Harrison Press Conference 2-10

[KillerLeft]

Very frank, and pretty surprising. Here are some takeaways for me:

He said the trade was less about availability for KP and more about making the team better, AND about flexibility.

He said the team was really thin at playmaking and with THJ out, they were really thin at 3pt shooting. 

“The team is definitely better today than it was yesterday.”

He wasn’t as rosy as Donnie would’ve been. When asked if the Mavericks had everything they needed he said “I think we’re good enough to compete, but there’s room for improvement.” He seemed to struggle to find a way to answer this question. I was left with the impression that this is all a temporary stepping stone to a different roster in his mind. 

When asked about the buyout market, he said “We’re set. Roster spots are at a premium, so we’re set.” He didn’t qualify this in any way, so my take away is that they are no longer interested in Dragic. This is the team for the rest of the season.

He talked quite a bit about how much film he watched on Bertans, and that even though his feet aren’t the fastest it’s clear that he spends a lot of time working on defensive positioning. It seemed like he actually thought Bertans was going to be a plus on defense.

[Kammrath]

Thanks for this.

I appreciate the frankness from Nico. And I believe he is right as well. This team will be better because of this trade. 

The Mavs grabbed two guys who very possibly are at their low-point in value for a guy who might be at his high point in value. No exaggeration, I would take Bertans of 20-21, 19-20, and 18-19 over any version of KP. Bertans has been down this year, but he hasn't really gotten any burn. I also think that a healthy Dinwiddie is the exact kind of guy the Mavs need coming off the bench to spell Luka. 

I also love that Nico talked about watching film.

[cow]

https://twitter.com/BallySportsSW/status...7894388751

Tell me lies, tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies.

[Kammrath]

Nico using the "flexibility" three or four times in like a minute is really telling. I think that is threefold:

1) Financial

2) Roster

3) Scheme

I think the trade makes them more flexible with how they can use the cap, how they can BUILD a team, and how they can PLAY on the court. 

LOVE. IT.

[KillerLeft]

Nico using the "flexibility" three or four times in like a minute is really telling. I think that is threefold:

1) Financial

2) Roster

3) Scheme

I think the trade makes them more flexible with how they can use the cap, how they can BUILD a team, and how they can PLAY on the court. 

LOVE. IT.

I think it's reasonable to wonder if this will work or to think it's a bad trade, or whatever. 

But, I definitely feel like this is part of a PLAN, especially after hearing him talk, and not a plan to clear cap and sign someone like Giannis.

---

And, it's clear that the thinking about certain things has changed, because there is literally no way Donnie would have allowed the rotation to be completely devoid of 7-footers.

[Kammrath]

I think it's reasonable to wonder if this will work or to think it's a bad trade, or whatever.

I 100% get the people being anxious about Dinwiddie and Bertans when they look at their numbers/play THIS year. But when you look at their body of work? Two solid players that really do fit NEEDS on this team. 

What I struggle most with understanding is the thinking that KP is a big loss in any way. We have so much data now, even with TWO coaches and it just seems quite apparent to me that he is an average NBA player. Yes, he has flashes of above average, but when you take everything into account....average feels like the clear evaluation. And on that contract and with that health risk? Ugh.

[KillerLeft]

What I struggle most with understanding is the thinking that KP is a big loss in any way. We have so much data now, even with TWO coaches and it just seems quite apparent to me that he is an average NBA player. Yes, he has flashes of above average, but when you take everything into account....average feels like the clear evaluation. And on that contract and with that health risk? Ugh.

I agree completely.

[cow]

What I struggle most with understanding is the thinking that KP is a big loss in any way. We have so much data now, even with TWO coaches and it just seems quite apparent to me that he is an average NBA player. Yes, he has flashes of above average, but when you take everything into account....average feels like the clear evaluation. And on that contract and with that health risk? Ugh.

Some of us have been at this evaluation point for a while even with the declaration of KP playing "great" this season but if you would have purposed the idea of this trade a few weeks back, it would have been ridiculed ad nauseum.  And now everyone is on board.  All the thoughts of bringing back a Collins, Hield, Grant, Holmes, etc.   And now this?  And most seem accepting.  The reception is just funny.  

I think this is the right move but a bad trade and it doesn't really give me any faith that MBT2.0 is any better than MBT1.0.  Maybe the execute on this plan they have, but they've only made the easiest of steps.

