04-11-2021, 09:54 AM
(04-11-2021, 09:05 AM)StepBackJay Wrote: I am willing to give it a go. I think DR would be good asset management as well. I don't see a player or package of players that's going to give the Mavs a top defense anyway. If like Kawhi was available then great let's go get him, problem solved. But if it's like THJ + JR + MLE or DR + mini-MLE, give me the latter.
I also think dependent on the contract you might be able to do DR + some other piece (JR even?) + mini-MLE. I am not a fan of JR in particular bc his inefficient offense and bad outside shooting but if he's on a 1-yr maybe that's okay.
Mavs might go down the RFA route but that will probably cost some assets if it works, and I am not sure there is a deal to be made. Regarding DR I have been against trading for him for years for some of the same reasons brought up now, but that was also when you would be giving up assets like a pick and/or Brunson to get DR. Now you can get him for just cap dollars and that changes the equation.
We don't need to be a top defense, we just need to be good. Since the all-star break, after we mostly recovered from the Covid disaster, I believe we have a top 5 offense and a top 10 defense. We are already good. Putting DR in the starting lineup will reverse all the work they did to make this a better defensive team. There was a reason they inserted Maxi into the starting lineup and traded for JRich.