TDL Archived: The 2nd Rnd Pick Yankee Swap

[F Gump]

"I just think the game Kidd is trying to play has been outmoded for the past decade."

I would argue Kidd is simply using what Cuban the GM has chosen to assemble. And what Wood is willing to do.

Last season, Kidd had a playoff lineup with 1 big. Again this season, when he had more playable bigs than he does now, he has been starting a wing at PF. IMO that is what he is wanting to play.

And how you use Wood depends on what Wood will do. If Wood is going to be the single big, he MUST defend. He can't just zone out until the Mavs have the ball again. Or, conversely, if all he will do is play one end, the Mavs can't play him as the single big.

So I think Kidd has been playing Wood with another big because Wood has forced him to. In hopes Wood will learn to defend, and pay attention, and all that that, while he has some help.

The fact that he is now playing Wood as the single big, due to injury, let's hope it has positive results after months of preparation. We'll see. But I think the past months have been far different than you see them. I don't think Wood was ready at all (and Wood doesn't seem to think so either), and whether he can do it now remains to be seen. We'll see.