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

[DanSchwartzgan]

 
22-23 9 man rotation out of the gate (as it stands now):
Luka/SD/DFS/Wood/McGee
THJ/Green or Frank/Bullock/Maxi

I think we can go 8 deep in a playoff rotation (7.5 if you want to count McGee's 16 minutes as a half).  Last year it was 6.
 
We have two PG's, three bigs and three wings among those 8 (or 7.5)...basically what it should be.

McGee's defensive numbers are really good and Wood at PF is above average.  The defense, even with Bullock coming off the bench, will be fine anchored by McGee/DFS to start.  The bench D will be anchored by Maxi and Bullock.

We can go big (McGee/Wood at the 5/4) or small (Wood/DFS at the 5/4) in the front court.  We can go all O or all D around Luka.  So, we have good flexibility.

Two of our bench players (THJ and Bullock) have been and could be starters.  I think we all agree Maxi is really good in a limited third big role.  The bench only has to be three deep in the playoffs if the three cover the required roles/positions.  I think we are shy some bench ball handling.

I kind of wonder who will have a more consistent role, Powell or Bertans.  I can actually see the bench being more like Maxi, Bertans, THJ, Bullock and Somebody.  That Somebody will certainly have some space to work with...even as DFS, SD and Wood filter back in.

We have some youth to try to develop, but can we really develop Green and Hardy at the same time?  First one to being a league average three point shooter wins.  As we currently stand, the bench could use a creator.  I don't think Green or Frank are that guy.  They are candidates to replace Bullock when his contract is up.  Hardy might be that guy a year from now (or two).  Seems to me we need a placeholder guard.  Someone like Patrick Beverley with a year left on his deal would do the job or Conley with two years (and Utah needs help at C).  I'd like them to get that guy now, but I can see them throwing Hardy to the wolves a bit and trading for that guy at the TDL.  As I said recently, they've set themselves up to where they "can" be done if they wish.  I'm hopeful they have something more, even if it is just some more creation from the bench.

If there is a big trade for a starter level guy, who do you sit/trade?  It seems Luka, DFS and Wood are pretty set.  It seems they want a second creator (SD) and an inexpensive rim protector to start halves.  As to how the rotation will work, I imagine McGee and Dinwiddie will be replaced pretty early in the 1st and 3rd by Bullock and THJ (moving Wood/DFS to the 5/4 with Luka still playing).  Later in the quarter Maxi comes in for Wood or DFS.  Dinwiddie and a bench player will come in at the start of the next quarter for Luka and the one of DFS/Wood who played the entire period with Luka.  This is where Kidd usually gives spot minutes to someone like Green, Bertans, Powell or Hardy.  This player and McGee will likely be under 20 minutes.  Luka, SD, Wood, DFS, Maxi, Bullock and THJ will all probably be over 25 minutes.