07-13-2021, 08:38 PM
Bama, I know it's dumb of me to poke the bear, but I generally respect your fandom and presume you've watched the games. There is zero way you're dumb enough to defend KP's defense using the eye test this past year. Everyone could see he was unspeakably abominable. If that's up for argument, it's a basketball Twilight Zone. A defense for KP's defense (ha-ha) as we saw it in 2020-21 is simply non-existent. Use eye test, use stats, use defensive metrics, use whatever the heck you want, but he was a defensive apocalypse this year. That's simple basketball fact. Everyone else without exception on this board agrees on that, even SH if I'm not mistaken, as well as every single Mavs fan I know outside this board, as well as many print and voice talent commentators throughout the league who are supposed to be experts to some extent or another. I have to believe you aren't asserting otherwise. It would be like being a Trump supporter going to an antifa meeting to talk about how to get Trump reelected. It would be presuming something not held by anyone else there, and not being very perceptive to recognize that one held an outlying opinion in that particular group (in this case, not just Mavs fans, but basketball observers around the country).
Now, there are obvious mitigating factors. Some believe his defense was bad because he was rushed back too soon from his injuries and didn't have an offseason, so that he will be better next year. Kamm's theory is that it's all in his head, that he got down because of conflicts with RC and Luka because of how he was being used on the offensive end, and therefore essentially gave up on defense, so that could be fixed this year.
But what if it's that he's never going to be the same after the meniscus injury? That's the Occam's razor presumption. I'd say the chances of his being able to return to defensive competence or dominance add up to 50-50. That's an enormous wager, because if you're wrong, your team defense is absolutely cooked until that contract runs out. And what if he returns even to his old defensive dominance - and then suffers yet another major injury?
Since I cannot believe you would defend KP's defense this past year as an intelligent fan who watched the games, I have to believe you're on the side of wagering on his recovery. Between the gross uncertainty of his defensive recovery, the risk of his sustaining another injury, and any friction between him and Luka, I'm not willing to take that wager and believe he's got to go now. There are 29 other teams in the league. Unless your new GM is an atrocious negotiator, the Mavs should be able to get back something of worth. It won't be worth the guy you're betting on KP becoming. But it will be worth several times what KP will end up being worth if you're wrong, and the odds are against you.
Now, there are obvious mitigating factors. Some believe his defense was bad because he was rushed back too soon from his injuries and didn't have an offseason, so that he will be better next year. Kamm's theory is that it's all in his head, that he got down because of conflicts with RC and Luka because of how he was being used on the offensive end, and therefore essentially gave up on defense, so that could be fixed this year.
But what if it's that he's never going to be the same after the meniscus injury? That's the Occam's razor presumption. I'd say the chances of his being able to return to defensive competence or dominance add up to 50-50. That's an enormous wager, because if you're wrong, your team defense is absolutely cooked until that contract runs out. And what if he returns even to his old defensive dominance - and then suffers yet another major injury?
Since I cannot believe you would defend KP's defense this past year as an intelligent fan who watched the games, I have to believe you're on the side of wagering on his recovery. Between the gross uncertainty of his defensive recovery, the risk of his sustaining another injury, and any friction between him and Luka, I'm not willing to take that wager and believe he's got to go now. There are 29 other teams in the league. Unless your new GM is an atrocious negotiator, the Mavs should be able to get back something of worth. It won't be worth the guy you're betting on KP becoming. But it will be worth several times what KP will end up being worth if you're wrong, and the odds are against you.