(01-14-2021, 01:34 PM)HanspardsShowerVoice Wrote: I think a lot of Mavs fans have this vision of ideal basketball where Luka dribbles the air out of the ball while 4 other players hang around the 3 point arc which is ....
.... I don't know why you wouldn't want to give Luka something somewhat resembling that kind of supporting player to take that role, rather than a guy with ....
I do not have a preference for the "dribbling the air out of the ball" idea you describe - instead, I don't think it's the binary choice you and a few others are making it out to be that such a move as you want is the one and only way to prevent that.
I think J Rich is more than enough to already be the player "somewhat resembling that kind of supporting player to take that role" as well as other players on the roster too. He has been here for only 8 games. Let's see how it develops. Not saying he's perfect, just that he's good enough.
I think J Rich provides high value in other areas that are even more valuable to the overall bottom line than the marginal upgrade that MIGHT be added with a more dominant offensive player replacing him. And I think the difference from such a player would only be seen at the margins of the offense, limited by the fact that such a new player would only be playmaking when Luka doesn't have the ball in his hands, which means his "added playmaking" value will be dampened in its actual value.
Weigh all of those issues against the assets it would take to obtain such a player, and the extra salary you'll probably tie up in him (which means the less you have to spend elsewhere), and I think it wouldn't be an actual upgrade to the overall team, even if one small part is made better. You have to pick your spots, and I don't think that's the route to overall improvement over where they are now.