02-16-2023, 12:17 PM
(02-16-2023, 11:26 AM)mvossman Wrote: I think Noel might be a similar situation but look at the end result. After flirting with a 70 mil contract, the Mavs decided he did not have the right mental makeup and did not to invest in him long term. He went on to be a fringe NBA player as a defensive specialist and never made close to what that contract would be. Noel thought too highly of himself and the Mavs rightfully backed away.
Maybe Wood is a different case but the Noel situation is more a cautionary tale for Wood than for the Mavs.
We're all trying to understand the Wood situation, and why the demand for his services (both trade, and contract) seems so tepid. Thanks for your perspective.
Interesting analogy to the Noel scenario. As we recall, his career arc basically went downhill once he showed himself unreliable (to the point of the hot dog stuff) in Dallas.
I also look at the Kanter career arc and see an analogy. Got big money, still didn't play a lick of defense, and teams wouldn't pay him big money after that.
We are also seeing Voulgaris' comment on Wood that he is a "completely unserious defender."
I have to wonder if the puzzling negative undercurrents about Wood in re the Mavs, as to why he is perceived (and used) so differently from his stats, is in some way like that of Noel and Kanter, and tied to that "unserious" perception offered by Bob. He's being paid fairly big money, but he's still "unserious" as a defender?
That is, once a player is entrusted with a big contract (or the chance at one) and then doesn't work his azz off to develop his game or fix his flaws to justify it, teams feel cheated. And there goes his playing time, and market, as teams lose trust in his willingness to work hard on what needs hard work.
Just a theory.