01-07-2023, 09:24 AM
(01-07-2023, 05:39 AM)omahen Wrote: The problem I have with all this is, that LeVert doesn't make us a contender this season. Short term outlook is thus irelevant for me. On the long term all we basically get is we get rid of THJ contract.
If Mavs would see LeVert as a bench guy, than it makes even less sense for a straight up THJ-LeVert trade. Mavs giving up a starter while getting a 6th man.
Keeping THJ doesn’t make them a contender either, so that probably isn’t the standard. Does this even out the roster filling an obvious hole? Yeah. In fact, it kind of replicates what we did last season in the playoffs. We basically trade Brunson for Wood/LeVert and get a new and improved version of Josh. Otherwise, the roster is the same since THJ wasn’t part of that run. Three ball handlers, three 3&D wings (with Josh promoted and Reggie demoted) and you’ve added Wood to Maxi and Powell. ST results do matter and I think this makes us just a bit more competitive while we wait until the summer to unlock our draft assets.
I don’t know who would start between SD and LeVert. I suspect LeVert would ease his way into things by coming off the bench. There are 96 minutes at the 1/2. If Luka takes 36, then the other two can split up to 60. There will be plenty of time to figure out which one fits best with Luka. SD has played well with Powell, so I can see them coming off the bench together. But, SD is also the better catch-and-shoot player, which fits well with Luka. SD and LeVert were a +4.3 when together in 19/20. They were a negative pairing the year before that.
It should have been inferred, but in all of the various ways the LeVert contract might be used, the one I didn’t specifically mention was that he could be kept. He’s in the same situation as Wood having signed a 3 year deal the same summer. He’s also got the same 120% cap on any extension.