2020-2021 MAVS NEWS: Archived

[Reunion Mav Old]

Looking at Kamm’s roster graphic...we know they won’t want dead money past this season, and Johnson’s deal seems way too big for them to swallow. So, the only three options I see are: Boban, WCS and Brunson. 

I honestly can’t imagine them cutting any of those guys for Barea to be the 15th man. I just can’t. If they do make a decision like that, there will be a bigger reason behind it than “we like him.”

Guys, this is not hard. Barea will indeed be cut unless something very unforeseen happens that would make a spot available such as a trade. This is Mark Cuban, who knows that Barea still has to get paid because he now has a contract, doing JJ Barea a solid. He will get cut and as soon as it is legal, sign with the Mavs as a coach. We knew much earlier that this is what the Mavs wanted to do. Giving him a shot and 2.7 million dollars to come to camp with very little chance to make the team represents....wait for it in this no compromise world...a compromise!

Further more, if we need to sign anybody later in the season, Barea will be very available and already on the bench....with a contract. While he waits, he can coach and support Luka. Never fear Mavs fans. This is great news for our beloved Maverick, JJ Barea.

[ItsGoTime]

Guys, this is not hard.

http://gph.is/2ytd0DI

[KillerLeft]

Guys, this is not hard.

http://gph.is/2ytd0DI

DUDE...I almost made this exact joke.

[DanSchwartzgan]

ESPN's Kevin Pelton's projected standings in the west:

1.  LAL
2.  LAC
3.  Utah
4.  Den
5.  Dal
6.  NO
7.  Hou
8.  Pho

9.  Por
10. Mem


5. Dallas Mavericks
Average wins: 39.9
Playoffs:[b] [/b]74%

I'm a little surprised the Mavericks didn't move up more in the projections after ranking third in point differential in the West last season. Kristaps Porzingis' health is a big reason. He is projected for 44 games, which seems reasonable given his uncertain return date from offseason knee surgery.

[omahen]

ESPN's Kevin Pelton's projected standings in the west:

How is it possible he has Portland out of playoffs and New Orleans on 6th spot. That seems so unlikely to happen. The only thing going NO way is new coach. Otherwise their roster is arguably worse than last season

[Hypermav]

1 - LAL

2-3 LAC and DEN

4-6 UTAH, DAL and POR

7-8 PHX and HOU (with Harden)

9-10 MEM and NO (for the play in tournament)

[DanSchwartzgan]

ESPN's Kevin Pelton's projected standings in the west:

How is it possible he has Portland out of playoffs and New Orleans on 6th spot. That seems so unlikely to happen. The only thing going NO way is new coach. Otherwise their roster is arguably worse than last season

He points out that only 3.5 games separate second and ninth in his projections.  He uses a multi-year fully regressed thin-a-ma-bob RPM matrix variant derivative model.  Bledsoe shows up relatively well and a full season from Zion help the NO projections.

[omahen]

Bledsoe shows up relatively well and a full season from Zion help the NO projections.

Thanks for explanation. 

I sincerely doubt his model. New Orleans has 4 non shooters (Ball, Bledsoe, Zion and Adams) in the projected starting five which is a disaster waiting to happen. Adams is marginal improvement to Favors and Bledsoe is certainly worse than Holiday. Other than that there were no other significant improvements. They were on 11th place last season and now they will just jump to 6th? Even if Zion is healthy, I don't see it.

On the other hand, Portland improved significantly in the offseason, covered the holes they had. They were 8th the past season and now somehow ends up 9th despite Presti and Fertitta basically pressed self destruct buttons on their teams.

[KillerLeft]

New Orleans has no chance. Zion's inconsistent first year was enough to cast doubt, but pairing him with Adams sealed their fate, imho.

I think the clearest path to a world in which Zion is consistently relevant is to turn him into Amare Stoudamire, at least early on. If he can develop more as a ball-handler later, great, but he could INSTANTLY be a factor as a downhill roller. I would've signed D'Antoni to coach and made a move for a pick and roll point guard. Lonzo is a good player, but he's not that type of player.

[Branduil]

New Orleans surrounding Zion with non-shooters is just bizarre. Especially when quality stretch bigs were available.

[Scott41theMavs]

People are completely sleeping on Phoenix. I have them second in the West, tbqh.

[Branduil]

People are completely sleeping on Phoenix. I have them second in the West, tbqh.

That's too high I think. They should easily make the playoffs though, CP3 and another year of experience for Ayton will see to that.

[BigDirk41]

People are completely sleeping on Phoenix. I have them second in the West, tbqh.

I don't see them at 2, but I could see them sneak into the top 4. It won't surprise me if they finish ahead of the Mavs with KP unavailable at the start and no telling how many games he will play. I see the Mavs in the 5-7 range and it will depend on how much KP we get this year. I think we are clearly a better team this year, but it's hard to win a lot of games without your #2 stud.

