09-05-2020, 06:55 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-05-2020, 10:36 PM by KillerLeft.)
(09-05-2020, 05:07 PM)Kammrath Wrote:(09-05-2020, 04:50 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: He'd be a more interesting and arguably better prospect than say WCS at the minimum
People are REALLY selling WCS short. He showed the ability to rim run with Luka (93.5 percentile and 1.46 PPP as roll man with the Mavs) and be a switch defending big. I will be VERY disappointed if he doesn't come back for another shot.
(09-05-2020, 03:54 PM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: Trade targets:
Lonzo Ball / Jrue Holiday
I would definitely add these two to the trade target list of mine.
Yeah, I wouldn't be interested in Cousins at any price. What he does (DID, really) offensively isn't a fit here. And, even when he was healthy he didn't run the floor, didn't seem engaged, etc.
I don't know that I'm ready to call WCS a perfect fit, but he sure is the TYPE of player the team wants. For one thing, he can run. Transition D is constantly overlooked by fans as a given, but it's actually the most important part of defense and the reality is that MOST bigs hold their teams back simply by getting smoked up and down the court (this is one of the reasons Boban doesn't play more).
As Kamm said, WCS is the type of 5 who can switch more often, so they'd be able to play less of this horrendous "drop coverage" that's making these big guys look like morons.
I trust Kamm's eyes for stats, but I don't know that we've seen yet that WCS has Powell level hands or IQ with rim-running. Can he learn the timing of when to come off the screen like Powell? Can he learn the nuances of creating just the right passing angles? Can he catch non-perfect passes and adjust to complete the play? Personally, I don't feel like I've seen enough yet to know, but I'm pretty excited to find out. I'm hopeful.
And now we learn that he's been shooting threes all day everyday? Gee, I wonder who advised him to do that???
Basically, the guy is the type of center Carlisle covets to fit into the plan here, which is why it's ludicrous to suggest the player and coach already hate each other. In my opinion, they traded for him to get a head start on teaching him the system and to get him started with their excellent player development staff. What I see is a dude focused on the things he's been advised to improve in order to carve out a role here (or anywhere else playing modern basketball, for that matter). If he leaves, it will be because some other team offered him more money than the Mavericks can or are willing to offer, not because he hates Carlisle, and frankly, I don't think anyone will offer more than what he's got on that player option. I think next year is a golden opportunity for him to use this system to gain a better foothold in the league, and I bet he knows that.
Oh, and Ball/Holiday is EXACTLY the type of piece this roster desperately needs. I can't see Ball being available, but I'd be surprised if Holiday wasn't available for the right price. I also feel like I'd much rather be here than in New Orleans, if I were he. His career is on a different timeline than that team. Throw in a ton of leaked Mavs interest from the past and I think you have a situation that's worth watching.