[Jmaciscool]

I think it's reasonable to wonder if this will work or to think it's a bad trade, or whatever. 

But, I definitely feel like this is part of a PLAN, especially after hearing him talk, and not a plan to clear cap and sign someone like Giannis.

---

And, it's clear that the thinking about certain things has changed, because there is literally no way Donnie would have allowed the rotation to be completely devoid of 7-footers.

The plan part is what feels like the biggest difference to me from the donnie days. Nico seems like he has a plan to build a good team vs a good collection of players (which is how I often felt about Donnie's team building).

I'm admittedly a Mavs optimist, but I'm feeling more comfortable with today's events the more I hear/read about them

[Kammrath]

Some of us have been at this evaluation point for a while even with the declaration of KP playing "great" this season but if you would have purposed the idea of this trade a few weeks back, it would have been ridiculed ad nauseum.  And now everyone is on board.  All the thoughts of bring back a Collins, Hield, Grant, Holmes, etc.   And now this?  And most some accepting.  The reception is just funny.  

Thinking we fans know the value of ANY player in the NBA is really hubris. Sure, we all had guesses on what KP's value was, but NONE of us actually knew. 

Many of us just felt strongly that whatever the value was, you get what you can and move on. 

1) I don't think for one second the Mavs got (significantly) less value for KP than they could have. Nico certainly looked at all the possible offers and took the one he thought best. If KP had real value there would have been a bidding war between teams.

2) When the interest from WAS came up last year I was one who was on board with a KP for Bertans swap, but I wanted Avdija instead of Dinwiddie. And that was long before I really realized how terrible his value was.

[cow]

Thinking we fans know the value of ANY player in the NBA is really hubris. Sure, we all had guesses on what KP's value was, but NONE of us actually knew. 

Many of us just felt strongly that whatever the value was, you get what you can and move on. 

1) I don't think for one second the Mavs got (significantly) less value for KP than they could have. Nico certainly looked at all the possible offers and took the one he thought best. If KP had real value there would have been a bidding war between teams.

2) When the interest from WAS came up last year I was one who was on board with a KP for Bertans swap, but I wanted Avdija instead of Dinwiddie. And that was long before I really realized how terrible his value was.

KP's value was really easy to spot, even for neophytes.   Look at the contract, look the availability, watch him play, asses the impact when he does play and when he doesn't.  It all added up a terrible contract for a player who didn't impact games when he did play and often didn't play.  It's why all the fantasy trades, while fun, were little more than pipe dreams.   It's why it was so strange to see people protest when suggesting he had no value and trying to recapture some of the spilt milk from the initial trade which still isn't paid off.  

1)  I don't think the Mavs passed on a better deal.  I also don't have confidence that they were able to explore every possible avenue.  Years of mismanagement and bad relationships with the rest of the league aren't wiped away because you replaced Donnie with Nico.  In the end they swapped two of the worst contracts in the league and took on another bad salary because they wanted "shooting" and "shot creation".  It's spin.  I get why they made the trade.  I get why they are spinning it.  You can talk yourself into them being more versatile and I'll not even argue much, but they aren't better either.  

2)  Cool?  It doesn't change the fact that even at Bertans best, that contract is an albatross.

It's all kind of beside the point.  It's more about perception, reality and acceptance.  MBT2.0 have a lot of digging out to do.   I'm just prepping myself for how they'll squander their pick this year.

[SleepingHero]

When asked about the buyout market, he said “We’re set. Roster spots are at a premium, so we’re set.” He didn’t qualify this in any way, so my take away is that they are no longer interested in Dragic. This is the team for the rest of the season.

I dislike this. Dragic is better than Frank and better than Burke. Basically contradicts his previous statement that there is room for improvement yet he won't actually bite the bullet and improve the team

[audiosway]

I think it's reasonable to wonder if this will work or to think it's a bad trade, or whatever. 

But, I definitely feel like this is part of a PLAN, especially after hearing him talk, and not a plan to clear cap and sign someone like Giannis.

---

And, it's clear that the thinking about certain things has changed, because there is literally no way Donnie would have allowed the rotation to be completely devoid of 7-footers.

