(12-19-2023, 01:31 PM)mvossman Wrote: If he could be had for cheap, I would be on board.  Most of the proposals regarding him involve adding a first.  Are you willing to go there?

(12-19-2023, 01:37 PM)ItsGoTime Wrote: I’m not going to argue against this too terribly much cause I don’t know what kind of “Luka bump” he would get coming here (if any at all).

A few nit picky things though - he’s mobile enough that a defense with him and Lively on the floor could be stifling at the rim. Maybe we don’t cover the perimeter as well, but as long as it’s not a layup line AND a 3 point shot fest? We can get this team’s defense down in the top 10 range.

He’s 22, hardly a finished product, so getting to our coaching staff and developing further on things that will make this team better is not out of the question.

I think Bobby Portis is kinda the archetype he would mold his game and role to. Very large piece to the Bucks championship puzzle. I also think that role is closer to a 25-30 minute role as opposed to 20-25 mins.

I don’t think Maxi has ever been good at guarding 5’s. I’ll give you the 2 although I don’t fully think that’s accurate either. 3’s and 4’s, he has shown to be good there and as an offball shot blocker. None of that matters anymore cause he’s not that player anymore.

(12-19-2023, 01:23 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: Stewart is controversial. But he does have stuff that we're lacking.

First he's added a semi-reliable 3 to his game. That alone means he can play with Luka and stay on the court. Defensively he's not necessarily a stopper, but he is a big body AND can move laterally. Whether he's cut from the same cloth as Maxi or more like a guy like Deandre Jordan still remains to be answered.

But one thing that really attracts me to him is that he is an enforcer. He's the type of guy that takes no craps, gives zero shits, and wants to get in your face. We need some of that edge on this team. Morris is supposed to be that guy, but he rarely sees the court (or at least SHOULD rarely see the court).

Some examples of Beef Stew (will attach another message with other examples, I'm limited to 2 videos per reply):





Sure some of these antics gets old after a while and it definitely can be argued that stuff like this does not win basketball games. But Stewart does do stuff we need. For example:



He hustles. He runs HARD. Those type of guys excel next to Luka and especially Kyrie. Look at Exum and Green. 

I'm sold on Stewart, especially if he can be had for cheap. The real prize on the Pistons is Ausar Thompson. I'm willing to throw the farm for that dude. He's not a franchise player by any means and the Pistons are currently reeling. There is no shot they would trade him, but who knows?

(12-19-2023, 11:19 AM)mvossman Wrote: Its interesting how similar their offensive games are.  I am trying to keep my Exum exuberance in check and I don't think long term he will be as good of an offensive player as Din, but I have no doubt he is a significantly better defender.

(12-19-2023, 03:40 PM)vfromlmf Wrote: SD would go on those heaters and he was baller in clutch time. I don't see Exum getting to that level offensively. But he's way better defensively and over the last 7 games, he's has been more efficient offensively than SD ever was. Kidd used to say SD played downhill and I think Exum has one-up'ed SD there too. It's only been 7 games so I'm also tempering my enthusiasm but Exum is making both Green and Hardy look expendable. Exum pushes the pace offensively, he's a high IQ playmaker, and might be the best point-of-attack defender on the roster. If he keeps it up for another month I think you'll find THJ, Green, Hardy, Prosper, and Kleber all available for the right PF upgrade (e.g. Isaiah Stewart)

(12-19-2023, 04:12 PM)surfpuckmd Wrote: I think Isaiah Stewart is an interesting player.  I don't want the Mavericks to trade for him or Bogdanovic though.  I wouldn't want to include a first-round pick for a ba
I think we should go after an inexpensive backup center like Andre Drummond.  

(12-19-2023, 05:27 PM)Winter Wrote: I can't quite understand this argument. Drummond gets you rebounds but almost nothing else. He has to stay in the paint and wings just run around him. He's not even a shot blocker now, and he's not likely to defend anyone outside the paint. Drummond is averaging 13 mpg. That feels like a slightly better version of McGee. I might like him as 3rd big man... but he's a minor adjustment at best.

It's possible there are other big men who eventually become available, but Stewart is a 22-year-old athlete that has played center most of his short career. He started for Detroit almost immediately, and they apparently want to move him because of their roster issues. He does several thing Drummond can't do. He moves well in space, switches off pretty well when he needs to, and shoot an improving 3-point shot. He hasn't played with a good PG before - or even on a winning team. He's available now. 

