TDL Archived: The 2nd Rnd Pick Yankee Swap

[mvossman]

And I would argue that they were using him in the worst possible way, and one guaranteed not to be successful, right up until other players started getting hurt and forced their hands. 

You're trying to bring this back to a debate about whether the onus is on him to learn how the profession works or them to give him a role, just because, only that's NOT where the discussion lies.

What I'm talking about concerns positional strengths and skills, and how they can fit with others. Synergy. Skillsets. I'm fine (and have been since day 1) with them asking him to earn a role, but the role they wanted him to earn isn't one that A) is right for him or B) had any chance of actually helping the team. 

He is a center with uncommon athletic ability and foot speed for the position. He's a good shooter, which is worth 100x more when it results in the opposing center being pulled out of the paint. Giving the opponent a chance to matchup a forward with him is DUMB. He has a ways to go to become a consistent defender (not nearly as far as the groupthink here seems to believe, but he's not there yet) but has NO chance to be a good defender against forwards. None. He can, however, defend bigs, play screens at level or even higher, and defend the rim a bit. Those should be the skills they're asking him to become consistent with. That's all I'm saying. If he can, you're back in the game, timeline wise. If he can't, fine - back to the drawing board. 

I'm not asking them to give him anything, I just think the game Kidd is trying to play has been outmoded for the past decade.

I'm really struggling with this narrative that Kidd has been playing him in the worst possible way.  How so?  He has his most minutes with Luka and has almost no minutes with a traditional big.  Playing him with Maxi offensively is not any different than playing him with Dorian or Bullock (3&D guys that mostly just stand in the corner).  I could see this argument if they were putting him next to McGee or Powell, but that has very rarely been the case (and shit show when it happens).

To me it looks like the Mavs really liked his offensive game but had significant concerns about his defense when they brought him in (thus the Nico comments regarding prove it to each other).  Seems like the plan was to have him come off the bench until he got comfortable both offensively and defensively and showed progress in the later.  I think there was some issues on that end for a while delaying the move to the starting lineup.  At this point the center position is clearly Wood and Powell and Kidd started Wood last night.  I believe they will stick with that as long as Wood is putting in the defensive effort.