(01-01-2024, 07:11 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: *gasp*

BE PREPARED 

(01-01-2024, 07:56 PM)BigDirk41 Wrote: Absolutely hell no to Draymond. He's been a great player and I'm a huge fan, but I don't want him anywhere near Luka. That man needs serious help. He can't control himself at all these days.

(01-01-2024, 07:58 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Well, I agree, but...he's going to get traded somewhere. Cheaply, I'd wager.

(01-01-2024, 05:55 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: I think that’s optimistic, but we all have guys we love.  It can’t be proved either way.  If we’ve learned anything this season it is that you can’t point to college as evidence of anything.  Lively does more on a nightly basis than he did in his best game at Duke.  So, let’s assume you are close to being right…what should we do?

I hate the idea of just sitting on our hands in a year where we have this version of Luka and Kyrie.  I love Lively, but don’t want to give away a playoff game(s) when he picks up too many fouls.  I also hate betting our entire offseason on Maxi’s health.  Someone like Olynyk helps with both issues as he can play with or instead of Lively.  People here have said he’s not the defender he once was.  But, you have to look at lineups in Utah to see what is going on.  In lineups where he plays with Kessler (Utah’s Lively), the D is golden.  The issue is Olynyk at Center next to stud defenders like Collins/Markkanen and Sexton et al.  The numbers are horrendous.  It might look different next to DJJ and Exum, GWill and Green.

If we keep our current starters, I like the Olynyk, GWill, THJ and Green bench a ton.  They can mix and match at multiple positions and we have 3 ball handlers of varying sizes who can make the rest of that work.  Olynyk cleans up several issues I have with Maxi, Powell/Holmes and Lively’s status as a rookie big.  He also helps on nights where DJJ can’t find his 3 point shot.  Olynyk is a Schwartz guy and Schwartz just signed Powell here for a very reasonable number at a similar age.  I think we might be able to retain him for a number that is far enough below the first apron that you could also keep DJJ.  At that point, you are solid 9 deep and you can keep shopping for the big deal that brings the third star.

(01-01-2024, 01:49 PM)Knutsen Wrote: Lots of great posts about Siakam, thanks for sharing your thoughts, guys! 

When I think of Siakam I mostly focus on playoff matchups. The teams we’d probably have a hard time beating are the much bigger and physical ones like the Nuggets and Timbervolves.

So will we have a much better chance in a playoff series because Towns or Gobert won‘t be able to defend Siakam and because he keeps Gordon off Luka?

(01-02-2024, 05:50 AM)Knutsen Wrote: Stupid thing to quote myself, but the Jazz proved exactly what I was trying to say. There‘s a certain type of team that we don‘t stand a chance against this season so far, because Powell and all our forwards are too small and weak to contain these opponents and aren’t good enough on offense to prevent these big, athletic lineups.

Is Siakam the perfect counter against those teams? 
Then we‘d have to go all-in for him to have a chance for postseason success. And we should be in win-now mode, Kyrie is turning 32 this season and Luka wants to win now and not waste another couple of great individual seasons.

Edit:
@SwisherPrice, I saw your post afterwards - exactly what I am thinking!

(01-02-2024, 08:40 AM)surfpuckmd Wrote: I suppose I'm the outlier in that I don't want to trade for Siakam.  I think the price would be higher than most are suggesting here.  I believe it would take OMax and the 2027 unprotected first and probably some picks swaps.  I'm not sure why Toronto would consider Josh Green or Hardy as assets as both have been bad this season.

I don't think he's the ideal PF for this team either.  He shoots poorly from 3 and is no longer a plus defender.  He doesn't rebound well. He's probably the most talented PF available but I personally don't like the fit at all.

Most importantly, his max contract would lock us into a really top-heavy roster.  We'd have no other way to add talent whether through free agency or the draft.  We'd lose DJJ after this season.  We would have three high-salary players then a bunch of minimum contract players.  Phoenix is currently conducting this same experiment and it's not going great for them.  

There was discussion recently about Isaiah Stewart and I think he's a much better fit if not as talented overall.  I would also prefer Gafford for a more reasonable price and much better contract.  I also like the Olynyk idea a lot even though it's hard to spell his name.  All are better options considering fit and price.

(01-02-2024, 08:40 AM)surfpuckmd Wrote: There was discussion recently about Isaiah Stewart and I think he's a much better fit if not as talented overall.  I would also prefer Gafford for a more reasonable price and much better contract.  I also like the Olynyk idea a lot even though it's hard to spell his name.  All are better options considering fit and price.

(01-02-2024, 01:23 PM)loki Wrote: I've warmed up to the idea of WCJ. I think he's more likely to be moved than Stewart and could be a similar backup 5 that shoots just well enough to play some minutes next to Lively (in theory).

(01-02-2024, 01:24 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: I don't think he'd play next to Lively at all, which is why I think he's probably overkill. BUT, he seems to be not great enough to be a starting 5 on a playoff team, really (although very close), so if he's ready to be a backup and maybe take a payout on his next deal in order to be a backup on a good team...I can see it.

(01-02-2024, 06:58 PM)loki Wrote: If he can't play any PF then I don't think he's worth it. But I haven't watched enough of him recently to say for sure.

(01-02-2024, 12:58 PM)omahen Wrote: All top teams are top heavy. Denver is paying over 110 mil to their top 3 guys and another 36 to the other starters. Most expensive bench player is paid 5 mil. Boston will be paying 125 mil to their top 3 guys next season, followed by another 50 mil for remaining two starters. Horford is highest paid bench player with 9.5 mil. Milwaukee is paying 120 mil to their top 3 guys and another 25 mil to Lopez. Portis and Connaughton combined make 20 mil, everyone else is at minimum. We could go on. There are rare exceptions where some of the main guys might still be on their rookie deals. 

A true contender is top heavy and new CBA didn't stop teams from spending. At least not yet. At one point Mavs will need to make a move for a reliable (expensive) talent, or they will forever remain a fringe playoff team. As I said many times before, third best players are not without weaknesses, or they wouldn't be third best players. While I like Stewart, he is not imho what Mavs need to become a contender. Just another nice rotation player.

(01-02-2024, 01:23 PM)loki Wrote: I've warmed up to the idea of WCJ. I think he's more likely to be moved than Stewart and could be a similar backup 5 that shoots just well enough to play some minutes next to Lively (in theory).