It's a gamble, but it feels like we're all waiting around for the perfect player (that no one seems to agree on). Furthermore, we are largely unsure of the availability of anyone in particular. Stewart is young and has shown all the promise of a good, mid first-round draft pick. The Bojan-for-THj addition seems like a wash at worst, and the possibility of Detroit bundling Killian Hayes for a player is pretty much a non-event if someone like Holmes is outgoing.

The first-rounder is a thing to consider and perhaps the loss of Hardy is an issue if Detroit wants him. But the Mavs have a serious need in the middle, and I'm not getting anything that says Hardy is a necessity this year.

(12-19-2023, 06:14 PM)Winter Wrote: Where we differ is that I'm unconvinced at the "better options later" argument. And I think the reason Drummond is cheap is because he's not that good anymore. McGee had size and he couldn't stay on the court more than 5 minutes in Kidd's offense. Drummond playing center is not an answer to an extended Lively injury.

But I do reserve the right to see what a trade would entail, because details matter. So you're right to bring up the contract issues.

(12-19-2023, 05:27 PM)Winter Wrote: I can't quite understand this argument. Drummond gets you rebounds but almost nothing else. He has to stay in the paint and wings just run around him. He's not even a shot blocker now, and he's not likely to defend anyone outside the paint. Drummond is averaging 13 mpg. That feels like a slightly better version of McGee. I might like him as 3rd big man... but he's a minor adjustment at best.

It's possible there are other big men who eventually become available, but Stewart is a 22-year-old athlete that has played center most of his short career. He started for Detroit almost immediately, and they apparently want to move him because of their roster issues. He does several thing Drummond can't do. He moves well in space, switches off pretty well when he needs to, and shoots an improving 3-point shot. He hasn't played with a good PG before - or even on a winning team. He's available now. 

It's a gamble, but it feels like we're all waiting around for the perfect player (that no one seems to agree on). Furthermore, we are largely unsure of the availability of anyone in particular. Stewart is young and has shown all the promise of a good, mid first-round draft pick. The Bojan-for-THj addition seems like a wash at worst, and the possibility of Detroit bundling Killian Hayes for a player is pretty much a non-event if someone like Holmes is outgoing.

The first-rounder is a thing to consider and perhaps the loss of Hardy is an issue if Detroit wants him. But the Mavs have a serious need in the middle, and I'm not getting anything that says Hardy is a necessity this year.

(12-20-2023, 12:28 AM)F Gump Wrote: I would generally* say no to Stewart, because I don't think you can pay "backup center" $15M a year. When it comes to centers, $15M should get you a starter these days, unless it's a superstar. And we now live in a hard cap world where the total spending is limited, so that overspending on one guy (Stewart) means you will be unable to fill needs at a different position.


* The exception comes if you can send out an overpriced player in exchange, thereby reducing the negative salary impact of the overpaid backup. Say, for example, it's a one-for-one of Holmes for Stewart (which ESPN Trade Machine says is legal), where the Mavs are perhaps getting the better backup center, but also getting the worse [i]backup center contract. However, if Holmes could be traded, I'd be more inclined to aim for Olynyk (smarter, much-needed stretch big, expiring contract) instead of Stewart.[/i]

(12-20-2023, 01:16 AM)Mavs2021 Wrote: Regarding Olynyk. He is 32 and an UFA. No need to spend assets on him.

(12-20-2023, 12:28 AM)F Gump Wrote: I would generally* say no to Stewart, because I don't think you can pay "backup center" $15M a year. When it comes to centers, $15M should get you a starter these days, unless it's a superstar. And we now live in a hard cap world where the total spending is limited, so that overspending on one guy (Stewart) means you will be unable to fill needs at a different position.


* The exception comes if you can send out an overpriced player in exchange, thereby reducing the negative salary impact of the overpaid backup. Say, for example, it's a one-for-one of Holmes for Stewart (which ESPN Trade Machine says is legal), where the Mavs are perhaps getting the better backup center, but also getting the worse backup center contract. However, if Holmes could be traded, I'd be more inclined to aim for Olynyk (smarter, much-needed stretch big, expiring contract) instead of Stewart.

(12-20-2023, 03:53 AM)The Jom Wrote: Barely 6-8. Barely a shooter. Don’t think we can really call Stewart a stretch or a 5.