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[cow]

I can understand this line of thinking re: Mavs vs. Wolves situations. I don't overtly disagree, other than to point out that as high as you are on that young core in Minnesota (and I get why) and as low as you are on the Mavs core (and I get why) the Mavs have been the better team. My point being that those Minnesota players either don't know how to win or are so ill-fitting that they can't really say they have a core in place. 

I think Russell is a goner at this deadline, and the Gobert trade is part of why I believe that. That's just one example of what I mean about the future fallout from that terrible trade. Are they really ready to start handing out huge contracts to members of their current team? Do those guys even want to stay there? The young players with the potential of replacing the bloated contracts of the ill-fitting name guys they have are mostly in Utah now. 

It's hard for me to be over-the-top positive and take a stand on the quality of the Mavs roster because I'm not sure I understand Kidd's plan (if there is one) for how the pieces are all supposed to fit together, BUT...count me in the camp that still believes in DFS, Kleber, Green, Powell, THJ and to a lesser extent Dinwiddie, too. I think if they can get Wood settled, both culturally and contractually, and they catch a little luck with Hardy they might be closer to a path to improvement than the current fan temp would indicate.

Mavs have been better because Towns is no Luka.  

And the point you bring up about D'Lo, I'm certain the Wolves have the same fears about D'Lo and more importantly Towns.  That's why they went all in.  To prove to Towns that they care committed to winning.  The problem is who the traded for.  Imagine the Wolves with Mitchell instead.  But the good news for them is that if this doesn't work out, they can trade Towns for assets and build around Ant (probably what I would have done anyway but I'm not Towns fan).  

Mavs will have the luxury of trading Luka for a haul eventually but we don't have Ant to fall back on.  No disrespect to Hardy.

I'm also not disrespecting the Mavericks role players.  I love Maxi and DFS.  Green has some potential (finally).  But those guys are mortar and not bricks.  THJ and Din are kind of inbetweeners but they aren't good enough to carry this team if Luka is out.  I'd put Wood in that same camp.  Others here wouldn't and I get why.  There are times when he looks like a less athletically gifted KD except with better post moves.  And then there is the other times when you understand why he's been on so many teams.  Maybe he can be your third guy but certainly your fourth.  Long term investment in him is still frightening.  

We have a really bad team right now.  Unlucky with injuries sure, but something is really off.  I just think back to last year and if this team faced Utah in the first round.  We'd have been down 0-3 before Luka suited up.