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

[IamDougieFresh]

Without Kleber available (which sucks, regardless of where you are on the Wood spectrum), I have a feeling we're about to get as much Wood as we can possibly handle, and probably in a wider variety of capacities.

Don’t rule out Kidd giving Dwight and Bertans all of Maxi’s mins

[KillerLeft]

Don’t rule out Kidd giving Dwight and Bertans all of Maxi’s mins

Oh, don't you kid yourself - the Latvian Laser is getting some court time.

[cow]

Oh, don't you kid yourself - the Latvian Laser is getting some court time.

[MFFL]

we're about to get as much Wood as we can possibly handle

LOL

Great line - whether accidental or intentional

[IamDougieFresh]

https://twitter.com/dalton_trigg/status/...31969?s=46&t=kaiDHNaD-yYPz1pv24R0JQ

[cow]

Answered the bell.

[LifeAquatic]

Did Kidd notice?

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

Did Kidd notice?

"He did good things, but the team was still missing rotations, we have to do better" - JKidd (probably). 

[LifeAquatic]

Just re-watched the post-game and Kidd was finally complimentary. He said, "I thought C Wood was great offensively and defensively. He did a great job, being able to play through him in the second quarter was huge for us. Again, the time he was on the floor, on both ends, he gave us a lift tonight. Talking to him yesterday, he's starting to feel comfortable on the defensive end, and it showed this evening. Being able to play in coverage, he was huge for us getting rebounds playing through him on the switch. Again, we ran him for 13 or 14 straight minutes, and he was good."

[KillerLeft]

Just re-watched the post-game and Kidd was finally complimentary. He said, "I thought C Wood was great offensively and defensively. He did a great job, being able to play through him in the second quarter was huge for us. Again, the time he was on the floor, on both ends, he gave us a lift tonight. Talking to him yesterday, he's starting to feel comfortable on the defensive end, and it showed this evening. Being able to play in coverage, he was huge for us getting rebounds playing through him on the switch. Again, we ran him for 13 or 14 straight minutes, and he was good."

I have no idea if this is going to happen, but if they get Wood playing well (especially playing well with Luka) this becomes a different team in a different situation.

[Branduil]

I have no idea if this is going to happen, but if they get Wood playing well (especially playing well with Luka) this becomes a different team in a different situation.

This is astute

[IamDougieFresh]

It really hurts being so right all the time guys I’m not gonna lie

[Kammrath]

1) I think Wood has the talent to be a starter and should log starter minutes. If that proves to be wrong, so be it. But I do not think you can KNOW that without trying it. That is my big complaint with Kidd. He comes at a lot of players with big assumptions it seems and uses them in a way that fits his assumptions. 

2) I do not think Kidd is "doing everything in his power to make Wood ineffective." Not at all. I think @DanSchwartzgan is right about what Kidd likely is thinking about Wood. I just think Kidd is in no place to truly know (no one is) until you try other options. I think Kidd is just convinced that he is right (Kidd's arrogance is my biggest complaint about him) about Wood and the way he is using Wood is a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

3) I think Wood should be used like he is the second "star" on the team, i.e. build lineups to fit what magnifies his talents on both ends. Try it, run with it, try to maximize his talents, just don't bury his talents in a limited role. If it doesn't work, then you KNOW and you TRIED. But now the Mavs are looking at a scenario where Wood will likely come and go and we will never know if there was a way to maximize his talent. 

4) I would run Wood/Luka pick and rolls to death. I would run offense through Wood when Luka is sitting. I would play Wood as the lone big. I would play Wood with Maxi. I would play Wood at least 30 minutes a game and let him finish both halves. I would try that for a good number of games and see how it goes. I think Wood can be a high-impact offensive player and a neutral defensive player if used properly. That is my take on him.

I am in Brazil right now, but wanted to check in and remind us all of one thing:

Kidd sucks and luck/fate might save his butt by forcing him to do what he should have done all along.

[Mavs2021]

I am in Brazil right now, but wanted to check in and remind us all of one thing:

Kidd sucks and luck/fate might save his butt by forcing him to do what he should have done all along.

Here is the reality. Luka/Wood shot like 63% from the field, +50% from three and 90% from the line in the first half. When your best two players do that every team usually has a decent chance to win. And Ntlikina shooting 90% better than the last 10 games.

[KillerLeft]

I thought a little more about this Wood "starting vs. bench" thing, and here's the bottom line for me:

1) When you look at Wood, the Mavs, and THIS SEASON, I don't care whether he starts or comes off the bench, as long as he's being used more like he has been these past few games. And, it should be noted that he was only used that way because Kidd's hand was forced through injuries/availability, so there's no guarantee he's smart enough to keep going with it and not settle right back into the ridiculous approach they've tried all season. This is my primary concern.

2) HOWEVER, the elephant in the room is Wood's expiring contract. Will they want him back? What will that cost? Is there a chance he'll be retainable at an "off the bench" price? I honestly don't know, but I know many reading this will laugh out loud and shake their heads at the absurdity of the question, while others might be muttering "he'd better be, because they shouldn't pay more than that." To me, that's the issue. If they let another asset walk out of the door for nothing just because they don't want to pay him as much as some other team, I'm going to lose my mind. 

SO, for me, #2 leads to the logical conclusion that they kind of owe it to themselves to try starting him and viewing him as Luka's sidekick on offense for at least a portion of this season, and that portion probably needs to happen prior to the TDL. They kind of need to find out whether or not they believe he's worth retaining even at a price point higher than they hope. That probably doesn't mean up to the max, but I bet it's possible he gets an offer squarely in the "starting scorer" range. If they don't want him back in that role, I would trade him, personally. Anything to avoid getting "Brunson'd" two years in a row.

Besides...don't we all kind of wonder how this would look, deep down? And, if the team is hovering around .500, anyway, what do they truly have to lose?

[Nowitzki Way]

If we get Brunson'd again i think we'll all lose our minds. The serious well imbedded fans will start to riot. 

Your point makes me wonder if all of this about money in the first place. Are they intentionally not starting him to get him signed to a "bench player" contract?

Did they mess up and let Brunson start and break out, all to lose him for twice what they wanted to pay him? And now they dont want to do the same with Wood.

[cow]

[Mavs2021]

Isn´t it amazing that literally every team in this league, except one, can find a perfectly capable 20-25 MPG emergency starting center for under 10M p.a. except the Mavs. With the Mavs you get the feeling centers are an endangered species on the WWF list.

[F Gump]

I have no idea if this is going to happen, but if they get Wood playing well (especially playing well with Luka) this becomes a different team in a different situation.

Wood is obviously a work in progress. I suspect he's being force-fed minutes out of necessity, but by all accounts he is also playing way better now than he was at first. That helps.

But -- I'm still not sure he's going to be a keeper. Or that he will extend - and at a number that aligns with his play and contribution (rather than with how he sees his ability).

So I think the next 6 weeks are pivotal to figuring out what we have if anything. Unless there's just no trade value, I'm certainly not going past the TDL with him unsigned.

[KillerLeft]

Unless there's just no trade value, I'm certainly not going past the TDL with him unsigned.

Yeah, I'm with you. But, I would've said the exact, same thing about Brunson (probably did say it). 

I'm less sure that the Mavs care about the situation the way I do this time around.