would be to assume they have all the playmakers they need, as you say.

I just don't buy that, especially when I see that they plan to play them 2 at a time, which was so important to their success last year. The coaches have already shown that's their intent with SD starting alongside Luka, rather than being his backup. So they need 96 minutes filled, and they have about 60-65 maybe.

So with Dragic, I see the job described to him, and it sounds just like he was getting offered the replacement for Burke (4th playmaker, emergency guy, plays when someone is out, gets DNP-CDs a lot) rather than Brunson.

When Brunson bolted, why wouldn't they offer him the Brunson job? It makes me wonder if they smugly assumed they had some sort of snt deal worked out with NY that would solve that issue, without having the deal truly closed, where they ended up with a big bag of nothing instead. That's what it felt like to me as things played out, like they were waiting for something they were confident in, that they whiffed on. The 15th slot was for that guy, but they didn't get him. Oops. Now what? Don't know. Leave the space open and hope we find an answer.

But I don't think the gaping hole has gone anywhere. I just think they screwed up and found themselves with a big issue that they could have avoided, but didn't plan for properly. It's still there.

My tea leaves on the Dragic issue are not that a) they thought they had a better option than Dragic available to replace JB, but rather b) they gauged Dragic at this point in his career to be a Burke-level player who couldn't replace JB.

I think it would be calumnious to assume that the MBT are so cretinously moronic as to not see the absolute binary essentiality of the three + playmakers roster construction after last season. It's just that they can't do it at this point. Can't convince anyone to give them treasure for trash, and don't want to mortgage what little treasure they have. 

Sadly, before all's said and done, I'm afraid that the then-preposterous-to-the-MBT-Dragic-in-the-JB-role is going to look pretty good in comparison to what's actually at hand when we enter the season.

[KillerLeft]

I can't wait to see everyone's face when Burke gets waived and we sign him to be JB's highly-touted replacement. Pretty sure that isn't a Stackhouse violation since they're two different transaction years?

At this point, that would be a welcome move. No joke.

[dirkfansince1998]

At this point, that would be a welcome move. No joke.

Don´t ruin the one good thing that happened this offseason.

[cow]

Burke was a good pro for us.  It's not his fault that MBT1.0 was stupid with the contract.

[F Gump]

My tea leaves on the Dragic issue are not that a) they thought they had a better option than Dragic available to replace JB, but rather b) they gauged Dragic at this point in his career to be a Burke-level player who couldn't replace JB.

I think it would be calumnious to assume that the MBT are so cretinously moronic as to not see the absolute binary essentiality of the three + playmakers roster construction after last season. It's just that they can't do it at this point. Can't convince anyone to give them treasure for trash, and don't want to mortgage what little treasure they have. 

Sadly, before all's said and done, I'm afraid that the then-preposterous-to-the-MBT-Dragic-in-the-JB-role is going to look pretty good in comparison to what's actually at hand when we enter the season.

You may be right on their assessment of Dragic. And I agree with you 1000% that, if they didn't have another playmaker locked up and ready to go (which obviously they didn't), they should have offered Dragic the job as the Best Available Option to them.

The reality is that good playmakers are HARDDDDDDDDDDDD to find. Getting one who will take minimum salary and can play good solid minutes and contribute is like a miracle. Finding that type who also wants to play for YOU at the minimum is beyond amazing. Turning that guy down (err, I mean, describing the job in a way where they won't want it) is incredibly short-sighted. The worst possible downside to signing him would have been incredibly microscopic.

[WildArkieBoy]

---

To the unpaid associates of MavsForum, Dragic seemed a near perfect fit as a THIRD ballhandler.  IF there was no absolute certitude that such an asset was already a lock to being acquired, telling Dragic at that point he was not needed was a franchise-altering rookie mistake.

[KillerLeft]

"Playoff rotation wing"....that's what the Mavs are seeking according to MacMahon and Stein, and have been all off-season. AND they passed on Dragic. 

The Mavs intentions and desires do not match the loudest voices on this forum.

Right, but at the time they were saying that, they were ALSO saying re-signing Brunson was their top priority. Failure to do that is the reason many of us now think a playmaker is needed.

[Kammrath]

Right, but at the time they were saying that, they were ALSO saying re-signing Brunson was their top priority. Failure to do that is the reason many of us now think a playmaker is needed.

No, that's not true. I have painstakingly outlined the timeline for all this stuff in previous posts. But here is one from Stein to highlight the point:

https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/...3798606849