THE CRUCIFIX: Cato: Wood isn't thrilled w/ his role...Will depart in the summer

[IamDougieFresh]

Imagine not realizing that the only path forward for this team is to get Wood cooking with Luka in the starting lineup.

Wood and Green to the starting lineup on the double. 30+ minutes each as well.

[burekemde]

You cant sit on the bench your second best player. Wood is by far the second best and most talented player on this team. That play in first half where he starts outside the 3 point line, attacks the rim with 2 or 3 defenders around, and scores with amazing touch. Nobody besides Luka can do that.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

It's not only the minutes that's the problem.
Often times Wood's minutes are wasted with him not involved in the offense.

Playing with THJ is bad for Wood.
At a lesser extent, with SD too. I respect and understand him being more aggressive in the non-Luka minutes, but if he is on the floor with Wood, he needs to understand, he still gets to be the second best player in the court when Wood is with him.
I'm not going to complain if THJ's shooting great and SD's having a good game, but if they aren't, then this is just not acceptable.

Green plays good with Wood and doesn't take away shots from him. Why can't these other guys do that?

[WildArkieBoy]

Almost from the getgo, members from this site sort of predicted that Kidd would mishandle Wood and he would eventually be lost as an asset for nothing.  Those dire predictions still seem on point.  

While last year's playoff "success" may have bought some time, both Kidd and Nico should be considered "on the clock."

On another front, the most depressing statement of this year was Cuban's reference to holding on to this franchise "for his kids."  The owner who once told us he would spend whatever it takes and that "generating revenue" was his "job," now nickel and dimes his club while several multibillionaires are doing the opposite.  

I apologize for the negativity.

[JamesConway912]

https://twitter.com/boweman55/status/159...33703?s=46&t=OzDcaXa6wDI3Tp4_4hhX4w

THIS

If Wood bounces in FA and the Mavs don’t get assets in return then this was another awful trade that has set back the team.

Nerlens 2.0 incoming…

[JamesConway912]

https://twitter.com/boweman55/status/159...95392?s=46&t=OzDcaXa6wDI3Tp4_4hhX4w

---

https://twitter.com/realgm/status/159467...59078?s=46&t=OzDcaXa6wDI3Tp4_4hhX4w

[Smitty]

No, he is not that stupid, but he is likely that ARROGANT. Which can mean the same thing at the end of the day.

I'm no fan of Kidd right now, but it's impossible he is solely responsible for any and all decisions. 

There are maybe 10 coaches, all of which have unique roles and provide input and reasoning for basketball decisions. Yes the head coach takes the blame/credit -- but at this point the entire coaching staff is either completely incompetent or there is something much greater going on, that none of us can see on the surface.

[dynamicalVoid]

I'm no fan of Kidd right now, but it's impossible he is the sole reason for any and all decisions. 

There are maybe 10 coaches, all of which have a unique roles and provide input and reasoning for basketball decisions. Yes the head coach takes the blame/credit -- but at this point the entire coaching staff is either completely incompetent or there is something much greater going on, that none of us can see on the surface.

Here is my Hot Sports Opinion...

Wood has shown great offensive skills, willingness to be a team player and pass the ball...I have no idea about defensive assignments though...

But...

I think Wood gets abused in a Playoff setting.  He seems willing to compete and fight in the paint...but it seems like he is always getting bullied to me.  Maybe I am wrong on this.  I dont know if this would prevent him from getting minutes or not.  OTOH...he does seem to get rebounds.  Also...I dont know if he is a winning defensive player even though he seems willing to try.  Does he need time to learn the assignments to be in better position?  I dont know.  He seems to get scored on easy because he is a quarter second late on rotation or a fingernail away from a blocked shot.

I could be way off in my evals on Wood here...and even if I am right I dont know if not playing him good minutes fixes those issues.   Something is up with this situation, though.

Im a big Wood supporter right now and hope he gets more minutes.

[haveitall]

Everytime Wood plays he plays well.  His defense is better than McGee's.  He hustles and tries really hard.  He has missed a few defensive assignment but not more than any other player.  The biggest problem this team has is lack of talent and Wood has it.  He should be playing 30-35 mpg as a starter.  Josh Green should also be a starter instead of Bullock.

[KillerLeft]

Everytime Wood plays he plays well.  His defense is better than McGee's.  He hustles and tries really hard.  He has missed a few defensive assignment but not more than any other player.  The biggest problem this team has is lack of talent and Wood has it.  He should be playing 30-35 mpg as a starter.  Josh Green should also be a starter instead of Bullock.

I normally try to put myself in the mind of the coach on arguments like this and usually assume they have reasons we don't see/understand to make the choices they do, but in this case I'm kind of leaning this direction myself. 

I think you can argue that it's a little early to be talking that way about Green, but there's no question in my mind that Wood A) thinks of himself as a starter, B) has experience as a starter, C) is talented enough to be a higher minute player, D) is one of the 3-4 best players on this team, at least and E) will probably not re-sign here to play this low minute role, moving forward. 

Given all of that, I simply do not understand why they traded for him if this is how they wanted to use him.

