07-22-2022, 01:32 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-22-2022, 02:05 PM by DanSchwartzgan.)
(07-22-2022, 01:12 PM)F Gump Wrote: If JG can be the 3rd of the 2-way wings, another genuine 3-and-D guy to rotate with DFS and Bullock, that would be huge. The article was certainly offering reasons for optimism, and from someone who has skins on the wall and might know.
If so, then there's only that 1 gaping hole left to fill, the 3rd Offense Creator.
Maybe in time that's their aim for Hardy, but he's a long way away and they definitely need someone this season. You can't seriously start a season with no real backup at all for TWO starters (Luka and SD) -- they need rest, need a backup, need to be prepared in case of injury to one or both, etc. The declaration to Dragic that he would only play every 5th game or so makes no sense, unless ....
Unless they didn't see him as the 3rd guy. It fits if they wanted him in the Trey Burke role and already had a 3rd guy lined up. It kinda fits if they think Dragic just wouldn't be good enough to be that 3rd guy, but dang he'd be so far better than what they seem to have in view right now.
I have to think they have someone lined up who isn't available at the moment, but might become so in the weeks ahead. That would eliminate current free agents. Which brings me back to Rose, if the Knicks pursuit of Mitchell has temporarily gotten in the way, or it might be Kemba, whose reported buyout has been delayed for some unknown reason.
I’ll repeat something I’ve said before. The Knox exception signing in Detroit is also not final as they still have cap room and would need to hold off on using the part of the exception going to Knox if they plan to use the space. It is $10mm of space without Knox. If Dallas sends Powell to Utah and Kemba comes to Dallas, there is room for Detroit to eat $19mm of salary. I don’t think Utah wants 3 years of Fournier starting at $18mm, but Detroit might and he fits the room they have if Kemba is outgoing to Dallas.
Edit: Related to Dragic, I heard one of the Dallas beat guys on a podcast theorize that it wasn’t so much “the Burke role”, Dallas was asking him to play. It was more about saving himself for the playoffs and giving developmental minutes to players currently on the roster. I wonder if Kemba would similarly get a good dose of nights off as they invest some time in some of the younger guys.