(07-12-2022, 07:33 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: They're one Powell trade away from me breathing comfortably.

(07-12-2022, 07:33 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Nah, I won't like that. But, today, this got a little less likely.

They're one Powell trade away from me breathing comfortably.

(07-12-2022, 07:48 PM)F Gump Wrote: Don't sweat the small stuff, bro. Powell has been 100% replaced (unless they need an emergency fill-in). They have no real need (or place) to play him with McGee here. But he doesn't have to go just to go -- he's now an $11M expiring filler for a trade, if they find one, and makes more sense to keep just in case.

(07-12-2022, 07:48 PM)F Gump Wrote: Don't sweat the small stuff, bro. Powell has been 100% replaced (unless they need an emergency fill-in). They have no real need (or place) to play him with McGee here. But he doesn't have to go just to go -- he's now an $11M expiring filler for a trade, if they find one, and makes more sense to keep just in case.

(07-12-2022, 07:42 PM)F Gump Wrote: My own reasoning on why the Mavs are heading down this road with Wood:
1 Luka
2 Luka
3 Luka

We forget what the Mavs have liked to do as they start the game - Luka starts very ball-dominant and there's plenty of potential pnr-dunk action. Last year it was Powell, and McGee has replaced him. Simple easy peasy. In addition, the Mavs want to set a defensive tone, and playing an opening core of McGee-DFS-Bullock will do just that. Maybe it wears down the opponent, setting the table for when Wood, Kleber, and THJ enter the game.

The Mavs have also said that they want to limit the workload on Wood, over the long grind of a season, and this is a route to load management w Wood, where McGee gets some targeted minutes to that end.

As for those who think this is an indication that the Mavs don't want Wood, or he won't want them, imo it's none of any of that. In time, Wood might become a starter, but at least from what he's saying, he mainly just wants to win. He's never been on a playoff team before. And buy-in to what is best for the bigger purpose is part of that success equation.

(07-12-2022, 08:27 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: At the end of the day, I just think while McGee might be better than Powell in a few areas, and a useful piece, I'm pretty confident I'm going to be watching a playoff series thinking "man, they really can't get away with playing him in these games." 

(07-12-2022, 08:03 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Well, the 4 bigs worry was only part of what upset me. 

For me, the whole idea of needing to replace Powell at all was to ween themselves off of depending on a player like that in situations where it was a negative. Upgrading Powell would be fine, but not necessary once Wood was added, imho. I would be fine with Powell still to be the 3rd big (which is what I believe McGee will be in certain playoff matchups). 

Think of it this way: can they get to a 9-man rotation without using EITHER Powell OR McGee (if they need to)? Because that would've been my #2 goal (behind re-signing Brunson). 

And then, this worry was compounded by 4 of their top-9 being bigs. The 4 bigs rotation worry was a second, even worse concern. 

My initial concern is still valid, imo. I believe there will be playoff series in which McGee shouldn't see the floor, and they currently only have their pick of Green, Ntilikina or Hardy to fill in for him in a different play style. In other words, they MUST play him, whether it's the right move or not. Does that make sense?

(07-12-2022, 08:33 PM)cow Wrote: If that happens, I'll allow you to take off your McGee jersey.

(07-12-2022, 08:35 PM)F Gump Wrote: I think I see only 6 real playoff guys (in bold)

(07-12-2022, 08:35 PM)F Gump Wrote: I promise that if we get up against big boys (like the Gobert-Towns pair), we'll be glad we had at least one big body, and will probably wish we had more.

(07-12-2022, 08:35 PM)F Gump Wrote: 3 Maybe THJ can be #7, but I don't trust that he is. I'm hopeful, wait-n-see, but thinking player 7 (another 2-way wing, to rotate with DFS/Bullock) is not on this team. I do think players like Green and Franky do have a shot at this, at least in theory.
4 And clearly player 8, a 3rd creator, is not here.

(07-12-2022, 08:42 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: 1 So, imo, you should be even more worried than I. THJ would make my list of 7.


2 For YOU, the problem makes sense from the angle above, but it's essentially the same thing I'm trying to point out, only from a different direction. You're assuming those are placeholders for players they know they need. I've been concerned about what the choice to prioritize a traditional center (which might come in handy, sometimes) over filling either one of those holes might tell us about their plans. 

3 Either way, as you said, at least one of those guys isn't here. y great need to be rid of either, but I also don't want to be forced to depend on either of them in the playoffs. But that's just me.

(07-12-2022, 09:18 PM)F Gump Wrote: Certainly they are missing AT LEAST 1 piece, and no idea if they have a real way to get him. I still think they botched it by turning up their noses at Dragic. When it's such a gaping hole, you gotta take the bird-in-the-hand and THEN keep trying to get the miracle deal if you can, right? (And if it's about a roster spot, c'mon, they are frittering one away on a cheerleader --- this feels like the same sort of thinking that has us arguing over Powell's bloated deal year after year, just more sloppy roster management.)

(07-12-2022, 09:18 PM)F Gump Wrote: Wood
         Kleber
DFS

Bullock
        THJ????
Dinwiddie

Luka

(07-12-2022, 07:43 PM)cow Wrote:

(07-12-2022, 09:34 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: Please tell me you aren't serious 

(07-12-2022, 09:38 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Even prioritizing someone like OPJ, making the top of the rotation like THIS would've been much better, imho:

Wood
         Kleber
         OPJ
DFS
         Bullock
THJ
         Dinwiddie
Luka


That doesn't have the other ball-handler they need, but it's still increased flexibility than they have now, from my seat. Who knows if OPJ was even available to them...just saying.

(07-12-2022, 09:40 PM)cow Wrote: Can't rely on OPJ's health, sadly.

(07-12-2022, 09:25 PM)cow Wrote: Dragic made the most sense for obvious reasons but there are still options out there.  There is even a Dragic out there.  They have to realize there is a move to make.  The worst thing we could do is go into the season as is and then Dinwiddie gets injured and has to miss extended time.  Or worse yet Luka.  I'd hate to see a panic trade.

I wonder how that Mavs mini camp went?

No idea if Schroder would take a 1-year minimum deal to get back to the NBA and I know he has warts, but he seems like the best "free" option available.