Brandon Knight signed to a second 10-day hardship contract

[WillE]

https://twitter.com/JShawNBA/status/1508937482381017103

[WillE]

I'm excited to see another run of him with the team. I would probably have no problem if he would be the veteran minimum replacement for Burke in case he gets shipped out over the summer.

Yet, question remains if Nico & Co. have IT higher on their list, who just went off the market for the rest of the season...

[Tunesquad23]

They need to sign another center.

[SleepingHero]

Brandon Knight getting another 10-day contract is a little out of left field. I didn't mind his minutes when half of our roster was out. Is this Burke insurance? A Franky replacement?

Curious why they went with a guard and not trying to find another big burly center to just cover some weaknesses.

[SwisherPrice]

I wouldn't put much into it...Sterling Brown and Burke are in the health protocol so they just needed someone to fill the roster.

[BasketballJones41]

I like Knight and would love for him to be the Burke replacement should we move on this off-season. But he won’t be eligible for the playoffs right? Even if we cut somebody to sign him?

[michaeltex]

Wasn't Knight the guy they signed to a 10-day when so many were out on Covid protocol, he played one game, then went on the protocols himself?

[WillE]

Wasn't Knight the guy they signed to a 10-day when so many were out on Covid protocol, he played one game, then went on the protocols himself?

That was IT.

---

They need to sign another center.

Coach thinks different:

https://twitter.com/CallieCaplan/status/...5506368512

[ballsrchr]

I'm not unhappy with the signing of Brandon Knight.  He can contribute without making many mistakes.  That's a good thing.

But, yes, we do need an imposing presence in the paint and around the basket.  The problem is...there aren't many of these guys available.  They've already been snatched up.

[Tunesquad23]

I'm not unhappy with the signing of Brandon Knight.  He can contribute without making many mistakes.  That's a good thing.

But, yes, we do need an imposing presence in the paint and around the basket.  The problem is...there aren't many of these guys available.  They've already been snatched up.

How about Thon Maker? Maybe him & Kidd can patch things up from the past.

[KillerLeft]

At this point it should be obvious to us that the Mavs don't feel like they are "light" at the 5. I'm applying that term to both the type of centers they have and the number of them on the roster. It's worth noting that this might only be true for the rest of this season, but fwiw, I think they're right. 

I think Powell and Kleber (if both are playing well) are actually a very good combo at the 5 going into the playoffs. Either fits better than Porzingis and both, combined, is much better. 

It's certainly possible to upgrade Powell, but not nearly as easy as people here seem to assume, and honestly, he wouldn't even be the first guy in the top 5-6 I'd try to upgrade. The entire team is built with his specific skills on both ends of the floor in mind. Most of the "upgrade" ideas I read here would require a reimagining of the team's entire style of play, especially on defense, which is the team's area of greatest improvement this season. 

Are there possibilities out there that would be worth a re-design of the team's approach? Of course, but this is no casual thing, and I suspect the line where the Mavs start to feel temptation to move in a new direction is much higher in real life than what is commonly assumed by fans. 

Having said all of that, I would feel better if they had a better solution at "emergency" 3rd center. Boban is done, and honestly hasn't been a fit for the modern game at any point during the life of his tenure with the Mavs. Chriss is exactly the right type, but every time he plays I get more entrenched in the idea that he's simply not ready for meaningful basketball. He lacks the requisite knowledge and experience. Bertans is probably the best choice as the 3rd big, currently, which might not be ideal, but it's also nowhere near the "911" situation we make it out to be on the daily. If all goes to plan (there will be some nights in the playoffs when it does not, obviously) the 3rd center won't see the court. Even if the team had signed someone more experienced than Chriss in that role, the team is more likely to play even smaller with Luka or DFS playing the 5 than they are to give that hypothetical player much run.

[ItsGoTime]

At this point it should be obvious to us that the Mavs don't feel like they are "light" at the 5. I'm applying that term to both the type of centers they have and the number of them on the roster. It's worth noting that this might only be true for the rest of this season, but fwiw, I think they're right. 

I think Powell and Kleber (if both are playing well) are actually a very good combo at the 5 going into the playoffs. Either fits better than Porzingis and both, combined, is much better. 