I concur. I've been watching from afar wondering how Kidd and Nico would do. Seeing the team play good defense has been very refreshing. The trade today of KP fully sucked me back in. I saw people complaining about it. But, I think they should be happy they moved him. The players they got aren't any kind of superstars but they aren't scrubs either. No one looks good in Washington. Can't imagine how good Beal would be away from there. Just a bad organization.

It seems like Nico and Kidd are making the right kind of moves toward a better team. If anyone says they gave KP away they are crazy. He's an average player 7'3" player that's a below average rebounder and not much of a post player. His best position is what Rick relegated him to. Spot up outside shooter. Injury prone and on a max deal. I'm shocked someone took him honestly.

And totally agree about Donnie. Two words for you: Pavel Podkolzin.

He was very early on in Donnie's love of 7 footers who can't play basketball.

[Jym]

I dislike this. Dragic is better than Frank and better than Burke. Basically contradicts his previous statement that there is room for improvement yet he won't actually bite the bullet and improve the team

Only so many minutes so it makes sense now, but what sucks is that Dragic would be probably a better fit and player than Dimwiddie.
Unlikely to hit it but the ceiling for the team would be so much higher with KP and Dragic

Hopefully they figure out something this summer to make up for this punted season

[Branduil]

I 100% get the people being anxious about Dinwiddie and Bertans when they look at their numbers/play THIS year. But when you look at their body of work? Two solid players that really do fit NEEDS on this team. 

What I struggle most with understanding is the thinking that KP is a big loss in any way. We have so much data now, even with TWO coaches and it just seems quite apparent to me that he is an average NBA player. Yes, he has flashes of above average, but when you take everything into account....average feels like the clear evaluation. And on that contract and with that health risk? Ugh.

The thing we forgot about unicorns is that they're a myth

[Winter]

I dislike this. Dragic is better than Frank and better than Burke

It's quite possible the front office knew Dragic would probably take the best offer. And it may also be true Dallas knew it would be out-bid. So I would agree about the talent, but I think this may have been a safer bet.

[KillerLeft]

I dislike this. Dragic is better than Frank and better than Burke. Basically contradicts his previous statement that there is room for improvement yet he won't actually bite the bullet and improve the team

I just think with Dinwiddie here they don't have the role available to him anymore.

[soog]

I 100% get the people being anxious about Dinwiddie and Bertans when they look at their numbers/play THIS year. But when you look at their body of work? Two solid players that really do fit NEEDS on this team. 

What I struggle most with understanding is the thinking that KP is a big loss in any way. We have so much data now, even with TWO coaches and it just seems quite apparent to me that he is an average NBA player. Yes, he has flashes of above average, but when you take everything into account....average feels like the clear evaluation. And on that contract and with that health risk? Ugh.

I disagree with the first part of this statement.  When you look at their “whole body of work” they are both right at their career averages.  Yes they each had stellar years we can point to and say “but look what they’re capable of”, but over the course of their careers they are very close to what they are now. The only exception being that Bertans shooting percentages are in the dumpster, so his efficiency is down even though his total production is about the same.

---

Can someone explain how this improves their financial flexibility by taking on two contracts that last longer.  Yeah, I get that they are two smaller contracts but to say that alone increases flexibility is some spin-doctor stuff.

[Kammrath]

When you look at their “whole body of work” they are both right at their career averages

DB is a shooter, it is THE reason he exists. His career is 40.0% from three....he is down to 31.9% this year. His "whole body" is 40% from three. That is REALLY valuable.

SD is a creator. His PER the three previous seasons were 17.8, 16.3, 15.9...now he is down to 13.6 and his true shooting percent his way down from career as well. 

Point is both are clearly under-performing their career averages, almost across the board. And most importantly their on-court impacts are down as well.

Can someone explain how this improves their financial flexibility by taking on two contracts that last longer

The contracts do NOT last longer. SD's contract is the same length as KP...BUT the last year is unguaranteed whereas KP's was fully guaranteed. So SD's contract is shorter. And DB's contract is one year longer than KP....BUT the last year is unguaranteed, so functionally it is the same length as KP's. 

Their contracts are a HUGE improvement on KP's from a trade asset standpoint.

[omahen]

SD's contract is the same length as KP...BUT the last year is unguaranteed

Last year is guaranteed 10 million. That is not small amount

DB's contract is one year longer than KP....BUT the last year is unguaranteed

Last year is guaranteed 5 mil. Better than SD, but still 5 mil lost, if Mavs or someone else dumps him.