2020-2021 ROSTER TALK: Archived

[SleepingHero]

I have no desire to paint a target on my back for the analytics guys, but I feel like I've seen very little evidence that Porzingis is valuable on defense at all since coming to Dallas. I've just about given up on that. Maybe I shouldn't

I don't want to throw a bunch of numbers at you because sometimes it gets tiring when we're just trying to talk basketball. I guess KP's value on defense depends on what you value most. With him defending the PnR, he's quite bad. As are most if not all bigmen. Yes some do it better than others, but almost zero bigmen have the ability to keep up laterally with a good NBA guard. Rudy Gobert is the only one that comes to mind that manages to use his length so well it makes up for that deficiency. 

But KP as a rim protector/paint defender? He's in the upper echelon. KP had 29/57 games where he had 3 or more blocks. He only recorded 1 or less block 9 times last year. So 48 times he recorded 2 or more blocks. 

Opponents shot 44.8% against KP last year, good for 10th in the league (Rudy was #1 at 40%). KP is actually 5th so far this year at 45%. 

So KP has tremendous value as a weakside shot blocker and general intimidator around the paint. We've seen first hand how having someone like that can the whole team with Tyson. KP just so happens to also have the ability to shoot all the way out to 3pt land like Dirk, albeit less efficiently. 

I tried not to throw too many metrics, but did want to point out that KP is a GOOD defender here. Just not on the perimeter and we shouldn't expect him to be. 

I actually wonder whether his size (in combination with his play style) is a negative. He has a handle, but not one that overcomes his awkward movement and balance. His reflexes and reaction speed have seemed a second behind everyone else, especially lately. This might be temporary, but he doesn't seem like he'll ever become as fluid and dangerous as the Dirk, Rasheed Wallace, Garnett, Webber era 4's. I think the current arms race is finding a guy who can take part in changing the 5 position the way those guys changed the 4 position. I had high hopes that Porzingis could be on the cutting edge of that, but I'm losing the faith. For one reason or another, Davis, Embiid, KAT and Adebayo all seem to be in a different league, to me.

There is merit to this. I think it's as negative as a picture as you can paint of KP. But he does seem to look awkward out there. Off-balance is a good label. I don't think fluidity is inherent to being a top player at your position. I remember Yao Ming looking like he might topple over at any second but he still managed to be very effective. I think his balance issues are a concern though, but it might be a by-product of being so tall and slender, which are attributes that make him so unique for his position. 

It's difficult to predict the future, though, and I DEFINITELY think having a guy to pull the Bam, Davis, Gobert defensive types out of the paint is UBER valuable. So, just the combo of his shooting and size can be pretty damn valuable, provided he starts making shots again and he/Carlisle figure out ways of forcing opposing teams to guard him with their centers.

And that's where I'm at right now. KP allows you to go small without actually giving up size just because of his skillset in his body. Being able to make Rudy leave the paint curtails his effectiveness by a good deal. Something we shouldn't be handing away just because of a bad stretch of games!

That high post game isn't doing the trick, because he lets teams get away with cross-guarding him with smaller defenders. That means that currently, the only way to get the matchup you need for KP to help Luka with spacing is to go super small, which has a negative impact on the defensive end. 

His center of gravity is definitely a pickle, and makes KP easy to guard in the post. Like you said the Mavs would have to go super small which is an issue all on its own. That's why I wanted Giannis so bad. You couldn't play small with those 2 on the court, and if one is switched onto KP, it means either Luka/Giannis/THJ? would have a big to attack off the perimeter. 

Perhaps the Mavs in that vein the Mavs should try to go hard after a Siakam trade, because he fits that Giannis mold well but just keep KP and run with that trio.