[vfromlmf]

Wood has shown great offensive skills, willingness to be a team player and pass the ball...I have no idea about defensive assignments though...

Everyone can see Wood's offensive impact but very few, if anyone outside of the coaching staff, fully understand his defensive impact. Is he following the game plan? Is he in the right position? Is he helping? Is he slowing transition? Is he deterring paint attacks or attempts at the rim? Is he changing shots?

Only playing 17 minutes tells me he's not impacting the game defensively at least as well as any of the other bigs.

[Kammrath]

I simply do not understand why they traded for him if this is how they wanted to use him.

The explanation that makes the most sense is the one I have been putting forward for weeks:

Nico wanted Wood. Kidd did not.

[Chicagojk]

Lets start em.   I haven't made a full evaluation yet, but in all honesty I think he may fit best as a scorer off the bench.    I think that may eventually be his best role.  But with the rest of the roster and the lack of options, he is one of our 5 best players.   Regardless, I think he should be getting at least 30 minutes a game.  That will give us a good visual on how bad his weak spots are and make a correct evaluation.

[ItsGoTime]

I've said at the beginning of the season, I don't really care if Wood starts (although I believe strongly that he himself does). He just HAS to play at least 30 mpg and close.

[F Gump]

The explanation that makes the most sense is the one I have been putting forward for weeks:

Nico wanted Wood. Kidd did not.

Sorry, no, That makes NO sense to some of us. None at all. The fact that your own very contrived thesis makes sense to you doesn't mean it is what is really going on, or therefore OBJECTIVELY valid.

You can't have it both ways. You say that Kidd makes all the decisions -- yet when it fits your preferred narrative, you say he had no input and was ignored. So, you say, Kidd is pouting essentially and doing self-destructive things, which also makes no sense.

MUCH more likely is that there are many many many reasons that we just don't see or understand, that explain why Wood isn't playing as much as YOU think he should. Is he listening? Doing what coaches are asking? Working into team? Or, on a different level, is he invested in his craft -- or is he showing up late, hung over, sleepy, distracted? Is he coachable, or does he just go his own way? As has been pointed out by others, it is far more likely that MANY are involved in the minutes decisions you don't understand, and that the reasons are a well understood consensus within those circles (rather than just arbitrary whims by an off-the-rails coach who doesn't care.)

[KillerLeft]

Everyone can see Wood's offensive impact but very few, if anyone outside of the coaching staff, fully understand his defensive impact. Is he following the game plan? Is he in the right position? Is he helping? Is he slowing transition? Is he deterring paint attacks or attempts at the rim? Is he changing shots?

Only playing 17 minutes tells me he's not impacting the game defensively at least as well as any of the other bigs.

Here's the rub:

This is probably 100% accurate. Right on the money. 

But, in the Mavs' situation, they need him to "figure things out" or "fit here" or "work out" or however you want to couch it, just as badly as Wood does, if not more. I think that's where the frustration is coming from. 

This could be wrong also, for all the same "we're not on the inside" reasons you hint at above, but from an outside POV it sure seems like an attitude of "hey, we're a deep playoff team without him, so if he wants to get paid it's up to him to live up to what we're asking of him" is being adopted. Only, this team, without Brunson, might not BE a playoff team. 

The Mavs NEED Wood to work here. BADLY.

[Kammrath]

You say that Kidd makes all the decisions

Never said that. Not engaging with you anymore.

[cow]

The Mavs NEED Wood to work here. BADLY.

Luka's 5th year and it has come to this.  lol

[F Gump]

"You say that Kidd makes all the decisions"

Never said that. Not engaging with you anymore.

LOL of course you said that - you even started a whole thread with that as your assertion, that Kidd is the GM and deciding everything, and keep promoting that absurd idea in in one discussion after another!

And when you keep saying it in various passive-aggressive ways, as you AGAIN did here in this thread, I will keep pushing back for the nonsense it is.

BUT --- Kudos on the above post! I'm glad to see you are trying to distance yourself from such an absurdity, at least a little. It's a start!

[Kammrath]

LOL of course you said that - you even started a whole thread with that as your assertion, that Kidd is the GM and deciding everything

FALSE. 

I said in that thread (direct quote), "Nico trades for Wood, then Kidd refuses to start him and refuses to play him." My overall premise was that where Kidd has not gotten his way on roster decisions (l believe he did get his way with Dragic and McGee and didn't with Wood) that he is then exerting his will through playing time so as to potentially gain more roster control in the long run. 

I have never, ever, ever, ever claimed that Kidd has made "all" the decisions or is deciding "everything." Those are misreadings at best and lies at worst. That has never been my assertion and any level of reading comprehension can see that.

My point with Kidd as "defacto GM": 

He has NOT and does NOT make all the decisions....YET. He has made MANY decisions so far (that is a fact if we can believe the reporting) and I believe he wants to make ALL the decisions. If Nico doesn't exert some managerial control I believe we are heading down a path where Kidd is the GM in a total sense at some point in the future. I believe that path has started, but I do NOT believe he is making ALL the decisions at this point (it seems Hardy and Wood were Nico decisions from the best I can gather).