(05-09-2021, 10:20 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: Breaking it down further, KP has been a net neutral or positive in 21 of the 40 games he's played. Dallas is 20-1 in those games and the one loss is a one point loss to Phoenix on Feb. 1st. The wins include POR, SAS, MIL, NYK, BOS, ATL, LAC, SAS, BRK, IND, MEM, GS, CHO and DEN among the top 10 in each conference. So, they aren't all against weaker sisters. Basically, if KP wins his time on the floor, Dallas does also.
We have won only four of the 19 games where KP has been a net negative for the game. Basically, it is hard to overcome a night of negative floor time from KP
"it is hard to overcome a night of negative floor time from KP"
This is the bottom line for me.
The Mavs simply cannot afford to have their highest paid player and second most talented player be a consistent negative. The Mavs don't need to replace KP with a player even as talented, they just need to replace his salary with consistent positive to neutral play. If they do that I think they are a contender.
I 100% think KP massively under-performing his contract is the singular reason this team won't have homecourt in the playoffs and won't have a puncher's chance in the playoffs.
Occasionally positive KP is not good enough to overcome regularly (more than 50% of the time) negative KP. I think it is dangerous for the Mavs to roll the dice on him another season, they need to turn his salary into consistently solid players. That's it. Anything else is frosting.