MAVS NEWS: Luka Is Hurt, But is Trudging On | DLive's Mom Passes Away| Maxi OUT

[RDB]

I agree the Mavs approach will be to work Lively in slowly.  Note Allen didn't start until game #51 for a team that went 31-51.  The Nets were rolling with Mozgov and Zeller for the most part and working Allen in.  He was averaging about 17 minutes a game coming off the bench for a bad team.  The Nets traded Zeller, and Mozgov was taken on a snipe hunt and was never seen again--clearing the way for Allen to start.  The Nets had nothing to lose.  The Mavs have a ton to lose in my my mind, so 17 minutes for Lively seems like a lot right now.  I'd predict Holmes and Powell get around 35 minutes combined.  Kleber may be the closer for around 5 minutes in Q4 with and additional 15 minutes sprinkled here and there at the 4 and 5.  That doesn't leave much for Lively.  (And, I am still really bullish on Holmes after a deep dive into the 21-22 season.)

I was steadfast in opposition to Lively pre-draft, but I was won over by interviews and articles post-draft and the effort and energy I saw in Summer League.  I am confident he will work his tail off and make it harder and harder for Kidd to keep him sidelined.  Pour me a glass of that Kool-aide, RDB!

Good post and I don’t disagree with anything you said.  I, like you, have been urging caution on year 1 Lively projections.  

Bottom line for me is we are not 1 center away from being a legitimate contender this year.  We can spend our few assets on whatever center we can find and hope the outlier bubble Mav’s make an appearance.  Personally, with the flaws exposed last year, I think that is a pipe dream.

If the Mav’s think they are a center away, by all means trade for someone.  If they are realistic, then what is the point of using what little they have for a bridge player.  Unless they are already convinced Lively is not a long term solution or is years away, it seems to me the only thing they potentially lose is a seed or two.  Personally, I’m not a big believer in moral victories.

On the other hand, if he is ready year two, we will spend all off-season complaining about how the Mav’s don’t have any assets and wasted what they had on bench players.  IMO, we should be picky and not settle.  I love rags to riches stories as much as the next guy but I’m not mortgaging our future flexibility on hopes & dreams.

p.s.  I’m not suggesting plan powder.  I am suggesting creating a vision for where you want to be and sticking to that plan.