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

[mvossman]

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.

Are we sure putting Vanderbilt next to Wood is that great of a fit?  You talk about Maxi at the 5 so we can pull the opposing center out of the paint and have mentioned the same about Wood at the 5, but Vanderbilt takes one three a game and has no midrange.  Right now he is not somebody that will pull guys out of the paint.  Unless he is on the verge of breaking out, I don't think he is worth both a first and displacing Dorian from his best position.