NBA TRADE TALK: TDL over

[KillerLeft]

Last 20 games include 12 without KP. Mavs record in those games...9-3. The same story that we saw in the last two seasons. The team is just as good (maybe even better) without the highest paid player.
Only problem I see is the possibility that there simply is no interest in KP. If we want to get rid of him. Why would any team want him?

Again, I'm not arguing any of that. I am the biggest KP hater here, by far (surely you know that). 

But, IF HE'S HERE, he's gong to play. I MUCH PREFER the way he has played (and the team has played with him) when he has played at the 5, with either Kleber or DFS with him. I HATE the way the team played with KP/Powell out there with a passion, and I don't see any reason to expect that to work better with Holmes. 

Honestly, I'm unsure just how much of an upgrade over Powell Holmes would actually be over Powell's recent high level of play. I think you'd gain something defensively in the paint because he's stronger, but I bet he's less switchable than Powell, and I think people would be shocked how much the drop-off would be in the pick and roll game on offense. At least temporarily. And remember, we're talking about a kid who has played with the kings for years. Are we sure he's going to instantly care about getting the defensive rotations just right, the way this current group seems to? 

Don't get me wrong - I like the player a lot. I think there's a chance he doesn't make the kind of difference here that's being assumed. And if the plan is to play him with KP, I'm confident that will make the team worse than it has looked recently.