It's certainly possible to upgrade Powell, but not nearly as easy as people here seem to assume, and honestly, he wouldn't even be the first guy in the top 5-6 I'd try to upgrade. The entire team is built with his specific skills on both ends of the floor in mind. Most of the "upgrade" ideas I read here would require a reimagining of the team's entire style of play, especially on defense, which is the team's area of greatest improvement this season. 

Are there possibilities out there that would be worth a re-design of the team's approach? Of course, but this is no casual thing, and I suspect the line where the Mavs start to feel temptation to move in a new direction is much higher in real life than what is commonly assumed by fans. 

Having said all of that, I would feel better if they had a better solution at "emergency" 3rd center. Boban is done, and honestly hasn't been a fit for the modern game at any point during the life of his tenure with the Mavs. Chriss is exactly the right type, but every time he plays I get more entrenched in the idea that he's simply not ready for meaningful basketball. He lacks the requisite knowledge and experience. Bertans is probably the best choice as the 3rd big, currently, which might not be ideal, but it's also nowhere near the "911" situation we make it out to be on the daily. If all goes to plan (there will be some nights in the playoffs when it does not, obviously) the 3rd center won't see the court. Even if the team had signed someone more experienced than Chriss in that role, the team is more likely to play even smaller with Luka or DFS playing the 5 than they are to give that hypothetical player much run.

Powell plays 21 mpg. Kleber and Powell play together at points in most games. I don’t understand how you think everything has to change so drastically by bringing in another big. I think as much as you think those of us are making such a big deal about it, the same can be said about your defense of the status quo.

---

As far as THIS season? Sure, there is no one out there sitting on yheir couch that could help us going into the playoffs.

[KillerLeft]

I don’t understand how you think everything has to change so drastically by bringing in another big.

Because they'd have to go back to defending certain actions differently based on who's in the game at center. Possible, but not ideal. More difficult to remember what to do if you're everyone else. Knowing where the help is coming from helps the primary defender to an enormous degree, and the other three guys knowing where/when they need to rotate to fill in for that help .2 seconds earlier basically IS the thing that separates Dallas from other defenses.

BTW: this point remains true even if they're bringing in a difference maker like Gobert. I think that's an example of a swing that might be worth it, but the Mavs MIGHT not. The number of established "names" at the 5 that would both be more palatable than Powell for fans and allow the Mavs to play the style of defense they have been for most of this season is shockingly low, imo.

[ItsGoTime]

Because they'd have to go back to defending certain actions differently based on who's in the game at center. Possible, but not ideal. More difficult to remember what to do if you're everyone else. Knowing where the help is coming from helps the primary defender to an enormous degree, and the other three guys knowing where/when they need to rotate to fill in for that help .2 seconds earlier basically IS the thing that separates Dallas from other defenses.

That’s getting to know new schemes, not changing things around. Also, depending on the quality of player they bring in, they might be able to add to what they’re currently doing. Powell can also still play 21 mpg with a new player coming in, so not really sure what changes so much that it needs to be poopoo’d so strongly.

[KillerLeft]

That’s getting to know new schemes, not changing things around.

Negative on that. This team played with a noticeably different approach on defense this season with Porzingis on the floor, both in a two-big combo and with him as a single big. There are differences in how they play with Powell/Kleber, too, but they are far more subtle and don't affect the others nearly as much. So, yes, they have effectively "changed things around" since that trade. Well, before it, really, since Porzingis was sitting out so often.

Also, depending on the quality of player they bring in, they might be able to add to what they’re currently doing.

 

For sure! It's just that what Powell can do on defense is much more rare than I feel he gets credit for. Kleber too, for that matter. Cappella, for example, might be an upgrade over either (not sure for how much longer) but even he can't play defense exactly like those two. Williams (before the injury) is a great comp, and his team's defense was one of the only ones in the league definitively better than Dallas. 

I just feel like:

A) there aren't very many guys who can play this way so effectively
B) most teams are trying to get them

And, maybe most importantly, I feel like fans believe that Powell was judged by the Mavs to be a situation worth living with for the rest of the season in order to get Dinwiddie. What I think is closer to the truth is that the Mavs believe Powell (and Kleber) are a strength of the current roster construction. 

Maybe the fans are right and they're wrong. Personally, I'm encouraged by what I think is a vision on which they're following through. This is two coaches in a row who seem to value Powell much more than Mavs fans. I never thought he'd look this good again after the injury, but here we are. I think teams will be calling the Mavs trying to get Powell this summer if he keeps this level of play up and stays healthy. I think he's one of the main reasons the team is performing so well.