[ClutchDirk]

We pushed the Clippers without KP, Powell, Brunson, and WCS...we dumped Wright and Jackson while adding Richardson Johnson and Iwundu...

Even without KP to start we should stay around the top 4 IMO...

[BigDirk41]

We pushed the Clippers without KP, Powell, Brunson, and WCS...we dumped Wright and Jackson while adding Richardson Johnson and Iwundu...

Even without KP to start we should stay around the top 4 IMO...

That's not sustainable imo. That was Luka carrying this team in a series. He can't do that for months and not wear down. If the Lakers were without AD, nobody would say they will stay top 4. If Clips were without PG-13, nobody would say top 4. If Denver was without Murray, nobody would say top 4. If Utah was without Gobert, nobody would say top 4. 

I hope you're right and I'm wrong, but I just think top 4 without KP is unrealistic. If that's true, we should be in the running for the 1 or 2 seed if we had KP from the start. That just seems too high for me.

[dirkfansince1998]

We pushed the Clippers without KP, Powell, Brunson, and WCS...we dumped Wright and Jackson while adding Richardson Johnson and Iwundu...

Even without KP to start we should stay around the top 4 IMO...

Mavs are not the only team that improved the roster or struggled with injuries last season. Only the Rockets and OKC are worse.

Suns are a lot better. Ayton won´t miss 25 games. They added CP3. Not to mention that they already looked really good in the bubble.
Portland added RoCo. Collins and Nurkic basically missed the entire regular season last year.
Clipppers will have something to prove.
Lakers look like the best team in the league again. Maybe not in the regular season but certainly come playoff times. Unless LeBron finally hits the wall.
Jazz will probably be just as good as last year. No big changes. They added Favors.
Warriors lost Klay but added Wiseman. Really difficult to predict how they will perform. If Curry plays like his pre KD-Warriors self anything is possible.
Rockets as of now still have Harden and that alone should be enough for the 7th or 8th seed.
Nuggets nearly beat the Lakers. They lost Grant and some depth but with Bol and MPJ improving they should be just as good as last year.
Timberwolves added the 1st overall pick Edwards and Rubio.

As usual the WCF looks even better than it did in the previous season.

[KillerLeft]

I think the Mavs will make the playoffs this year, and fairly easily, with or without KP.

But that's as far as I'm willing to stick my neck out. They improved, for sure, but as others have said, so did many other teams. I don't think the Mavs are anywhere close to the level of "contender" for anything but a playoff spot. They MIGHT finish as high as 3rd or 4th, but they also MIGHT finish 7th or 8th and have to deal with the play-in thing. 

If they finish in the top 4, I could see them winning a first round matchup, but I don't see any scenario where they go up against either LA team or Denver and advance. Would love to be wrong, but their core is still not totally assembled the way those teams' are, and what is here is still so much less experienced than it needs to be, imo. 

We've got to be patient, guys. By this time next year, we'll have a full picture of what (the first version of) Luka's team looks like.

[Mavsfan12]

I think the Mavs will make the playoffs this year, and fairly easily, with or without KP.

But that's as far as I'm willing to stick my neck out. They improved, for sure, but as others have said, so did many other teams. I don't think the Mavs are anywhere close to the level of "contender" for anything but a playoff spot. They MIGHT finish as high as 3rd or 4th, but they also MIGHT finish 7th or 8th and have to deal with the play-in thing. 

If they finish in the top 4, I could see them winning a first round matchup, but I don't see any scenario where they go up against either LA team or Denver and advance. Would love to be wrong, but their core is still not totally assembled the way those teams' are, and what is here is still so much less experienced than it needs to be, imo. 

We've got to be patient, guys. By this time next year, we'll have a full picture of what (the first version of) Luka's team looks like.

This.  

This coming season/TDL/Offseason will set in motion the official Luka's Team era of Your Dallas Mavericks.  Everything since Luka was drafted has been pointed towards this time period to build this team.  Every offseason is important, but this coming 12 months will determine the foundation of the Mavs' goodness to greatness to dynasty.  Any of those levels are possible, tbh.  

Speaking only of THIS seasons' standings, I think Den/UT are flipped (and UT may be too high).  I think Por/Phx are too low, and NO is too high.  I think Dal is somewhere 4-6 this season - although I would actually have them higher if we were going in full health. Where are the GSW???  There is a TON of talent in the LEAGUE now, guys.  The East doesn't even look like such a cakewalk and outside of OKC/SAS, teams in the west are either holdover good, improved (additions or health), or are young and could reasonably expect organic improvement.  It's going to be a fun and crazy year!!!

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/NickVanExit/status/1...1878909952

[Kammrath]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti0QWarNNB0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVmsAFqo7Xo