Preseason Knee Jerk Reactions Thread

[StepBackJay]

My knee-jerk hot takes so far:

• Not sure what Delon Wright brings to the table just yet. Even though he is penciled in as an opening day starter it's not a lock that he stays there. Mavericks salaries are such that Rick can really put anyone he wants in the starting lineup without being beholden to a DAJ/Matthews situation where he *has* to start anyone.
  
• Mavs may eventually give up on trying to play defense and go back to what they usually do which is offensive efficiency and a killer bench. Run and gun, score a lot and get *enough* stops to win.
  
• Record-wise, ceiling to me is a low 40's win team. I think it's going to take a while for everyone to mesh but they could get it going eventually
  
• Brunson may force his way into the starting lineup. He fits too perfectly with Luka offensively. I do expect them to play a fair number of minutes together regardless. 
  
• Mavs have a logjam of like 7th man players. This equals really good bench and not a great starting lineup.
  
• This team is going to make a trade at some point this year
  
• JJB actually might return mostly to form this year. He didn't look that great last night but not terrible either. He was playing out of his mind the last couple of years before he got hurt. I actually think he will get consistent minutes in that 2nd unit.
  
• Justin Jackson is a very good player. His rebounding is what's going to hold him back. I think him and DFS are fighting for that starting spot
  
• THJ is going to be a good bench player and it's not impossible for him to force his way into the starting lineup at least some nights (or if there's injury). We buried him as worthless too early perhaps.
  
• KP is not shooting well from 3, I am a little surprised he isn't mixing it up more. That could be just the nature of pre-season basketball that they aren't running a lot of sets for him yet. I am not sure why he doesn't shoot more mid-range. Not worried though. If anyone knows how to utilize a Dirk-like player it's Rick.
  
• Opening day starting lineup (if Powell is healthy): Luka, Wright, DFS, Porzingis, Powell.
  
• Eventual (regular) starting lineup prediction: Brunson, Luka, DFS, Porzingis, Powell. 
  

[WillE]

[*]Justin Jackson is a very good player. His rebounding is what's going to hold him back. I think him and DFS are fighting for that starting spot

[*]
I was excited from the first moment to have him. He'll only get better and has a pretty decent ceiling.

Yet, he'll probably never be a better rebounder than DFS. So to me his offense is what will be his calling card. There he needs to deliver to get playing time.

---

[*]Mavs have a logjam of like 7th man players. This equals really good bench and not a great starting lineup.
[*]This team is going to make a trade at some point this year

[*] 

I had the same observation. It'll be hard to say good bye to any of these guys, as each one has nice potential. But that's also why I hope a package of these might land us a third core piece, which is the biggest goal currently. Can't wait!

[omahen]

[*]Justin Jackson is a very good player. His rebounding is what's going to hold him back. I think him and DFS are fighting for that starting spot

[*]
I was excited from the first moment to have him. He'll only get better and has a pretty decent ceiling.

Yet, he'll probably never be a better rebounder than DFS. So to me his offense is what will be his calling card. There he needs to deliver to get playing time.

[*]
His only problem is that he is not aggresive. That's why he is often invisible in offense for long stretches or even whole games and that's why he doesn't get rebounds. Other that he has an excellent skill set.

So feed the guy with raw meat to wake up that animal in him :-)

[WillE]

[*]THJ is going to be a good bench player and it's not impossible for him to force his way into the starting lineup at least some nights (or if there's injury). We buried him as worthless too early perhaps.

[*]
I could live with him and especially his contract as the price to pay for KP from the first second.

Of course he doesn't deliver what he get's paid, but he still can deliver decent performances. So as long as he's on the roster, he can be a plus player when utilized correctly - RC will make sure of that, so I'm excited to see his contributions!

---

[*]Justin Jackson is a very good player. His rebounding is what's going to hold him back. I think him and DFS are fighting for that starting spot

[*]
I was excited from the first moment to have him. He'll only get better and has a pretty decent ceiling.

Yet, he'll probably never be a better rebounder than DFS. So to me his offense is what will be his calling card. There he needs to deliver to get playing time.

