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

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

The hole is at the 4, imo, especially now that Kleber is down. 

If they can add a player at that position who makes Kleber's minutes next year come more from the 5 than the 4, I think that's a good thing. It gives the team more options and greater flexibility. And, I think Kleber is more special at the 5, personally. At this point in time, most 4's can floor the ball, bring the ball up, threaten to score while facing up, etc. There's some of that starting to happen at the 5, too, but it's still rare, and Kleber can defend that type of center. He still offers a ton of value at the 5 just by pulling the biggest opposing player out of the paint (this is getting less rare, but it's still valuable). If he's playing the 5, you're probably running a lineup in which there are no easy marks to isolate with ball screens. 

Adding that 4 I'm envisioning (think Vanderbilt, for discussion sake) comes with the risk that DFS won't be as good as he has been these past few seasons, playing more 3 than 4. There are certainly benefits to this change relative to defensive size and rebounding, but there is also risk there in the areas of offensive skill, defensive matchups, etc. I'm not sure I can predict how that would go for DFS. HOWEVER, if the new player is someone like Vanderbilt, AND we know they have Green ready for a bigger role, I'm less inclined to worry about that. If DFS can't hang at the 3, then move him to the bench (where he could backfill both positions at a luxurious level) or even trade him (if that luxurious level is too expensive for Cuban's taste). I don't say either thing lightly. There is only a specific, narrow range of players who'd make me feel good about potentially displacing DFS.

You’ve certainly harped on this concept a lot this year but I’m pretty inclined to disagree with this opinion and most of my reasoning you already laid out. I think DFS has proven that he is great to play the 4, I’ve never really felt he ever has size issues and I think he’s much better suited there than at the 3. The teams that are going after the vanderbilts and ruis of the league are the same ones who would be going after DFS for all the same reasons so I’m surprised this board is stuck on needing this skill set that already seems to exist on this roster via one of our few high level role players.

I think a lot of this is due to how you view Hardaway and are such a staunch defender of him. He’s a decent player and I try not to be too hard on him but the idea that his role isn’t the obviously role that needs upgrading is odd to me. Were talking about potentially moving DFS to the 3 where Hardaway is and the biggest problem there is that whoever we put into this role with our current roster (Hardaway/Bullock/DFS) is going to be a player that can’t play make or create their own shot to save their life. To me when I watch that it’s clear that we’re really just a two way wing away from being taken seriously (assuming we can keep Wood around) and that two way wing can be smaller or bigger than DFS in my opinion, but it can’t be another one dimensional player like Vanderbilt.

I don’t want to be thrown into your “group think” opinion on Hardaway and come off as I’m bashing him but if you don’t think we can clearly upgrade that spot and be a MUCH better team than I feel you’ve gone way too far in the other direction.

Agreed on the Green points, I really want him to be a two way player we can place next to Luka for years.

Also agreed on the Poeltl thoughts and your general view on centers and their worth.