06-03-2021, 07:45 AM
(06-02-2021, 09:26 AM)Chicagojk Wrote: The KP equation is so tricky. You have fit issues, is he happy, does Luka like him, and the ever present injury concerns. I maintain the easiest and quickest way for the Mavs to be a contender is getting KP to play to his potential.
I look at the names you mention above, I like several of those guys. Am intrigued by others. You mention the Mavs have played better when KP is off the floor and that is a good point. But I just keep on coming back to the point is how do the mavs elevate themselves to contender status against teams like a healthy Brooklyn, a healthy Denver, a healthy Philadelphia, etc moving forward. The guys listed above are good players, but I don't know if any move the needle. The Stephen Adams, Bertans, etc are just guys imo. Some may help long term, but I think it just leaves us as a team that doesn't have enough.
So I am still holding out for KP to work here. It doesn't look good now. But I would hate to trade him without me seeing how I think he should be utilized.
This is where I've been too. Part of it is I didn't think a KP trade was likely. Part of it is you can't do any better than a healthy and engaged KP by trading KP. The question, of course, is are we ever going to get a healthy and engaged KP.
Defensively, it wouldn't be that hard to improve upon what he gives us. And, D is our biggest opportunity for improvement. As has been noted, we can run a more switch heavy scheme when KP isn't playing. We lose 6.8 points per 48 defensively with KP in the game. Yes, he helps the O to the tune of 2.5 points, but it isn't like the O dies when Powell or Willie are in the game.
I think the way to think of this isn't just who you get back from the other team. It's also that plus who you get in free agency. A trade could help that to the extent we add cap room as part of the process. I'd probably take Boston out of the running for any deal that adds to their salary. But, if you look at the example of a Rozier/McDaniel deal using some of Charlotte's cap space, we add $12mm in space. Rozier can be that playmaking guard we need. McDaniels can develop into a nice bench PF and now you have up to $46mm to find a center and sixth man (maybe THJ, but there will be other guys in that price range too...I don't see Boston keeping Fournier unless they ship out someone). Even if JRich opts in, there is enough money for Holmes and Hardaway (or someone like him) The question is whether the following is better than what you might imagine if you kept KP (and THJ and JRich) and had only the MLE to improve. I think the team below is better than what we have now and getting "only" Rozier and McDaniels isn't exactly a big haul for KP.
Holmes/Powell/Willie
Maxi/McDaniels/Bey
DFS/THJ/Green
Rozier/THJ/Green
Luka/Brunson/Terry