[fifteenth]

At this point it should be obvious to us that the Mavs don't feel like they are "light" at the 5. I'm applying that term to both the type of centers they have and the number of them on the roster. It's worth noting that this might only be true for the rest of this season, but fwiw, I think they're right. 

I think Powell and Kleber (if both are playing well) are actually a very good combo at the 5 going into the playoffs. Either fits better than Porzingis and both, combined, is much better. 

It's certainly possible to upgrade Powell, but not nearly as easy as people here seem to assume, and honestly, he wouldn't even be the first guy in the top 5-6 I'd try to upgrade. The entire team is built with his specific skills on both ends of the floor in mind. Most of the "upgrade" ideas I read here would require a reimagining of the team's entire style of play, especially on defense, which is the team's area of greatest improvement this season. 

Are there possibilities out there that would be worth a re-design of the team's approach? Of course, but this is no casual thing, and I suspect the line where the Mavs start to feel temptation to move in a new direction is much higher in real life than what is commonly assumed by fans. 

Having said all of that, I would feel better if they had a better solution at "emergency" 3rd center. Boban is done, and honestly hasn't been a fit for the modern game at any point during the life of his tenure with the Mavs. Chriss is exactly the right type, but every time he plays I get more entrenched in the idea that he's simply not ready for meaningful basketball. He lacks the requisite knowledge and experience. Bertans is probably the best choice as the 3rd big, currently, which might not be ideal, but it's also nowhere near the "911" situation we make it out to be on the daily. If all goes to plan (there will be some nights in the playoffs when it does not, obviously) the 3rd center won't see the court. Even if the team had signed someone more experienced than Chriss in that role, the team is more likely to play even smaller with Luka or DFS playing the 5 than they are to give that hypothetical player much run.

Man, get one of those fridge magnets and put this on the fridge, eye level. It's what this forum, and Mavsland in general needs to orient their thinking to. All basketball cavemen, step into the present.

[Jommybone]

Man, get one of those fridge magnets and put this on the fridge, eye level. It's what this forum, and Mavsland in general needs to orient their thinking to. All basketball cavemen, step into the present.

Yeah but I liked every one of Killa’s posts above and yet still cringe at the notion of facing the Knicks again. They’d beat this team 7 out of 7 in a series. They just punk us. Cause they can. Utah and Philly have close to the same kind of physicality, as does a portion of the Clippers and Wolves teams. Phoenix and Milwaukee can bully ball too. Plus Miami. 

I agree with you all. But damn we’re weak when it comes down to brute strength. It’s just that there are no longer any Shaqs or Hakeems to worry about. So we can and should prioritize perimeter D. Doesn’t mean our weakness isn’t weak or won’t bite us in the ass.

[dirkfansince1998]

@"KillerLeft" gets the Dirkie of the day.
Kidd has a scheme that requires wing like mobility from bigs. That is the number one priority and looking at the last couple of weeks the Mavs are willing to give up boards or post ups as long as they can execute the defensive scheme. If a big cannot fill that role he isn´t going to play.
That´s how I look at any potential bigmen target. Priority one. Ability to switch and defend in space. Two. Rim protection. Three. Whatever player x/y/z can offer on offense. Shooting >rim running.

[KillerLeft]

@KillerLeft gets the Dirkie of the day.

[ItsGoTime]

Negative on that. This team played with a noticeably different approach on defense this season with Porzingis on the floor, both in a two-big combo and with him as a single big. There are differences in how they play with Powell/Kleber, too, but they are far more subtle and don't affect the others nearly as much. So, yes, they have effectively "changed things around" since that trade. Well, before it, really, since Porzingis was sitting out so often.

I was just gonna leave your retorts alone, but I just can't. 

I STRONGLY don't believe it's as difficult as you're trying to make it out to be. If we bring in another big (I can't believe there is a faction here that think Powell and Kleber are a duo that's gonna bring us a championship), it will not be KP (I'm fairly certain), it'll be a player that Kidd thinks would work in his system. After that, it's just players getting used to each other and buying in. Not as simple as writing that sentence, for sure, but I think the majority of players on this team are built for accommodation, so if the player isn't prickly, with egomaniacal tendencies, we're golden.