Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[Winter]

They already tried to.  That Mark Williams trade screamed Luka.  It seems clear they will get a defensive, rim running center in the offseason.  After that they eventually will want to get more guys like Dorian.  Not sure how its going to work with LeBron, but he is 40.  In the long run I figure they are going to basically aim to build the Mavs roster.

That sounds right. I just wonder if it's as easy as we think. 

Jason Kidd walked into a situation where Luka had to be the man with the ball. It was organic back then because it was all Dallas had. Does Riddick want the same heavy ball-usage LuKa? I'm really not sure how this plays out on a different team.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Gafford has 1yr $13.4 million left

Gabe Vincent 1yr $11 million
Maxi 1yr $11 million
Hachimura 1yr $17 million

I don't like any of those players but I'd trade Gafford for just the 2031 first rd pick and one of those guys as an expiring salary to trade later.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Feels like the opportunity to do THAT would've been in the deal, itself. Either they didn't want Gafford or Harrison really didn't want to give him up.

I think he didn't want to trade Gafford with Lively out long term.

[mvossman]

Feels like the opportunity to do THAT would've been in the deal, itself. Either they didn't want Gafford or Harrison really didn't want to give him up.

You could make the argument that Nico didn't want to give him up at the time of the trade with Lively out the rest of the season if they were in win now mode.

[KillerLeft]

You could make the argument that Nico didn't want to give him up at the time of the trade with Lively out the rest of the season if they were in win now mode.

Yeah, maybe. Just seems shortsighted to me. So much so that I'm less than satisfied with that answer, plausible as it is. To be clear, that doesn't mean it's not the right answer. 

I think that's my least favorite thing about all of this. I know there's a shot blocking component with Gafford (and an all around defensive component with Lively) that's important here, as the Mavs become the latest team to try to simply "be bigger" than their opponents, but I can't get over the mental hurdle of Gafford and Lively both being pick and roll bigs, and GOOD ones, in a league full of pick and roll teams, and both stuck on a team that now appears to be going away from the spread pick and roll. 

Maybe I'm jumping the gun on that last assumption a bit, but if the plan is for Kyrie to be the PG, I'm really confused. The one thing that all the current Mav options (Kyrie, Exum, Dinwiddie and even Hardy) have in common: none of them are really pick and roll handlers. I think they're all more competent as players than the board seems to think, but the closest to understanding how to use the vertical spacing a rolling big provides is probably Exum, and that understanding is nullified by his total lack of a pull-up jumper. 

I continue to wonder just what the long term plan will be offensively. I know many are struggling with the idea there's enough talent here, but that's not my issue. I think there's more than enough, I just wonder how it fits on that end.

[michaeltex]

Kind of wondering about Silver's plans to de-emphasize the 3pt shot and how it will affect teams' make up. If it forces the game more inside then we'll be glad to have multiple rim protectors. Just speculation at this point.

Guess it depends on viewer ship over the remaining season + playoffs.

[mvossman]

I continue to wonder just what the long term plan will be offensively. I know many are struggling with the idea there's enough talent here, but that's not my issue. I think there's more than enough, I just wonder how it fits on that end.

You think there is enough talent on this team to contend?  I'm struggling to see that from both a talent and a fit standpoint.  I just don't see enough offensive creation.  You either need a top 6 or 7 creator (most NBA champions) or overwhelming talent (Boston) and this team has neither.  In the playoffs I see teams targeting Kyrie on both ends of the floor.  AD will have to play like he did the first game here (without getting hurt) to give this offense any chance against a focused high quality defense in a seven game series.

[Winter]

I continue to wonder just what the long term plan will be offensively. I know many are struggling with the idea there's enough talent here, but that's not my issue. I think there's more than enough, I just wonder how it fits on that end.

I get this, but it feels like Kidd has been wanting to change the pace for over a year.  Maybe his idea is clearer. Maybe it's more Golden State now. Klay certainly seems more himself lately.

Even though doing it without Luka wasn't in Kidd's playbook, it does feel like the players know what they're doing without Luka. I don't see a big change in TOs. And although I do occasionally see defensive mistakes, I'm not sure it's changed much without Luka since he made plenty by himself.

[michaeltex]

Sorry to butt in, but...

FWIW, I think AD is going to be a monster along side a true center like Gaff or Lively, now that he doesn't have to defer to LBJ. His debut was just a glimpse.

[Smitty]

My only hope is that we get to see this team at full strength in the playoffs to see how we stack up against the best in the West. IF and when we see that, we’ll get the answers to several of our questions.

That outcome will determine what the summer looks like, with Nico targeting players that fill whatever perceived need this team has.

[DallasMaverick]

If Mark Williams was worth all of that to the Lakers, can we assume Gafford would be too? How would we feel about getting that ‘31 FRP and ‘30 pick swap from the Lakers for Gaff this summer?

Not sure Pelinka would want to do business with Nico again, after Nico just stole all his lunch money.

