THE CRUCIFIX: Cato: Wood isn't thrilled w/ his role...Will depart in the summer

[KillerLeft]

I’m in agreement with Wood getting 28 or so.  Much more than that is difficult without him getting a lot of solo-big minutes.

Absolutely correct!!!!

Which is why he NEEDS to be playing those minutes. Don't get me wrong - you expect him to play well on defense, and if he doesn't, you let him know about it. BUT, you'd be coaching him hard from a position wherein he feels like he's getting an opportunity to play starter minutes (even if coming off the bench) on a good team in a contract year. That's soooooooo much better than "hey, CWood, I've decided that you're a 6th man now, playing bench minutes, right before your free agent summer. I hope that's fine." 

If he can't do it, you move on, but he'll be extremely motivated to figure it out this year...so he can get paid.

My interest in Wood as a bench minute, won't work in the playoffs forward who dazzles with stretches of offensive dominance is sooooo much less than my interest in him as a cornerstone piece of the team around which they can build. I think where we diverge is that the relative likelihoods of those goals being successful doesn't really factor into my thoughts on which path to choose. One is worth tying, even if far-fetched, while the other feels utterly pointless to me. 

And you know what? Even if you (and the Mavs) are correct, and a big, slow, bench forward (because he absolutely can't play starter minutes at forward for a good team in the playoffs, that's a simple fact) is all he's qualified to be, I feel confident that HE won't just accept that. So, if they keep this up, I sure hope they trade him at the deadline or this might be Brunson 2.0.