AROUND the NBA:

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

That looks like a good over/under at 37 and I would hit the under heavy if I gambled. There's a good chance the Mavs are in developmental season mode by the trade deadline

[FireNicoHarrison]

Cooper Flagg is so underrated... He could have LeBron&Luka impact.

[ballsrchr]

Ah shucks. My head says 35. My heart says 38. My heart is stronger than my head. I'm an eternal optimist...

[KillerLeft]

That looks like a good over/under at 37 and I would hit the under heavy if I gambled.  There's a good chance the Mavs are in developmental season mode by the trade deadline

There’s a pretty good chance they’re in developmental mode on opening night.

[Smitty]

Ah shucks.  My head says 35.  My heart says 38.  My heart is stronger than my head.  I'm an eternal optimist...

Exactly how I see it also. I have their win total anywhere from 34-38. Fighting for the last play-in spot?

[Tyler]

Dallas will have a winning record. Book it.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

There’s a pretty good chance they’re in developmental mode on opening night.

You might be right. 

Right now, It’s tough for me to see the young guys getting big minutes, with all the veterans on the team. The best players on the roster usually play. Let’s see how many of these veterans are moved before opening night.

[windjc]

Dallas will have a winning record. Book it.

I think there is a decent shot at this. Recency bias is strong in here. 

Many thought we had the talent to run it back after the loss to Boston. That too was recency bias.

[Knutsen]

There’s a pretty good chance they’re in developmental mode on opening night.

I mean we’re developing a bunch of youngsters, an NBA head coach, a GM and rehabbing the rest of the roster - more development is hardly possible, is it?

[KillerLeft]

I mean we’re developing a bunch of youngsters, an NBA head coach, a GM and rehabbing the rest of the roster - more development is hardly possible, is it?

Yeah, that’s pretty much what I’m getting at. 

I understand RTG’s point about the older role players still being around for now, but I think basically every action they’ve taken this summer has signalled that they’re thinking about the future. Hopefully the near future, if all goes according to plan.

[windjc]

I mean we’re developing a bunch of youngsters, an NBA head coach, a GM and rehabbing the rest of the roster - more development is hardly possible, is it?

We are developing a GM?

[Knutsen]

We are developing a GM?

Since Schmitz is a first time GM I’d say so - he will be better in a year from now and even better than that in two years. I’d call that developing.

[windjc]

Since Schmitz is a first time GM I’d say so - he will be better in a year from now and even better than that in two years. I’d call that developing.

I’d say the deals he has done so far are top level.

Did Nico get better with time?

[Knutsen]

I’d say the deals he has done so far are top level.

Did Nico get better with time?

The deals are great, but only the tip of the iceberg. 

How great he can be in running operations and especially leading people will only increase with experience, established processes and deepened personal bonds - and maybe exchanging some personal to better fitting characters. 

Nico was shit and stayed shit. You can’t develop shit into gold, no matter how hard you try. Did we try to develop him? Sure, in reigning Cuban in and giving him more power to do more shit.

[DallasMaverick]

Yeah, that’s pretty much what I’m getting at. 

I understand RTG’s point about the older role players still being around for now, but I think basically every action they’ve taken this summer has signalled that they’re thinking about the future. Hopefully the near future, if all goes according to plan.

I suspect you’ll be disappointed with the PT that gets doled out to the development projects.

They will be trying to win.

[Scott41theMavs]

I suspect you’ll be disappointed with the PT that gets doled out to the development projects.

They will be trying to win.

(Snort) Half of the roster is developmental prospects, and there’s a strong possibility that many of the remaining players who aren’t will be moved before the season.

So two things: 1) if they “win” (whatever the heck that means in the binary sense) it will be while playing developmental players. 2) I believe that they will win, because the “developmental” players will generally be substantially better than people think.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I’d say the deals he has done so far are top level.

We have no idea (yet) if any of his moves are good or not.  Time will tell.

[KillerLeft]

I suspect you’ll be disappointed with the PT that gets doled out to the development projects.

They will be trying to win.

I don’t know… If they’re winning, I won’t be disappointed at all. If they’re not winning, I don’t expect the older guys to be around for much longer. They have already made the shift needed for me not to be disappointed by prioritizing youth, AND by prioritizing shooting/spacing. 

I might disagree with some of the choices along the way, and I might get a touch impatient at times, it’s possible. But, philosophically, they have already clearly indicated that they understand the mission.

[DallasMaverick]

I don’t know… If they’re winning, I won’t be disappointed at all. If they’re not winning, I don’t expect the older guys to be around for much longer. They have already made the shift needed for me not to be disappointed by prioritizing youth, AND by prioritizing shooting/spacing. 

I might disagree with some of the choices along the way, and I might get a touch impatient at times, it’s possible. But, philosophically, they have already clearly indicated that they understand the mission.

I think it’s like Nico said. Win now, and win later.

[DallasMaverick]

LeBron took a deal at $4m per year.

Money wasn’t an issue.

In Philly, he’ll be the third or 4th option on offense.

Primary role wasn’t an issue.

Why didn’t he stay in LA?

He’s got two of the greatest offensive players in the NBA (or at least one) in Luka and AReaves.

Maybe he’s saying that Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey and an occasional appearance by Embiid give him a better shot at winning.

Or maybe he’s saying got tired of watching Luka iso’s.