Mavs have a leadership problem | Cuban and Harlabob argue on Twitter

[mavsluvr]

No, I just expect Luka to give effort on both ends and play the game the right way. This team has lost six of eight and the last three at home. Cut out the showboating and histrionics. It's not a good look.

Granted, Luka and every other player should give effort on both ends and play the game the right way. Are we straying here from assessing whether Luka is the wise old leader who can show others the ropes and getting into assessing whether Luka is a good player on the court? One could be a wise leader and not be one of the best players, and vice versa. 


I'm just pointing out they're very very different players. Brunson is an all-business worker who has turned himself into a pretty good rotation player. He certainly has qualities you look for in a leader. He's older and more mature .... but he's the backup. I'm sure Brunson respects Luka's talent but I guess it might be hard for him to look to the kid for leadership, especially when he doesn't consistently bring full effort on/off the floor.

Not sure exactly what you mean by looking to the kid for leadership. Do you mean it is hard for Brunson to cooperate with Luka when Luka is running point? Or that it is hard for Brunson to go to Luka for advice on conditioning, effort, etc.? It seems to me that Brunson respects Luka enough for them to be a good team. Has Brunson said something?

I would make two additional points about effort. "Full effort" is pretty much a myth. No one in sports or life gives total effort to his job every minute of every day. There can be all kinds of good reasons for that -- person isn't physically 100%, the task being done doesn't require pushing the pedal to the metal, the sheer human impossibility of sustaining operating at full blast all the time, etc. If a person gives effort sufficient to accomplish the task at hand, I don't know what good burning extra fuel adds. Not saying Luka gives adequate effort to the task each and every possession on the court. Neither does Brunson. Neither does anyone. Luka should try as hard as is necessary, for sure.  

The other point is that effort is very important. However, it's not the most important thing. It's possible that Guy A at 80% is more effective than Guy B at 100%. That's a common thing, really. That's not to excuse Guy A operating at 80% if, for example, 90% is required, but I guess it is an expression of puzzlement that Brunson would think he is in a position to sneer at Luka. (And I actually think he has a good attitude toward Luka.)

Overall, I thought you made a convincing point that Luka is not the wise old head type of guy that players can rely on for that type of leadership. In my personal opinion, that is not something that can be fairly expected of him at age 22. Ergo, as you suggest, they need an older guy who can play that role if the coaching staff can't cover it. Point taken!