[*]
His only problem is that he is not aggresive. That's why he is often invisible in offense for long stretches or even whole games and that's why he doesn't get rebounds. Other that he has an excellent skill set.

So feed the guy with raw meat to wake up that animal in him :-)

[*]
Haha, whatever is necessary. But I have no doubt that RC will guide him to unleash his potential sooner or later.

[omahen]

[*]Justin Jackson is a very good player. His rebounding is what's going to hold him back. I think him and DFS are fighting for that starting spot

[*]
I was excited from the first moment to have him. He'll only get better and has a pretty decent ceiling.

Yet, he'll probably never be a better rebounder than DFS. So to me his offense is what will be his calling card. There he needs to deliver to get playing time.

---

[*]


[*]Mavs have a logjam of like 7th man players. This equals really good bench and not a great starting lineup.
[*]This team is going to make a trade at some point this year

[*]
[*] 

I had the same observation. It'll be hard to say good bye to any of these guys, as each one has nice potential. But that's also why I hope a package of these might land us a third core piece, which is the biggest goal currently. Can't wait!

[*][*]
Here I doubt. Why would anyone trade number 3 guy for two, three, four or even more number 7 guys? Number 7 guys and lower are mostly paid minimum salary in contender teams. So the only option is they develop in higher than number 7 guys (why trade them then?) or we will have to attach assets. Assets we of course don't really have. Here is my resentment with the summer - we didn't get assets for the remaining cap (either in the form of starters or picks for bad salaries).

Regarding the potential - DFS, Maxi, Powell, Curry and Wright can't really be considered young. I don't think we will see much improvement from any of them. My personal opinion - I only see Powell as a player that could rise his value, if he can play at a level similar to second half of last season. Decent 3 to keep defense honest, some driving, excellent rim running and high energy on both sides of the court. 12-15 ppg on high efficiency + 7-8 rebounds would be my expectation for his role on the team. You can see Maxi is not a player who could deliver this - not against starters.

High energy I am missing from guys like Wright, Maxi and DFS. They should be more aggresive to get to the elite defender level.

---

Here is how I see Mavs. Might be wrong, I am not with them, but this is what I am concluding by watching them.

I think Mavs have just nice guys. Leaders of the team (Luka, KP) feature fancy unicorn offense but don't really care a lot about defense. The supporting cast is here not to jeopardy the KP and Luka roles and stardom and looks like they are affraid to stick out (only exception being Brunson). 

We desperately need a guy that every opposing team will hate - a guy like Beverly, Smart, Tucker, Iguodala.  Relentless fighter on both ends, who the teammates will respect and listen to. A guy that "is allowed" to raise his voice when team, even our stars, isn't playing intensively enough. And is not affraid to raise it when necessary. Wright, DFS or Maxi so far haven't show they have this in them. They are hard workers, good guys, but they are not leaders. If one of them would be able to step up and take that role, his value would become great.

[WillE]

[*]
Dirk's leadership abilities were questioned for the better part of his career. Give Luka and KP time - they're the ones who need to hold everyone accountable. It takes growing pains to get there, but it's only a question of time for them.

[StepBackJay]

Speaking of trades, you never know who could become available. Steven Adams is a one idea. Derrick Favors is another. I am not sure how Favors gets minutes in New Orleans. That is something I will be monitoring. Favors is a great fit in that he would allow KP to still play center

[BigDirk41]

I was more excited prior to the preseason than I am now about the team as a whole. The whole lot of 7th man type players is right on. We have 2 absolute franchise players in Luka and KP, but after that we don't even have a defined 3rd, 4th, 5th best player. We have 2 studs and then 10 great bench players. Sure we have several guys that could be the 5th option on a playoff team, but right now we don't have the clear cut #3 and #4 guys. 

It's hard to explain. I liked the signings we made, but I hated that we didn't get a 3rd option and I hate that we didn't use the rest of our cap space this summer. I think Jackson and Wright can develop into starter quality players. I think Curry can be what he has been, a highly effective 3 point shooter. I think we spent entirely way too much money on lower half of the roster. I think good teams develop role players on the cheap and use their money for their top 6 to 7 players. 

