Luka: C-
The Mavs best player is measured against some lofty expectations and he just hasn't been good enough. I can point to a lot of reasons --from lingering injury to conditioning, shot selection, decision making, officiating; and lack of shot making and poor defensive effort. Bottom line, Luka isn't playing like one of the top five players in the game. I posted earlier in the season that it comes down to lack of maturity for me. Call it growing pains. But whatever it is, I hope it's temporary. And the good news is, even this version of Luka is really, really good.
KP: B
Don't look now but KP is doing a lot of unicorn things when he plays. I still think he's a center in the modern NBA but the defense has looked good with KP at power forward spot. He's becoming a problem offensively. His advanced analytics are strong. He's missed some time, but I can live with his availability if you take covid and load management out of the mix. It remains to be seen if KP and Luka can coexist but if you want to talk about upside, making it work is still probably the best outcome for this team. Still believe KP can be a top 30 player in the league and certainly part of a championship core.
DFS: A
Dorian has been fantastic - maybe ideal - as a role player. Big, switchable wing. Consistent shooter. Rugged defender. Will slash if you close out too hard. Good teams need a guy like this in the rotation. He's an arguably indispensable minutes-eater, especially on a team built around Luka. This team certainly can't afford to trade DFS unless he's part of a package that returns a star. But let's be honest ... I'm not sure a guy like DFS is a 30+ min player on a championship roster. If an upgrade is available, Dallas has to pull the trigger.
THJ: D
Probably expendable. Timmy hasn't looked comfortable all year. He seems a poor fit in Kidd's system but he's a better player than he's shown. He can get his own shot, and could probably start for a lot of teams, but in Dallas you need him to bring some punch off the bench. Instant offense, Jason Terry, sixth man, especially at his salary slot. It's just not happening. I'd like to see this team do a better job of getting THJ some rhythm catch & shoot opportunities as soon as he enters the game. THJ needs better role definition and an identity because right now he's just another guy on offense and his defense stinks. Getting THJ going or trading him for a guy who can crack the top-6 on a contender is critical.
Brunson: A
Brunson is giving this team everything it could want from a backup point guard. Starter, but not star quality. Smart, tough, sneaky quick. Reliable scorer and decision maker. I still think Brunson is best suited to a change-of-pace JJB role on a championship team, but that's not a knock on either player. JJB started and averaged 30 MPG when they closed out the Heat as 2011 NBA champions. Brunson looks like he can be a consistent 26-30 minute guy on a top team. But JJB was never paid like a starter, so if Brunson will command that kind of number, you have to move him for some length.
Kleber: B
Maxi does what he does and he's super important in Dallas but if you're comparing this team to the 2011 squad, I have Kleber slotted near Brian Cardinal. I need 15 minutes of flashy defense and a couple of knock down threes. Kleber can do that but if there's a team who values him more, Dallas has to listen.
Bullock: D
Reggie has a limited role on a playoff team and may yet settle in in Dallas --but Green is coming on.
Powell: D
Powell can play 10 minutes in a Ian Mahinmi role but he's not a starting center. Dallas has to upgrade the frontcourt if they hope to contend.
Green: B
Well well well. We might have a player here. Can Josh Green be DeShawn Stevenson, right now? Yes. I think he can.
S Brown: C
Shannon Brown has been playing backup PF with KP out. Decent player in limited minutes but won't move the needle either way.
The Mavs best player is measured against some lofty expectations and he just hasn't been good enough. I can point to a lot of reasons --from lingering injury to conditioning, shot selection, decision making, officiating; and lack of shot making and poor defensive effort. Bottom line, Luka isn't playing like one of the top five players in the game. I posted earlier in the season that it comes down to lack of maturity for me. Call it growing pains. But whatever it is, I hope it's temporary. And the good news is, even this version of Luka is really, really good.
KP: B
Don't look now but KP is doing a lot of unicorn things when he plays. I still think he's a center in the modern NBA but the defense has looked good with KP at power forward spot. He's becoming a problem offensively. His advanced analytics are strong. He's missed some time, but I can live with his availability if you take covid and load management out of the mix. It remains to be seen if KP and Luka can coexist but if you want to talk about upside, making it work is still probably the best outcome for this team. Still believe KP can be a top 30 player in the league and certainly part of a championship core.
DFS: A
Dorian has been fantastic - maybe ideal - as a role player. Big, switchable wing. Consistent shooter. Rugged defender. Will slash if you close out too hard. Good teams need a guy like this in the rotation. He's an arguably indispensable minutes-eater, especially on a team built around Luka. This team certainly can't afford to trade DFS unless he's part of a package that returns a star. But let's be honest ... I'm not sure a guy like DFS is a 30+ min player on a championship roster. If an upgrade is available, Dallas has to pull the trigger.
THJ: D
Probably expendable. Timmy hasn't looked comfortable all year. He seems a poor fit in Kidd's system but he's a better player than he's shown. He can get his own shot, and could probably start for a lot of teams, but in Dallas you need him to bring some punch off the bench. Instant offense, Jason Terry, sixth man, especially at his salary slot. It's just not happening. I'd like to see this team do a better job of getting THJ some rhythm catch & shoot opportunities as soon as he enters the game. THJ needs better role definition and an identity because right now he's just another guy on offense and his defense stinks. Getting THJ going or trading him for a guy who can crack the top-6 on a contender is critical.
Brunson: A
Brunson is giving this team everything it could want from a backup point guard. Starter, but not star quality. Smart, tough, sneaky quick. Reliable scorer and decision maker. I still think Brunson is best suited to a change-of-pace JJB role on a championship team, but that's not a knock on either player. JJB started and averaged 30 MPG when they closed out the Heat as 2011 NBA champions. Brunson looks like he can be a consistent 26-30 minute guy on a top team. But JJB was never paid like a starter, so if Brunson will command that kind of number, you have to move him for some length.
Kleber: B
Maxi does what he does and he's super important in Dallas but if you're comparing this team to the 2011 squad, I have Kleber slotted near Brian Cardinal. I need 15 minutes of flashy defense and a couple of knock down threes. Kleber can do that but if there's a team who values him more, Dallas has to listen.
Bullock: D
Reggie has a limited role on a playoff team and may yet settle in in Dallas --but Green is coming on.
Powell: D
Powell can play 10 minutes in a Ian Mahinmi role but he's not a starting center. Dallas has to upgrade the frontcourt if they hope to contend.
Green: B
Well well well. We might have a player here. Can Josh Green be DeShawn Stevenson, right now? Yes. I think he can.
S Brown: C
Shannon Brown has been playing backup PF with KP out. Decent player in limited minutes but won't move the needle either way.
![[-]](https://www.mavsboard.com/images/collapse.png)