HOLY KRISTAPS: All Things Porzingis | TRADED to WAS

[ThisIStheYear]

Gobert annihilated him. But, he doesn’t have to wait long to respond. If he’s the player he needs to be, he’ll bounce back and win the matchup. Regardless of the offense, he’ll need to figure out how to control the paint and the boards on the defensive end, like a center must, to be a cornerstone player.

[omahen]

Gobert annihilated him. But, he doesn’t have to wait long to respond. If he’s the player he needs to be, he’ll bounce back and win the matchup. Regardless of the offense, he’ll need to figure out how to control the paint and the boards on the defensive end, like a center must, to be a cornerstone player.

I totally agree he has to play better. As for rebounds, I think in this case it was more of a defensive scheme error. Utah was 2 on 1 in the PnR all the time. You can't box out Gobert if you are helping on the guard. When Mavs play PnR, it is always 2 on 2 as third defender (Gobert) helps in the paint.

[StepBackJay]

KP has been underwhelming. He had a good year overall last year and was great during his short stint in the playoffs. In the playoffs we have seen lineups go smaller which suits KP's strengths. He is not playing like his pedigree and may not reach that level but he can still play better than he is now.

KP is a good player but hasn't shown this year he can be that second star. Again there is still time for him to get it together.

[KillerLeft]

As for rebounds, I think in this case it was more of a defensive scheme error. Utah was 2 on 1 in the PnR all the time. You can't box out Gobert if you are helping on the guard. When Mavs play PnR, it is always 2 on 2 as third defender (Gobert) helps in the paint.

FOR SURE. Gobert/whoever constantly looked like Powell/Luka last year. 

I think it's so ironic that the Mavs brought in a Utah coach so as to better emulate them on the defensive side of the ball, yet the noticeable change from last year was how much Utah has improved at what made the Mavs successful last season. 

Shooting is IMPORTANT.

[cow]

FOR SURE. Gobert/whoever constantly looked like Powell/Luka last year. 

I think it's so ironic that the Mavs brought in a Utah coach so as to better emulate them on the defensive side of the ball, yet the noticeable change from last year was how much Utah has improved at what made the Mavs successful last season. 

Shooting is IMPORTANT.

Utah's 8-man rotation is strong so their offensive ability isn't surprising.

Bogdanovic
Clarkson
Conley
Favors
Gobert
Ingles
Mitchell
O'Neale

[DanSchwartzgan]

Utah's 8-man rotation is strong so their offensive ability isn't surprising.

Bogdanovic
Clarkson
Conley
Favors
Gobert
Ingles
Mitchell
O'Neale

Bogdanovic 9.1      JRich 9.8              +0.7
Clarkson 21.7        THJ 15.1               -6.6
Conley 20.2           Brunson 16.4        -3.8
Favors 19.0           Maxi 13.5             -5.5
Gobert 23.1           KP 19.1                -4.0
Ingles  16.4           OPJ 18.3              +1.9
Mitchell 18.5          Luka 27.0             +8.5
O'Neale 11.3          DFS 10.6              -0.7
                                                       -9.5

The numbers are PER (you are welcome to pick your own poison for comparison purposes).  I randomly added an above average player in OPJ to the mix for Dallas and we are still a good ways below the Jazz

[dirkfansince1998]

Bogdanovic 9.1      JRich 9.8              +0.7
Clarkson 21.7        THJ 15.1               -6.6
Conley 20.2           Brunson 16.4        -3.8
Favors 19.0           Maxi 13.5             -5.5
Gobert 23.1           KP 19.1                -4.0
Ingles  16.4           OPJ 18.3              +1.9
Mitchell 18.5          Luka 27.0             +8.5
O'Neale 11.3          DFS 10.6              -0.7
                                                       -9.5

The numbers are PER (you are welcome to pick your own poison for comparison purposes).  I randomly added an above average player in OPJ to the mix for Dallas and we are still a good ways below the Jazz

To be fair. PER is a boxscore based stat and the Jazz don´t run a helio centric offense with a single high usage player on offense. Pure 3&D guys with a low usage will always have mediocre PER numbers. Shane Battier (career 12.6, peak 15.3), PJ Tucker (10.5, peak 13.3, last season 8.3) or Danny Green (career 12.9, peak 16.5) just to name a few.
Agree with your overall point and probably won´t find a better metric. Not to mention that I have been a longtime fan of Ingles, Favors and O´Neal. I think the Mavs would be above 0.500 with Favors instead of Powell and WCS.

[HanspardsShowerVoice]

I wish he would learn to play in the low post with traditional post moves like Boban. His post-up fadeaways have always looked awkward because he doesn't get much arc on his shot like Dirk. If he could learn a jump hook he'd be so much better. And yes, as Jokic shows, there is still value in a big man with a low-post game...as long as they can shoot from outside too.

This is a legacy of the injuries.  People only look at the cost of injuries as the amount of games missed or long term decline of physical ability.   They don't take into account the opportunity cost of every offseason he spends nursing and rehabbing a leg in the trainer's room could have been spent in the gym working on developing a new aspect of his game.

