IZTOK DIAGNOSES DECLINE OF MAVS OFFENSE

[F Gump]

Fif, I sense that you might be offended on behalf of Nico. 

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My uneasiness isn't even really about Nico. 

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My real queasiness has to do with Cuban 

This is an interesting discussion, and I suspect there is no answer, just opinions and perspectives. Mine agrees with each of you in some ways, but with neither of you fully.

The simplest summary of how I see Nico is:
1 I think Nico was indeed given the reins by MC, with Cuban stepping back from the decision making.
2 I think Cuban is trusting Nico to be smart enough to know when and how to get help from others, if he doesn't know the answer. That's not an unreasonable approach imo.
3 OTOH I don't think Nico was really ready to be an expert GM when he was hired.
...To me, that made him "unqualified" (because imo the Mavs desperately needed an expert, not a trainee).
...I wanted someone who either already had skins on the wall (like an Ainge, Ujiri, West, Ellsberg, etc), or someone who had already done years of training (in one or more front offices) and appeared very ready for the next step with hints of looming expertness.
...Nico has none of that.
4 I don't know if Nico can grow into the job or not. Not saying he can't, but rather he has never even tried to do any of the skills needed to be an expert at creating an NBA winner, so why should we expect greatness is ahead?
5 I think the "shoe salesman" moniker, while certainly exaggerating the point, nevertheless is a very fair exaggeration, as it highlights Nico's complete lack of any experience (much less expertise) in player evaluating, scouting, development, trade negotiating, cap juggling, roster fit, assessing needs correctly, filling needs, and the other skills required to plan and acquire a superior NBA roster that can win titles.
6 I hope he works out. But I am not optimistic he will be an expert overnight, or anytime soon, (or maybe ever), because it's a highly competitive game and his competition has the benefit of years of learning the game and doing it. In addition, who's the expert in Dallas to teach him what it takes to be an expert GM? Isn't it going to be "the blind leading the blind" as he tries to learn how to catch up to the other 29 GMs?