02-10-2024, 08:00 AM
It has been interesting reading the very different opinions about the trade with a lot of media members and people here who I like. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Obviously, Mavs can't afford to make a mistake. As a person who wanted Grant Williams this offseason, I don't think he is as bad as he was lately. Personally when I look at these support players I am always asking do these players let Luka be Luka. The more and more that I watched Grant (even when he hit his threes) I didn't think he was good enough at those small things where it would highlight Luka and Kyrie and let them be your stars. Not great rotation defender, not a good rebounder, really couldn't put pressure on the rim, had a lot of trouble guarding certain players, etc.
Washington fits my mold of what I am looking for as a power forward and also the type of athlete that fits how I want to play. The reviews of his game are mixed. The flashy plays are nice, but I am more interested in the boring, non stat stuff. I think he will be able to create and finish better than Grant, but probably be a lower three point shooter over time. The key for me is can he be an above average defender, a smart player who can play off stars, and be a solid rebounder. We will need to give him time to fit in, but I think we will have some of these answers relatively soon. Even if the next month or so there will be a lot of bumps.
Same thing for Gafford. Obviously, you hope he rim runs. He looks to have pretty decent hands. But the things he needs to do to allow Luka to be Luka is to make it a little bit harder for teams to score at the rim. He will have a lot of challengers with our perimeter defense. Offensive rebounds will also be key. If he can get 3-4 extra shots per game....along with several from Lively, those are the types of play I call winning on the edges. Small things like that add up. One thing I liked reading about Gafford is that he always plays hard per Washington fans. Having two uber athletic centers who play hard all the time is a nice thing to have. When you have a super star, if you can consistently win on the edges, I like our chances in a lot of games.
Just highlights, but fun watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRFCt8te4CY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SPG_7SFkOI
Washington fits my mold of what I am looking for as a power forward and also the type of athlete that fits how I want to play. The reviews of his game are mixed. The flashy plays are nice, but I am more interested in the boring, non stat stuff. I think he will be able to create and finish better than Grant, but probably be a lower three point shooter over time. The key for me is can he be an above average defender, a smart player who can play off stars, and be a solid rebounder. We will need to give him time to fit in, but I think we will have some of these answers relatively soon. Even if the next month or so there will be a lot of bumps.
Same thing for Gafford. Obviously, you hope he rim runs. He looks to have pretty decent hands. But the things he needs to do to allow Luka to be Luka is to make it a little bit harder for teams to score at the rim. He will have a lot of challengers with our perimeter defense. Offensive rebounds will also be key. If he can get 3-4 extra shots per game....along with several from Lively, those are the types of play I call winning on the edges. Small things like that add up. One thing I liked reading about Gafford is that he always plays hard per Washington fans. Having two uber athletic centers who play hard all the time is a nice thing to have. When you have a super star, if you can consistently win on the edges, I like our chances in a lot of games.
Just highlights, but fun watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRFCt8te4CY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SPG_7SFkOI