Game 33: Dallas Mavericks (19-14) vs. Golden State Warriors (15-17) 132-122 WIN

[KillerLeft]

I think Curry and Hardy are immaterial to the playoff rotation for a healthy team.  So, I don’t see the logjam.  it is just THJ and Green and both are needed.  

At full strength THJ currently rotates with Kyrie and Luka to provide two “scorers” on the floor.  THJ’s lack of creation and playmaking isn’t ideal for the role, but it is made up by the fact that…

Exum (who can play-make for others) and Green rotate as point of attack defenders.

GWill splits minutes with DJJ as bigger wing defenders.  Grant has gotten a few minutes as a small-ball center recently, but in this game against this team that didn’t happen.  Lively and someone will split center minutes even if Grant gets some.

To me, the rotation at full strength looks like:

Scorers (Luka, Irving and THJ)
POA Defense (Exum and Green)
Bigger Wing D (DJJ and GWill)
Center (Lively and someone….Powell has gotten the bulk of these minutes)

Everyone else is either developmental (OMax and Hardy) or here for injury protection or injured themselves.  To me, Green isn’t the one to jettison.  THJ’s spot would be better used by someone with a more diverse skill set that includes playmaking or defense or even better….both.  If we had a bigger player with that skill set, Green and Exum would be ideal for the remaining role

Agree completely with the analysis of what they're doing, currently. 

I think the goal is for the mystery man to be Kleber, making the THIRD option at center be either Powell or Williams, depending on the matchup. In some games, that third guy wouldn't be needed at all, but in others, he would be fairly important as a pivot from the game plan, response to foul trouble, etc, etc. 

I don't know that I see Green and Hardaway the way you do, but I understand where you're coming from. I actually feel like Hardaway is much more consistent than Green and has added a lot of different types of scoring and involvement this season. He doesn't appear to be getting credit for any of it around here (go figure). I'm not sure I see  either of them as the problem, but if pressed I'd say Hardaway has been more key to the team's success than Green. 

You habitually suggest that a 4 could replicate enough of the positives of THJ's role to enable the Mavs to give all of THJ's minutes to Exum/Green. I get what you're going for, as that would help in some ways, but I don't agree that Hardaway's contributions could be replaced so easily. You add a Siakim, for example: Sure, he replaces some socring, and would definitely need some shots. However, I think you're underestimating what the THREAT of THJ's specific TYPE of scoring gets the Mavs. They're starting to run plays for him again...running him around multiple screens, etc. A significant portion of their offensive system is designed for him this year, truth be told. This is probably why they signed Curry when it looked like THJ was to be traded - in case Hardy wasn't up to it (and surprise! He was not). 

Long story short - I think the way the team is designed to be played this season means that trading THJ for ANYONE (unless it's a similar player, like Hield) results in either Curry or Hardy getting a substantial bump in playing time. I do NOT believe it would result in more backcourt defense around Luka/Kyrie, and since I believe Curry and/or Hardy are defensive downgrades from Hardaway, I think it would have the opposite of the effect you're going for. 

Further, I think adding another 4 would unquestionably result in either less Williams or less DJJ. I get the idea that you believe Exum and Green would slide down a position, freeing up minutes for Williams, DJJ and *new guy* to rotate between TWO positions, basically. I don't see it. I think they're all splitting time at the 4, usually, meaning one doesn't play much at all, while Green and Exum split the same minutes they always have and Curry (probably) gets a regular role. 

Do you try this, if the get is someone on Siakim's level? Probably, yeah. But, doing something just get someone more "ideal" than Hardaway, as if Hardaway is some sort of roster building problem, is misguided, imo. I have been sticking up for him for years, but THIS YEAR is easily his best, most tailor-fitting role here since Carlisle left. I'd say he's close to the top of the "what's working" list.

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Yep.  This is how I see it.  I don't see it likely that we make the THJ swap at the TDL, but the offseason goals should be:

Replace Timmy with a bigger two way player (many assets at our disposal for this)
Get a quality backup center
figure out a way to keep DJJ

In an ideal world, you use Timmy, Holmes and Hardy as trade fodder and hold on to everyone else.

I can get on board with this plan going into the summer. I just think it's too drastic of a change to do now or at the deadline and expect to compete this year, for all the reasons I mentioned above.