11-19-2023, 10:16 AM
(11-19-2023, 09:34 AM)Chicagojk Wrote: I am out of the loop on trading for a center. Is there a center you have in mind? The issue is the mavs don’t have many assets or expirings. So for any starting level center they most likely use up valuable assets. I am in the mind of keeping your assets for that big wing while trying to pick up a stopgap at center if the team feels Holmes can’t help them.I was just looking at Vuc. I do think if he could model his career arc to match Brook Lopez, he would be amazing here (mostly scorer to mostly defender). He was the starting C for the #5 defense in the league last year. So there might be a little hope?
Vucevic? He probably won’t cost a ton. But again the mavs don’t have an expiring or extra picks. Chicago would probably hold out for an unprotected first from us. If they don’t get it, I am sure another team could beat our offer.
My post was about finding a player to at least match what we get from Lively, and trying to figure out what he does that is beyond what bringing in a hard working tall C with good instincts is. It was meant to slow that snowball roll of “Lively is a starter, period”. If Lively is the better choice to start? GREAT! Bravo! Just give him competition, cause as of now, there is not 1 C (even Maxi) that is competition for the starting spot. I also don’t really care about the actual competition, I care about having much more of the things Lively does for this team on the court for much more than half the game.
As far as a list of guys I think fit what I’m talking about? I posted one previously. I could add Vuc to it due to how available (and relatively cheap) I think he might be as a try out. Each has varying degrees of availability, impact and cost and none of them are in order of want. Gafford, Hartenstein, Capela, Vuc, Stewart, Allen, and Zubac. Get 1 of those guys, and I’m willing to give the 27 (or at this point Green), and I think we’re a ton closer to championship contenders. I’m sure there are others that would fit, especially some of the younger players, Sims is intriguing to me for instance.
Get the correct starting SF in the offseason when we have even more ammo than now to do so and next season I think we compete with the best teams in the league as sure-fire contenders.