(08-10-2023, 08:23 PM)The Jom Wrote: Thanks. Found it hidden under the DFS Dad heading. Paying attention isn’t my strong suit.

(08-10-2023, 12:21 PM)ItsGoTime Wrote: About all this extension talk, which lesson have they learned? The Brunson lesson or the Powell lesson? I hope they extend him at a roughly MLE base, but, a part of me is cautious about the possibility that Green has a down year. His confidence issues has me a bit on edge (fellow countrymen Ben Simmons possibilities swirling a bit in my head).

(08-12-2023, 06:51 AM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: So you think Capela is the missing piece?

(08-12-2023, 09:04 AM)ItsGoTime Wrote: I think Capela would make this team SIGNIFICANTLY better. His presence takes a huge question mark out of the equation. GWill still has a question mark, Green has question marks, Hardy, OMax, Lively, Holmes all have question marks. Even Maxi has a question mark after last season. Some of them are easier to answer than others, but it’s a lot.

With Kyrie on the team and to an extent Luka, we really need to do everything we can to win now. I think, even if he is declining (I don’t really believe that), a well fitting Capela (being the biggest named C that seems to be available right now) brings us barely into the contention conversation. He allows us to develop Lively into a perfect starting replacement while keeping us in that contention window, which gives even more development for all our young guys (as well as Luka even). Part of that is helping the team reach a higher seed for the playoffs, which in turn helps us get in the later rounds.

Allen would be a much better option, but, if Lively is 2 years away, Capela’s contract expiring in 2 years fits pretty perfectly. At that point, we resign Cap to a more suitable contract for a high end bench C to back Lively up.

I don’t think it’s as simple as “get Capela and win championship” like my signature might suggest. I think he is a big piece to the puzzle though. The thought also isn’t necessarily giving a timeframe on said championship either. Cap COULD be that well fitting missing piece, or he COULD be a well fitting stepping stone. I think either way, just get him and go to work!

(08-12-2023, 11:33 AM)mvossman Wrote: Great article on DJJ by Iztok:

https://www.dmagazine.com/sports/2023/08/dallas-mavericks-derrick-jones-nba/

(08-12-2023, 11:47 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: Can’t stress this enough: he really can’t be played with Powell or Holmes. I think that’s more than fine, but I think a lot of folks around here are going to be pissed at how small Dallas plays upfront.

(08-12-2023, 10:56 AM)mvossman Wrote: I feel like your first paragraph is evidence for the opposite conclusion.  For a team with such a large amount of what ifs, its hard to imagine they are going to be legit title contenders, or that adding another what if (is Capela on the decline?) is going to change that significantly.  Even with Kyrie's timeline, you could make a strong argument for seeing how some of these what ifs play out, and then pulling the trigger next offseason when you have 3 picks to potentially trade instead of one.

Another reason to give it a year is that so many of our what ifs are young.  Lively, Omax, Hardy, Green and Williams all have various potential to be better the season after next.  The goal seems to be building a long term contention window, and the earliest reasonable expectation of that window to start is the 24-25 season.

(08-12-2023, 12:03 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: Has anyone argued this point with you?

(08-12-2023, 12:29 PM)Dundalis Wrote: I think Capela might be on the decline. The question is decline from what? From 15 points, 14 boards, 2 blocks he put up his first season in Atlanta? Yeah. Now he's been at 12 points, 11 boards, 1.2 blocks a game. This "declined" version of Capela is still probably easily the best center Dallas has had in many many years. I'll take the declined version of Capela every day of the week.

He's the type of big that could have a very big impact for us during the regular season, but start to become marginalized in the playoffs as has happened before. But I will take that 100%. Would I give up the same type of assets I might for someone like Allen, no. But he would have a pretty big impact for a team that will possibly be one of the lightest/smallest teams in the league when it comes to paint presence.

(08-12-2023, 11:47 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: Yep, he’s got the right of it.

And, I’m optimistic about it, too. I just hope people understand that playing DJJ basically means Kleber or Williams being the biggest guys on the floor. Can’t stress this enough: he really can’t be played with Powell or Holmes. I think that’s more than fine, but I think a lot of folks around here are going to be pissed at how small Dallas plays upfront.

(08-12-2023, 01:30 PM)mvossman Wrote: I think this is a little overstated.  He probably will be most effective as part of a small ball front court, but I think you can get away with some minutes of him playing a traditional wing.  He will be a hit to spacing in the half court, but I think it can be somewhat mitigated by camping him out in the left corner, where he shot over 40% each of the last three years.  I mean, we played Frank over 10 minutes a game with his sub 50% true shooting because of his defense.

(08-12-2023, 11:33 AM)mvossman Wrote: Great article on DJJ by Iztok:

https://www.dmagazine.com/sports/2023/08/dallas-mavericks-derrick-jones-nba/

(08-12-2023, 01:45 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: This kind of seems like “arguing the point with me” for the record. 

Tongue in cheek there, mvoss, I know you get it (though I don’t know that a failed margin signing of a player who was mostly dnp’d and finally unceremoniously allowed to walk with no surprise or outcry from anyone is a great example to point to in this situation). 

The reality is that guys who can defend but have no utility on offense just don’t help you win. They don’t have to be great offensive players, but they have to have SOME utility. 

DJJ as a screener/roller has utility. Good utility, in fact. Ntilikina had none, really (just like Thybulle would’ve) but if the Mavs get caught up trying to have DJJ stand in the corner, we’ll probably miss Ntilikina. Sorry, I just don’t see that as a viable strategy at all. I wish I had the words to state it MORE emphatically, not temper it.

---

I keep accidentally closing threads when posting from phone, sorry.

(08-12-2023, 04:06 PM)The Jom Wrote: I think Maxi just became a starter

(08-12-2023, 04:33 PM)Jym Wrote: I feel like the Blazers saved us from ourselves. We don't need a non-scorer taking that many minutes away from Green ( and yes we need him to step up and become more of a scorer himself)

(08-12-2023, 10:56 AM)mvossman Wrote: I feel like your first paragraph is evidence for the opposite conclusion.  For a team with such a large amount of what ifs, its hard to imagine they are going to be legit title contenders, or that adding another what if (is Capela on the decline?) is going to change that significantly.  Even with Kyrie's timeline, you could make a strong argument for seeing how some of these what ifs play out, and then pulling the trigger next offseason when you have 3 picks to potentially trade instead of one.

Another reason to give it a year is that so many of our what ifs are young.  Lively, Omax, Hardy, Green and Williams all have various potential to be better the season after next.  The goal seems to be building a long term contention window, and the earliest reasonable expectation of that window to start is the 24-25 season.

(08-12-2023, 12:57 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Mentioned this the other day, but to me, Jones Jr IS the final big. He’s not a center, but he is another piece of the 4/5 puzzle, and likely signals that Kleber is going to play mostly 5 (as I think he should). It also means we’ll see some DJJ/Willams 4/5 time, and maybe a lot of that if it’s successful. 

In other words, I think the DJJ signing happened because the Capela thing is over.