08-04-2021, 11:29 PM
(08-04-2021, 11:12 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: I totally agree that this could be the thinking, but:
We know KP has complained about being a spacer (sometimes by name and other times referring to himself as a “decoy”). If Powell/Luka are the main foundation of the offense again, that is exactly what KP will be.
We know KP has said he prefers to play the 5 on offense because he likes to be in “trail position.” He likes those early opportunities to play off of Luka in secondary transition, in other words, also known as “early in the clock 26-ft 3’s”.
We know that Kidd has said he wants to get back to what KP was doing in NY “when he was having fun.” To me, this means KP having the ball in his hands, either in the low post or face-up in the extended free throw line areas. What’s Powell doing while this is happening, standing in the corner? Who would guard him there? If he’s standing in the dunker spot on the other side, where’s the space for KP to do anything?
Idk…I get where you’re coming from, and it’s kind of what the tea leaves are whispering to me, too, but I see a ton of conflicting info if this is the case.
They (happily) committed nearly $200M to this frontcourt with extensions.
They value payroll hierarchy a lot. Also you can’t play 5 out all the time with KP. The offense gets stale, that’s probably the conclusion after last year. And when we assume KP can’t roll to basket for whatever reasons (skill and health are both factors Imo) then, well, you’ve once again arrived at DP being the solution.
I really think this is what is being planned here. It’s probably also the easy option for Nico to fall back on. Playing it safe with a large chunk of the old roster and some low risk additions.
If things go south he’ll won’t have dug himself a hole with expensive contracts and it’s pretty easy to point towards the bad asset base and contracts he was dealt with.
Heck he can easily sacrifice Kidd, too, without taking damage as he was mostly the guy Cuban and hus group of advisors wanted here immediately after RC was gone.