10-30-2023, 02:59 PM
(10-30-2023, 02:33 PM)ItsGoTime Wrote: Ok, sure. I think the two correlate in that if Capela is on sharp decline, you’re right. If not, and he is just having a couple bad games during an otherwise regular season for him, it’s a premature call. We also operate at opposing sides of the THJ value spectrum.
Anyway, maybe Cap isn’t the C from Atl we should be looking at? Okongwu, I’ve read, has some fan detractors. He just got extended to a contract that is solid for a backup too. I doubt they would, but he may be the better long term bet. All I want to see is the level of play at C that we saw in that SA opening game throughout the entirety of the game (sans smallball stretches).
No, not at all.
The Mavs shouldn't be looking at ANY centers until it's clear who the guy they just spent the 12th pick on is in reality. I was into the Capela idea when it seemed (because we all assumed) that he wasn't ready to even play, but he clearly is. I'm not even sure you can get away with playing ONE center every game these days, let alone two, and the guys they have to supplement Lively (Powell/Holmes) are both IDEAL, at least in "type." I'd want Kleber to be playing a little better, ideally, but THAT'S where patience should be argued for in this conversation - patience for the guys already on the roster. Heck, they even have a "break glass in case of emergency" guy in Holmes who can fill in for Lively or Powell if needed. And, if you are in the "Holmes hasn't pissed me off playing for the Mavs yet, so he must be better than some of these guys who have" camp, then you might even say his presence provides an adequate level of competition for the others to stay on their toes, and possibly even to pass them.
It all adds up to a pretty relaxed posture from me about the center position, honestly. I'm more focused on this mess they're trying to wade through with the perimeter defenders. They're trying to play DJJ at the 3! THAT should tell us where the hole on this roster is, imho. I think they were hoping O-Max could fill that role and are scrambling (which makes even the late DJJ signing make more sense, just not in a good way).