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

[Dundalis]

Actually I think there is.

It's impossible to say for certain, without knowing objectively what Wood is being tasked to do. But it looks to me like Wood has been kinda doing his own thing on both ends of the floor.

On defense, that would show up on whether or not he participates in defensive rotations, and engages the offensive player where he is supposed to engage. Even if he isn't naturally good on defense, being in the right place, and using his size and length, can be very useful. Giving up and not bothering would be very concerning for a coach. And for other players too, when the team mindset is "accountability."

On offense, it would show up not only in whether he forces shots and ball hogs, but also in his positioning (is he where is supposed to be, to space the floor for others), and does he do things like move, set picks, and roll to the basket (as a big after setting a pick). Failing to do such things in a PNR-heavy offense will clog up the ball movement, the spacing, and make it harder for others to get easier shots while he's on the floor.

Without mentioning anyone's name, Dinwiddie mentioned that ONLY Powell (among the centers) has been willing to do the things that are needed to space the floor for the creators and get open looks for the shooters from the arc. He mentioned specifically the willingness to roll to the basket after the pick. While he didn't say Wood by name, he's one of the players whose DP's minutes are coming from.

It was shortly after this that Kidd called out Wood in public. I think he was probably just carrying the water for Luka and SD, frankly. A bigger call for accountability.

And if you think about it, how is Wood going to get more minutes and shots, if he's making the game harder for Luka and SD where they don't want him on the floor with them? He won't run PNR with a hard roll? He won't play D either? This team revolves around what Luka needs, not what Wood feels like doing (and that won't change, nor should it -- this is Luka's team).

If that is your criteria, then Wood is not remotely the biggest culprit of this. There are a bunch of guys on the team that fail these criteria at least as much as Wood. THJ is 100% worse than Wood in pretty much every aspect of fundamentals for his role, and unlike THJ, Wood is actually producing. Also you said Powell was pointed out by SD as the only one willing to do the required things from a C to space the floor. Where's McGee getting called out by Kidd? People give Luka a free pass to be lazy on defense which he STILL is, despite his improvement on that end, because of how good he is on offense. Wood is putting up 17 ppg on a ridiculous 68% TS. If you don't give him any leeway for his insane offensive efficiency, you are not being consistent in your application of these requirements across your whole squad. You are picking on someone without applying the same microscopic focus on everyone else.

Completely disagree that he won't run PnR with a hard roll, or that he won't play D. Does he do it perfectly? No. But EVERY player on this team has a bunch of innate weaknesses. Watching DFS, Bullock or THJ attempt to put the ball on the floor make me wanna puke. Dallas KNEW Wood's weaknesses when they traded for him, as well as his strengths. It's their fault if they made the decision to bring him in, then expect those weaknesses to disappear, while completely ignoring that what he does really well, he is literally doing at an ELITE level right now. You don't enter into an intimate relationship with a partner for example, knowing they have Asperger's, then get pissed at them when they don't handle social situations well, while just overlooking they might be super intelligent and super loyal as their positive traits. That's your fault.