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

[Scott41theMavs]

They also need someone with the quarterbacking ability to run the team in Luka's absence with very good defense.

This keeps being said and noone is putting up the argument that Jalen Brunson is basically that guy. The very good defense is a stretch, but I think of him as an average defender, which in a second team is all I believe is fully needed.

The well defending starters can be sprinkled in to make up for non-elite level defense from JB and Curry, like for instance, KP who ran with the second team a lot so that one of Luka or KP was on the court throughout the game.

I really liked that coaching philosophy/development because I think KP mostly came into his own when he was a focal point as opposed to many times being an afterthought when Luka is on the court.

So what we "need" IMO is the other things said about a starting frontcourt partner with Luka. The quarterbacking when he's on the bench is a last thing on the list type thing to me.

---

That being said, if Luka is gonna continue playing 34-40 mpg, that only gives JB 8-14 mpg and I believe he is a better player than to play that few minutes.

IGT, I get you, but perhaps I didn't make what I'm getting at clear. I think "that guy" has to be someone who can get his own shot *when Luka is on the floor,* for the express purpose of making the Mavs' offense more powerful at the end of a playoff game. I don't believe that Brunson plays well with Luka in any event (here comes Kamm with stats that say they're great together and that Scott's season-long eye-test is hooey), and he definitely isn't that elite creator next to Luka at the end of key games.

It's my belief that Brunson can't play well with Luka that makes me view him as our best trade asset other than Maxi or perhaps #18.