PLAYOFF WCF GAME 3: GSW (3-0) vs. DAL (0-3) | 100-109 loss

[Branduil]

I wonder if making it to the WCF's emboldens them toward the go-for-it-now plan.  I can't imagine it helped "team patient".  Audiosway has articulated well my feelings on Gobert.  The reason I responded to this post is the part about "if the price was right".  The money doesn't bother me.  He's worth what he gets paid (Defense is half the game and he's not exactly a slouch on O).  Plus, we'll be sending out salary to match some large portion of the incoming.

I'd love to get this done and still have the three guards and three defenders on the roster when its done plus one of the junior wings (so, Gobert, Maxi, DFS, Bullock, SD, JB Luka and either Josh or Frank).  Anyone else and up to two future picks are fair game for me.  That doesn't feel realistic, but who knows given the devaluation of the center position going on right now.

I think there are two big arguments for "Team Patient" (Or team "Mostly Patient," I think we all agree we need a starting center and backup wing next year)

1. This team is not that far from being able to beat the Warriors. I think it's plausible that this same team with Holmes and Batum added, and another year of experience, is beating the Warriors right now. The immediate need right now is depth, and all-in moves don't add depth, they deplete it (in favor of top-level talent acquisition). Any time your team plays beyond expectations, you also want to be careful not to upset chemistry-- we've seen just this year how important that can be with the addition-by-subtraction of KP.

2. The Mavs' asset-bank is probably about as low as it can get right now. THJ is coming off an injury, Dinwiddie and Bertans still have several years left, Green might never be worth anything, and we can't even think about sending future picks without tipping New York for the privilege of removing the protection on our '22 (that itself would be a risky move, even if complete disaster is unlikely). Furthermore, is that final piece really available right now? Someone who is undeniably worth going all-in for?

In my mind, the final piece for this team is a three-level scorer, who particularly excels at off-ball shooting, but can also punish teams who overplay him on the perimeter. In addition, he should be at least as long and proficient on defense as Bullock. I can't view Gobert as the final piece, because he doesn't make us better on offense, and in fact might hinder us from playing Luka's (and Brunson's) best, ideal form of 5-out offense.