[DallasMaverick]

Not sure Pelinka would want to do business with Nico again, after Nico just stole all his lunch money.

…and, what evil lurks deep within my heart, that takes such perverse joy in trolling?

[Smitty]

…and, what evil lurks deep within my heart, that takes such perverse joy in trolling?

It’s a welcomed bit in these dark times. I appreciate the humor. Keep on keepin’ on!

[KillerLeft]

You think there is enough talent on this team to contend?  I'm struggling to see that from both a talent and a fit standpoint.  I just don't see enough offensive creation. 

I agree with the last sentence, but I'm not so sure it's not tied into "fit" more than "talent." 

Like I said, if I knew what type of offense they were planning to create, I'd have a better sense of where I stand on this. 

If the plan is to run the pick and roll offense we've been watching, only without a good pick and roll guard, I wholeheartedly agree. But, that guy doesn't have to be a top 5 player, just a good pick and roll handler. OR, is the plan to run the offense through AD? If so, I'd need to see what form that plan takes before I know what they need, I think. 

I do think the team is still talented, yes. I'm not sure how to reconcile the piece it's built around not being here, however.

[KillerLeft]

I get this, but it feels like Kidd has been wanting to change the pace for over a year.  Maybe his idea is clearer. Maybe it's more Golden State now. Klay certainly seems more himself lately.

Oh, I COMPLETELY agree with THIS! They will very likely be MUCH, MUCH better in offensive transition once they get healthy and get 10 games under their belt (if that ever happens). Right there with you. 

It's the inevitable "defenses are sound in the playoffs, so everything slows down and requires a surgical half-court offensive approach" thing I'm worried about. But, I agree that Kidd might have a plan - I just don't see it yet.

[Winter]

Oh, I COMPLETELY agree with THIS! They will very likely be MUCH, MUCH better in offensive transition once they get healthy and get 10 games under their belt (if that ever happens). Right there with you. 

It's the inevitable "defenses are sound in the playoffs, so everything slows down and requires a surgical half-court offensive approach" thing I'm worried about. But, I agree that Kidd might have a plan - I just don't see it yet.

I don't see it all either.

You know the funny thing about the the two teams is that I think Dallas was better prepared for playing without Luka than the Lakers are at playing with him. At least that's the way it feels at present.

[KillerLeft]

I don't see it all either.

You know the funny thing about the the two teams is that I think Dallas was better prepared for playing without Luka than the Lakers are at playing with him. At least that's the way it feels at present.

Agreed, but that's the way it should work. One, because Dallas has played without Luka a lot this season, and two, because LA isn't doing this for now, they're doing it for the future. 

It's all so fascinating.

[Dahlsim]

Oh, I COMPLETELY agree with THIS! They will very likely be MUCH, MUCH better in offensive transition once they get healthy and get 10 games under their belt (if that ever happens). Right there with you. 

It's the inevitable "defenses are sound in the playoffs, so everything slows down and requires a surgical half-court offensive approach" thing I'm worried about. But, I agree that Kidd might have a plan - I just don't see it yet.

For the record, I think its worth noting that Jason Kidd has shown some signs of being a very good NBA coach especially in terms of handling the players and the teams motivation.  

Give him credit not only for having a finals appearance already which is very rare in this franchises history, but even for navigating this team through this fiasco of a trade and tidal wave of injury.  The way the team played the last 2 games is indicative also of great leadership and coaching.

[ThisIStheYear]

Guess I'm dumb, then, because I've seen him in multiple playoffs, and while he was AMAZING during past seasons, when the team wasn't quite ready to benefit, I was "certifiably" disappointed in he is performance last year. He looked slow and couldn't get by anyone (a persistently growing problem for him) and so he took a lot of bad shots, and not nearly enough of them went in. At no point did he ever look like he was moving right. Took a ton of bad shots as a result. 

I remember being pissed because the more casual national fans weren't seeing "the good Luka" and it was going to affect their opinions of him.

And yet he led the entire nba in pretty much every statistical playoff category while dragging a 5th place team to the finals. What did the rest of the team shoot against the Celtics? Luka is 2nd all time, out of every player who’s ever played over decades of basketball, in playoff scoring, and he can still lead all current players in rebounding, assists, minutes, and even steals. We’ll never see his like again.

[Dahlsim]

Sorry to butt in, but...

FWIW, I think AD is going to be a monster along side a true center like Gaff or Lively, now that he doesn't have to defer to LBJ. His debut was just a glimpse.

Agreed.  This renaissance of big men could be BIG.  I almost wanted to tap out on this season but my basketball spidey senses tingle imaging AD/Lively/Gaff along with wings now adding Max to PJ and a potentially healthy revival of Caleb Martin.     
Another point guard would be nice but Exum has lottery talent and Dinwiddie maybe not the worse for backups.   Not a perfect roster but talent is there, injuries are the only thing that keeps this team from contending IMO.