ROSTER TALK: Mavs favs for Vogel if no HC job exists. Kyrie handshake deal?

[Mavsfan12]

No one throws random role players in. You always target specific role players in trades or FA. There are going to be role players that don't fit. We literally had some on our roster last season. Every team has them. It's also possible that Wright and Richardson work a lot better under Kidd than Carlisle. There are plenty of things that the likes of Bullock, DFS and Kleber DON'T do that people are just straight up overlooking in favor of what they do well. IMO things they don't do contributed heavily to us losing to GSW just as much as things they do well helped get us there.

Roster continuity is important, but it's not nearly important as having the best players. It's not about one thing is important and the other isn't, it's a matter of how much relative value they have. Our role players and the chemistry they have are not more important than trying acquire better players if possible to put out on the court.


See to me this is one of the primary reasons we lost to Golden State. They had shot creators all over the place. Our team of 'specialists' got exposed, because the likes of Bullock DFS and Kleber have to have every shot they take handed to them on a silver platter or they are close to useless offensively. That's why Luka has to be so ball dominant, and also had to have someone like Brunson step into the starting lineup to take pressure off him having to be responsible for hand feeding all the guys he plays with that have zero shot creation ability. You can say we are just built that way, but I say we are that way by necessity and it's a sub optimal solution. On offense it's like Luka is playing with a bunch of hungry infants. Might be good to have some more adults to take the pressure off.

I think you could take role players with less defense but more shot creation and not lose a beat in terms of overall on court performance as just an example, though I understand not wanting to compromise on defense and I would agree with that. In fact having more shot creators could have the knock on effect of reducing Luka's usage AND not requiring that he have another primary ball handler on the court with him so he isn't completely gassed and playing on fumes in the 4th quarter all the time helping him be all round more efficient, even on defense (yeah he needs to get in better shape, but having a lineup full of spot up only shooters doesn't help, his usage is not a recipe for long term success or his long term health and longevity). Fans seem to be locked into the mindset of this is how our game style is setup around Luka and it requires the very specific set of skills the role players we have on the team possess or it might/will fall apart. Don't agree with that at all. There is a lot that is being currently compensated for in our game style and usage of players due to the inadequacies of the role players we have.

I think that is a key point and one that you are ignoring.  As we sit around here, acting like our thoughts on Mavs roster building matters, we ARE commenting on specific trades and whether or not we would do them.  Or if those are the type of players that we would target.  We have blown through countless names just this offseason.  It isn't so much that "we" are blinded by our own players as we have opinions on roster building and some players don't fit into that vision - for any number of reasons.  Cost to acquire, skillset, off court considerations...  they all come into play.  You are complaining about the PROCESS of debate on this board rather than discussing actual players and making cases for/against them.  There are going to be differences in opinion - that's kind of the point.

The second bold is an example where I STRONGLY disagree with you... I think that our defense is being held together at times by smoke and mirrors and relying WAY too heavily on the precious few that can execute it.  The guys you label as "role" players are holding our playoff lives in their hands.  We don't get to where we do without their skillsets.  Individually, they may not be "stars".  But in the team concept that the Mavs employ, our core players have much more value and are greater than the the mere sum of there individual worth.  They have more value because of Luka - and Luka has more value because of them.  You can't just replace them with "better" players and hope for same results. Thybulle is a good example.  Is he a better defender than DFS?  The league would say so, since he is making All-D teams.  If you replaced DFS with Thybulle, are the Mavs a better team?  I don't think it is close.  DFS shooting nearly 40% from 3 the last two seasons is a HUGE part of our team concept and is a way that Luka is able to do what he does.  A reason Din has amazing driving lanes.  That their pnr game is so deadly.  It MATTERS who those players are and what they can do.  

As for me, I think our defense needs help - much more than our offense.  I would love to pick up an additional creator.  I think we need one.  Suggest some stuff.  Let's discuss it.  I see people discussing it all the time and making arguments for/against.  I just don't buy when someone comes in and says that it is all about the boys in blue.  I am not that invested on any of the players.  I root for the name on the front of the jersey - as do most people here.  I grow fond of players that I see giving it all for the team, but I don't have to let that cloud objectivity.  I think our defense needs help and want to see us CONTINUE to acquire and keep 2 way players, unless there is too much value to overlook a trade.  That is how teams do it too when 2 contenders trade.  Everyone would want most of the top players in the league - what are you going to prioritize.