09-22-2020, 10:46 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-22-2020, 10:48 AM by KillerLeft.)
I like Brunson, too.
The issue is that Burke, Brunson and Curry are all small, and that's a lot of small guys needing minutes off the bench. Brunson and Burke are the ones who you want with the ball in their hands, and Curry is the best shooter, so to me, if you're going to eliminate one of them (without other criteria involved, such as who another team wants in a trade you like) then it kind of comes down to Brunson vs. Burke. They're the ones with overlapping roles.
I think Burke is going to make more than the minimum, but I don't see him getting the full MLE, obviously. I know that's a HUGE range, but I think this market is pretty unpredictable. To me, the biggest risk is that you sign the guy and then find out the Clippers series was a flash in the pan. Our own "Linsansity." But for now, let's assume that the contract works and that Clippers series Burke is the guy you're getting.
Regarding Burke vs. Brunson, both players seem to have a high basketball IQ. Both players CAN make plays for others in this offensive system. I feel like Burke is the better creator off the dribble, and way more of a threat to score, which ultimately makes it an easier prospect for him to make plays for others. I also feel like he's farther along with his understanding of how to impose himself in a creative way against a good team than Brunson is, and unfortunately, Brunson STILL doesn't have any playoff experience. With him, you're banking on potential. To be fair, he's really smart and I don't put this out of his reach, but he does have a ways to go.
Haven't really studied this, but I'd be pretty shocked if Burke wasn't the better defender.
What ultimately breaks the tie for me is that I feel like Burke is way, way better at playing WITH Luka than Brunson is. He's a catch and shoot threat and seems to understand where to pick his spots as a secondary creator a little better. In short, he can play on the ball OR off the ball. A major gripe against Brunson that I read often and can't disagree with is that the ball sticks with him in situations where it shouldn't. When Burke doesn't see a way to exploit the defense, he moves the ball to another player.
With all of the above in mind, and knowing that Brunson has some worth as a commodity (some), I'd be willing to move him in the right deal. Not advocating for trading him just to get rid of him, and I would understand if we were to learn that the Mavs are dead set on giving him another year as the backup PG.
The issue is that Burke, Brunson and Curry are all small, and that's a lot of small guys needing minutes off the bench. Brunson and Burke are the ones who you want with the ball in their hands, and Curry is the best shooter, so to me, if you're going to eliminate one of them (without other criteria involved, such as who another team wants in a trade you like) then it kind of comes down to Brunson vs. Burke. They're the ones with overlapping roles.
I think Burke is going to make more than the minimum, but I don't see him getting the full MLE, obviously. I know that's a HUGE range, but I think this market is pretty unpredictable. To me, the biggest risk is that you sign the guy and then find out the Clippers series was a flash in the pan. Our own "Linsansity." But for now, let's assume that the contract works and that Clippers series Burke is the guy you're getting.
Regarding Burke vs. Brunson, both players seem to have a high basketball IQ. Both players CAN make plays for others in this offensive system. I feel like Burke is the better creator off the dribble, and way more of a threat to score, which ultimately makes it an easier prospect for him to make plays for others. I also feel like he's farther along with his understanding of how to impose himself in a creative way against a good team than Brunson is, and unfortunately, Brunson STILL doesn't have any playoff experience. With him, you're banking on potential. To be fair, he's really smart and I don't put this out of his reach, but he does have a ways to go.
Haven't really studied this, but I'd be pretty shocked if Burke wasn't the better defender.
What ultimately breaks the tie for me is that I feel like Burke is way, way better at playing WITH Luka than Brunson is. He's a catch and shoot threat and seems to understand where to pick his spots as a secondary creator a little better. In short, he can play on the ball OR off the ball. A major gripe against Brunson that I read often and can't disagree with is that the ball sticks with him in situations where it shouldn't. When Burke doesn't see a way to exploit the defense, he moves the ball to another player.
With all of the above in mind, and knowing that Brunson has some worth as a commodity (some), I'd be willing to move him in the right deal. Not advocating for trading him just to get rid of him, and I would understand if we were to learn that the Mavs are dead set on giving him another year as the backup PG.