EXTENSION: Gobert signs 5yr/$205M w/ UTA | DAL "significant interest" if available

[loki]

You make a great point about the impact of Gobert on defense.

Look, KP is going to play what 32-34 MPG? That means there are 14-16 minutes available to someone, when KP is on the bench.

Gobert is going to play what, 32-34 MPG? 

So if Gobert plays while KP sits, you're talking about the two of them sharing the floor for only roughly 16-20 MPG.

Shifting to the Mavs current situation, if you think KP is going to share the floor with some combination of WCS, Powell or Kleber for 16 minutes -- basically 7-8 min to start the game and to open the 2nd half -- do you really think the defense is going to be worse by replacing those minutes with DPOY Rudy Gobert?!

The closing lineup is what's most important if Dallas pays max deals for both. They will have to play together when it really matters. Whether the defense is better or worse could depend on the matchups. With guys like Powell and Kleber, they are at least capable of picking up someone on the perimeter without a guaranteed blow-by. What happens when a team like the Lakers or Bucks go small and Dallas has KP+Gobert on the court? Imagine Lebron and AD playing the 4/5, or Giannis at the 5, surrounded by shooters. That would be a nightmare to cover.

What happened to KP in the playoffs is the exact thing that happened to Gobert. 

KP was one of the only good things going for the Mavs defense this year, so pulling him to the perimeter and blowing past him left the middle completely open (layup line). This is what opposing teams have done with Gobert in the playoffs. The solution is not to get rid of Gobert or KP (they aren't the problem IMO), but to build a better TEAM defense around them. Now you don't HAVE to do that with another big, but I am suggesting there is no reason you can't do it with another big. 

As long as the Mavs have KP they will be weakened when he is switched onto a Lillard type on the perimeter, so the Mavs can either shore up the help BEHIND KP (see Gobert as an example) OR they can move on from KP. 

Again, my argument is that KP+Gobert on D would NOT weaken the other, it would HELP the other drastically in fact.

The team defense should be improved significantly with the Richardson addition. Re-watching some old clips of that Portland game, the inability of THJ and Curry to fight over screens really exposes KP's drop coverage and gives up open shots constantly. I think they will show improvement here already.

Will Gobert address that weakness in another way? Of course. But it also allows more dribble penetration and open 3's (especially if you're playing tons of zone). And I think teams would target both Gobert & KP more frequently than they currently do.