DAL OFFSEASON: Trade & FA | Mavs "mostly done...but you never know."

[KillerLeft]

You make too many deals like that at once

I don't think anyone is thinking of totally changing the roster. I think MLE and a minor trade can bring two better two way players which would make our rotation much stronger. However, if miracoulously (for example) New Orleans wants to trade Jrue for Seth and Maxi (plus picks), I wouldn't really think a lot about it. 

And oh yeah, I would also do the Kleber-Bagley trade. It would make us better, if Bagley is able to stay healthy.

Yeah, like I said, you'd have to do either of those deals.

I guess with your thinking (slightly different than IGT's) my difference is that I DO expect improvement from MANY of these players next year. I'm not worried about any of them "losing their athleticism," nor do I fear that general phenomenon nearly as much as some fans do. 

I didn't mean for this to be about Kleber - he was just an example I pulled out of my ass, but in his case, specifically, I consider him to be one of only 3-4 two way players on the roster right now. He was a huge negative on offense in THIS ONE series (his first, when he was being asked to guard Leonard). I'll give you that. But, I firmly believe the game is going to slow down for him with experience, and eventually I think he becomes the type who hits those playoff shots, whether it's for this team or some other. I haven't lost a bit of faith in him regarding his place in the league, as it's clear he understands his niche and is working to perfect his game. 

Is he a starter, or not a starter? I don't care. I'll agree that going into the series with only KP, Kleber and Boban as options isn't going to get it done. Some of that hardship is owed to injury, some to abilities not present on the roster, but I still think what Kleber provides is something you'll need, and something at which he'll continue to improve for a few years. In short, you seem to believe he's at or near his peak, and I flatly do not.

The underlined statement above is also true (for my part) when applied to Finney-Smith, Powell, Curry, Wright and Hardaway Jr, all of whom are, I believe, still learning. The only guy there I can confidently declare a non-fit is Wright, and I could be talked into giving him another crack at it, tbh. 

Part of the issue is how the term "young player" is applied. If you go 100% by age, which I admit is a very literal application of the term, then you're not using it the same way I am. I think Tyler Herro, a rookie, will come out of this season more advanced than D'Arron Fox, for example. In many ways that matter a lot, development starts or at least shifts into a different gear once the playoffs are experienced. Think about it: does a person in real life who drops out of high school suddenly know everything their peers do on their 18th Birthday, just because of their age? 

The Mavs struggled with defense this season, right? I wonder what percentage of those struggles was due to ability, and what percentage was due to understanding of the system plus simple commitment and focus on that end? Undoubtedly a bit of both, but I bet the latter is more prevalent for every bad defensive team than fans realize. Now that the Mavs have literally SEEN and EXPERIENCED what it takes to win in the playoffs FIRST HAND, doesn't it stand to reason that they'll be more apt next season to hear coaches' instructions and warnings in a new way? Doesn't it seem like they'll find it easier to commit to improvement there, now that they KNOW how good they'll need to be to reach their goals? Do you think maybe that's an advantage they'll have against teams like New Orleans, Sacramento and Pheonix that is completely unrelated to talent?

Am I saying don't trade them? Nah. I am saying maybe don't go into the off season with the mindset of "welp, we gotta get THIS guy off of the roster - He's not a STARTER." I realize that's a gross oversimplification of what you and others are writing, and I don't mean that to be disrespectful or trivializing. That IS how some posts come across at times, however.