2020-2021 ROSTER TALK: Archived

[DanSchwartzgan]

So, we all agree that they need more playmaking on the floor, 

But, in my opinion, Brunson is making it difficult to envision a no-brainer path to an upgrade there, especially at the guard position. He's so good that any (realistically acquired) playmaking guards we mention make me immediately think "wouldn't I just rather see Brunson get that role?".

There is some truth to that last part.  The point I was making today is the Mav’s seem to prioritize a certain kind of defender above all else as the starter next to Luka in the back court.  More playmaking would be nice, but there is only one Jrue Holiday (who is probably the ideal).  With everyone else you are probably giving up something.

We are a little new at this Brunson-as-4th-quarter-closer thing.  At some point teams will counter our counter.  I tried to go back and look at the games since March 1st to see if I could discern a pattern in terms of who is losing 4th quarter minutes to Brunson.  But, there are only a very few games that weren’t either blow-outs or had a jacked up lineup because of load management.  The point is we don’t know if this will last.  If it does, then 2021 probably has the right answer...this decades version of Jet Terry.

I’m with you for the most part on the “everyone agrees we need more playmaking...especially in the playoffs” thing.  But, the playoffs also require shot creators (especially late in games).  Right now Brunson and Luka are it (which is why Carlisle is trying this).  Ball and Conley come as close as anyone outside of Holiday to checking the defender, playmaker and 3 point shooter boxes.  Its kind of the same thing with Richardson as it is with Maxi.  He’s good enough at his role that it will take someone very special (and expensive) to replace him.