04-25-2021, 04:00 PM
(04-25-2021, 02:17 PM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: I think we can all agree that the team has a higher offensive ceiling with KP on the floor but personally I think the defensive ceiling is much higher without him.
Doesn´t even matter who replaces him as long as the Mavs aren´t going small (DFS, Green or Doncic playing PF).
Sample sizes without KP are really small but...
Powell-Melli: 88.2 D-Rating in 81 minutes
Powell-Kleber: 99.8 D-Rating in 249 minutes
WCS-Kleber: 101.9 D-Rating in 180 minutes
Without KP the Mavs can play a modern switch heavy defense. They can hide individual weaknesses on the perimeter with switches and rotations. This is a matter of scheme and coaching preferences.
Continue to build around KP as a more traditional rim protecting big. Play more drop defense in the pick and roll. Less switches. Less rotations. That approach would require some major upgrades on the perimeter. Not to mention that KP himself needs to get back to his pre injury level on defense.
Or move on and focus on the switch heavy scheme. Add fitting pieces that can offer both perimeter defense and rim protection.
I agree with the analysis in general, but the D-rating stats require a huge grain of salt, not just because of the small sample but also because a lot of those minutes are probably against second units.
If we do decide to go away from KP (which would mean getting reasonable value in a trade) guys like Holmes and Theis would make sense in your switch heavy scheme.