All that being said, I hope the team bonds quickly and can win 45 plus games. I'm having trouble seeing how it will all fit right now. Maybe the easy schedule for the first month will give them the confidence they need to succeed all year. I hope I can look back on this in a month and say I was completely wrong.

[Thukydides]

This thread seems to be the place to ask this question: Is Seth already in Rick's doghouse or what is going on?

[Kammrath]

Is Seth already in Rick's doghouse or what is going on?

Based on my read of body language (which can be dangerous) my guess is yes. Seth however, did have a knee contusion so that is why he didn't play the second half. But it seems to me that Seth isn't the happiest right now even before that and is down the pecking order pretty far. Again, because it seems that somehow he isn't doing what RC prefers.

I am super disappointed by the whole thing as I think he is REALLY important to this team.

[Aussiebballer]

Over/under assists per game for KP 
1.5?
Looks like he is trying to shoot his way into form, ok for preseason but see what happens in the real games.

[iolide]

Man, when it comes to reading Body Language, i think we as a board are Experts. I mean, look at last season; us Fans knew there were problems among the team before it even got close to trading time lol. Anyways, I haven't paid much attention to Seth and how he looks or whatever; but i do know he suffered some Contusion - hope its not serious.

[Jym]

Over/under assists per game for KP 
1.5?
Looks like he is trying to shoot his way into form, ok for preseason but see what happens in the real games.

I hope people dont turn against KP too hard over the next year 
He's not the player most people seem to have in their heads but he certainly has the potential to grow into that.
Like he averaged 1.3 apg the 23ppg year that everything was running thru him and doubt much has changed in that respect while he's been out.
There's a ton of stuff on the offensive end he completely has to relearn or learn for the first time over the next 2 to 3 years on top of just getting his footing back after injury. He's always been a low efficiency blackhole in the past, and I dont think you can completely blame his teammates for that

[Kammrath]

Man, when it comes to reading Body Language, i think we as a board are Experts. I mean, look at last season; us Fans knew there were problems among the team before it even got close to trading time lol. Anyways, I haven't paid much attention to Seth and how he looks or whatever; but i do know he suffered some Contusion - hope its not serious.

Haha...I do think it is very easy to go over board with body language reading....but we actually were DEAD SPOT ON about the locker room issues last year.

[fifteenth]

I actually try not to knee-jerk. But I'll suspend that for this thread...

My knee-jerk hot takes:

• The presence of Delon, DFS, Maxi and KP in the rotation will result in a top 10 defense. 
  
• THJ will be closer to the player we saw last night against OKC than the inefficient chucker that most of us have projected him to be. 
  
• Delon, JJackson, DP, Brunson, Curry, THJ, DFS and Maxi will prove to be a bunch of 4 - 6 level guys rather than a bunch of 7s. 
  
• Luka will shoot 85% from the free throw line
  
• Delon will be our 3rd best starter
  
• Once everyone is healthy, the strength of the top 10 will mean that JJB and Bobi play spot duty as the 11th and 12 guys
  

[Kammrath]

Bobi play spot duty as the 11th and 12 guy

[ClutchDirk]

My one knee jerk is that our offense will be better when Powell returns from injury...his threat of rim rolling and setting screens will open up more space for the other starters...also he and Luka had great chemistry last year with Powell converting at a high percentage when Luka was on the court...

[Jym]

Still blows my mind Luka is only 20.
This is 100% his team. The top dog, the alpha. 
No DeAndre's around this year to fight that.

[ItsGoTime]

[*]Delon, JJackson, Powell, KP, Brunson, Curry, THJ, DFS and Maxi will prove to be a bunch of 4 - 6 level guys rather than a bunch of 7s. 

[*]

That is a hot take. I really hope you're wrong, for Donnie's sake.

[ClutchDirk]

[*]Delon, JJackson, Powell, KP, Brunson, Curry, THJ, DFS and Maxi will prove to be a bunch of 4 - 6 level guys rather than a bunch of 7s. 

[*]

That is a hot take. I really hope you're wrong, for Donnie's sake.

[*]KP hate detected...