Big article in the Washington Post today about how Embiid and Jokic are bringing the center position back into the MVP conversation.   This quote by Morey about where Embiid has taken his game is where we need KP to get to.   And maybe KPs ceiling is still be a step below Embiid. That's fine, but we still need him to be a version of this center. 

"He has developed a recognition in winning time of what will be the best option depending on his matchup and how the other team is guarding him. He can score with his back to the basket, take the open three, face up and attack or get doubled and make the right pass."

[SwisherPrice]

I do not think he is a legitimate #2 option to build your team around right now.

Even without taking into account his poor play, his durability is too much of a concern. You're paying a guy a lot of money to be an anchor for your franchise and you probably can't play him heavy minutes for fear of injury as a 7'3" player.

At age 25 he is still young but with his size and injury history, who knows how many more years of peak athleticism we may get out of him. He could be the equivalent of an NFL RB, whose shelf life tends to expire once they get to around 27.

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status...9676077057

[Omega_Supreme]

I do not think he is a legitimate #2 option to build your team around right now.

Even without taking into account his poor play, his durability is too much of a concern. You're paying a guy a lot of money to be an anchor for your franchise and you probably can't play him heavy minutes for fear of injury as a 7'3" player.

At age 25 he is still young but with his size and injury history, who knows how many more years of peak athleticism we may get out of him. He could be the equivalent of an NFL RB, whose shelf life tends to expire once they get to around 27.

He does not want to change his game either and he is who he is. The idea of KP was a good idea but you are correct he is not a number 2 option. 

He is a number 1 option on a bad team and maybe a number 3 option on a good team.

[ThisIStheYear]

Time for a trade. That two game beat down at the hands of Gobert was about as bad as I’ve seen in the NBA. It must be disheartening.

[Omega_Supreme]

https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status...27426?s=20

[Mavs2019]

This is a legacy of the injuries.  People only look at the cost of injuries as the amount of games missed or long term decline of physical ability.   They don't take into account the opportunity cost of every offseason he spends nursing and rehabbing a leg in the trainer's room could have been spent in the gym working on developing a new aspect of his game.

Good point.

When I was raising my capspace and legit 2nd option concerns, I only ever considered the longevity of his career and the availability/reliability issues. I never gave much consideration to the idea, that the injuries could simply mess up his brain and take away his Unicorn powers.

For all the existing flaws in his game.....to me, when he first came back from the ACL he was the same old Porzingis. He was making dribble cuts like a 7´3 guy should not. He was running and flying around the court like a 7´3 guy should not. He had the energy and NO FEAR.

What I see right now is a broken player. He is scared to get hurt again (can you blame him?), so his whole game and movements become more grounded and slow. He´s now basically Shawn Bradley in a dramatically changed "3pt space and race"-game.

Maybe Porzingis comes back to form ONE more time, but then you have to be stone-cold. Do not delude yourself thinking that he won´t get hurt again eventually and then it is truly over.

If it becomes clear Lavine will leave Chicago in 2022, then you put the Unicorn on the table before it´s too late.

[StepBackJay]

I understand KP is playing very poorly. It's hard for me to imagine it's due to a meniscus tear which is a really common injury and certainly infinitely less dire than an ACL tear.

Something for sure is not right with him. I am not ready to say its an unfixable problem whatever it is.

[ItsGoTime]

I’m not ready to give up on KP yet, but at this point, I for sure am keeping tabs on those GM’s who have recently and are calling about his availability just for future reference!

If we could get Lavine and WCJ for him and maybe Green or something, I might be interested.

His comments are making me side with those that are talking about an RC issue. I still have to wonder as has been touched on last year, if Luka’s star might be a bit too bright for him. I also talked a bit last year about Luka many times seeming to run the offense away from KP. Sometimes looking like it was deliberate (KP holding his hands up calling for a pass and Luka dribbling the other direction). 

I’m not here to give any definitive thoughts, but I have sometimes wondered if it would need to be a highly humble star that can co-exist with Luka. Either that or a star that is growing up now idolizing Luka.

[Fuerza1]

Julius Randle (a player a few Mavs fans wanted for the last 3 offseasons but whom the MBT had no interest in) might be an all-star this season with the NY media behind him, similarly to how KP became an all-star. Is Randle a superstar + unicorn? 

https://twitter.com/MagicJohnson/status/...1914286083

https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/135...9797875713

https://twitter.com/TheStrickland/status...9365272588

[Kammrath]

https://hoopshabit.com/2019/02/06/dallas...ngis-diva/

[ThisIStheYear]

Coming off an a$$ kicking for two games straight where Zinger laid down and showed his belly. He comes back with a 0 and 0 scratch in the biggest game of the year. The Mavs are toast and this contract will hang over the franchise like an albatross.

[Mavs2019]

I wonder whether the Mavs tried to put Porzingis in the Harden deal.

On paper Porzingis to Houston instead of Oladipo and Prince, LeVert, Allen to the Mavs is a much easier trade than the eventual four-way deal.. It is a player upgrade for the Rockets, though a larger financial commitment the Rockets owner seems to have no interest in.