05-27-2021, 02:18 PM
(05-27-2021, 10:11 AM)F Gump Wrote: The player I'd really like to see the Mavs chase, however, would be Batum. I suspect the Clipps can be outbid at the MLE or even smaller. Their payroll is a disaster and they can't offer him more than room MLE, and they might not even spend that MLE because they're so buried in tax, so he's probably available. He feels like the veteran who would commit to a contender wanting to be able to get a ring. And if you can get him locked up for several years at something like $15-20M total, that seems like a really good investment to me.
Out of all the flawed PF options, Batum is probably the least flawed (other than being 32). You get D and passing and 3 point shooting and just a savvy veteran game. I’m guessing you’d add him to the bench and keep Maxi starting. That PF combo covers the archetypes that we face at the position. We really need another viable body at this position. At the MLE you end up with:
KP/WC-Powell
Maxi/Batum.
DFS/JRich.
THJ/Green.
Luka/Brunson
Assuming we take care of business with the Clippers (I think we lose 2 of the next 3 and win game six at home), We are probably going to struggle with Utah. Our starters can typically hang with anyone. But their bench is too much for us to handle. Batum would close the gap and allow us to have no significant holes among our top nine. I’d give some thought to keeping Redick another year just to provide one more element off the bench. In an ideal world Green is ready to back up two positions by the start of the 22/23 season and we can move on from JRich and Redick if he’s ready and if we get any development from Terry and Bey.