2020-2021 ROSTER TALK: Archived

[dynamicalVoid]

Lots of threads discussing KP. Lots of good points being made on both sides of the issue. 

For me, it's super simple:

1) I believe, with everything I've got, that to be a contender you need at least a good, clutch defense. You can be an offensive team, but you can't just ignore the defensive side of the ball. You need to be far above average, I'd say. 

2) In ANY era of NBA basketball, regardless of how the game is officiated and what offensive actions are in vogue, the defense must be built around your center. In ANY era, this requires some combination of size, length, strength, toughness, physicality, foot speed, conditioning (fans ignore that one - running the floor is the first box to check, and where the Whitesides and Drummonds of the world fall flat) and agility. The percentages needed for each category might change from era to era, but all of those attributes are always requisite. 

3) KP has shown consistently since coming here that he has size, length and SOMETIMES conditioning. Yes, the conditioning will improve with extended health and prep time, but who among us actually believes he'll ever be able to experience that? I believed when the trade happened that he'd have PLUS foot speed and agility, but that has not been the case in Dallas, sadly. As far as toughness, strength and physicality are concerned, he's a zilch, imo. 

4) SO...by my eye test, KP is simply a BAD defender for his position, which is the most important position, defensively. 

Think about the Dirk era Mavs. When Bradley was the center, they were an interesting young team with some intriguing players, having no chance of ever making anything happen deep in the playoffs. Then, they got Dampier, and for all the grief he took, he elevated the team's prospects significantly and helped them become a perennial top 5 team in the West, basically. But, even he was ultimately a big part of what held them back (I used to argue against this, but it was true). Then, they got TY, who was a gift from God who allowed everything else to fall into place for Dirk and for we, the fans. That's three concretely evident levels of the team to which we can point, each telling part of the Dirk era story. 

All of KP's truthers are talking about offense. 20/10...30/12. I don't care. I can TOTALLY see him having great offensive stretches in the future with the Mavs or some other team, but it simply does not matter. He's never going to be dominant in the way Duncan, Embiid, Hakeem and others have been. I'm not making a point about his play style, either. I just don't view him as a guy who creates shots for other players. 

And even if he was, that still wouldn't convince me. He's STILL a bad defender, which is the thing I just don't think you can accept from your big man if you're trying to win. You can hide Dirk, Nash...even Trae Young. It's difficult, and it blows, but it's doable. But hiding your center on defense? Nah, my guys. The center should BE your defense. Blocks don't impress me. Being in position to discourage the opponent from doing what they think they're good at, forcing them to do things that make them uncomfortable - that's what impresses me. 

Going back to those three Mavs centers, Chandler, Dampier and Bradley: On defense, which of them does KP remind you of the most?

I agree with what you have posted...and I will take it a step further...

I would never Max a big with slow feet/unathletic in todays NBA.