THE CRUCIFIX: Cato: Wood isn't thrilled w/ his role...Will depart in the summer

[IamDougieFresh]

I think they need to add D while keeping same level of offensive capability. This team is offensively very limited and hangs on a single player playing at MVP level. I don't think Mavs have any reserves in that department.

Smart. How would Luka’s defensive effort look if he didn’t have to be 1v9 for 40 minutes per game?

[omahen]

How would Luka’s defensive effort look if he didn’t have to be 1v9 for 40 minutes per game?

I think Luka is capable of playing a decent defense and I don't think Luka is the defensive problem of this team as shown in games he doesn't play (unless someone wants to build a case based on yesterdays win against Phoenix). I think Cato summarized Mavs defense perfectly:

Without Wood and Maxi Kleber, Dallas has played extremely small lineups in the past week. The traditional way to attack that is by putting your tallest player in the middle to let them score easy buckets at the rim. But the Mavericks rarely allow bigs to beat them that way. They collapse once the ball is tossed inside, disrupting and dislodging big men from their positioning without giving them their typical passing outlets out of a double-team.

This happened last week against the LA Clippers, and the game changed once Ty Lue benched Ivica Zubac midway through the third quarter. From that point, the Mavericks’ feisty ability to defend tall players turned into another problem they have far fewer solutions for: Playing good man defense at the point of attack. Without Zubac clogging the paint, any opposing player who could beat his man would often end up at the rim for a layup. Dallas didn’t have enough perimeter defenders who are strong enough to prevent that.

Luka Dončić’s absence, Dallas’ defense and more: Mavericks-Suns observations - The Athletic

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

The worst D in the league gives up 118 per 100.  Bobby K often quotes that Dallas is now 24-9 (I believe) when they give up fewer than 118 per and 2-15 when they give up more.  As much O as we have, what this is saying is if we are just better than the worst D in the league, we are a 60 win team.  Not top 5, not top half of the league.  Just not horrible.

I don’t think it is that simple, but Maxi and a little more D from somewhere would get us there.  The Key is getting that additional D without giving up too much O.  To me, that is the move they should be looking for.

I was pretty blown away by that stat when Karrala mentioned it.

We're just not even doing the bare minimum on that end and that's all it would take for this season to look half way decent.

[Chicagojk]

I think Luka is capable of playing a decent defense and I don't think Luka is the defensive problem of this team as shown in games he doesn't play (unless someone wants to build a case based on yesterdays win against Phoenix). I think Cato summarized Mavs defense perfectly:

Without Wood and Maxi Kleber, Dallas has played extremely small lineups in the past week. The traditional way to attack that is by putting your tallest player in the middle to let them score easy buckets at the rim. But the Mavericks rarely allow bigs to beat them that way. They collapse once the ball is tossed inside, disrupting and dislodging big men from their positioning without giving them their typical passing outlets out of a double-team.

This happened last week against the LA Clippers, and the game changed once Ty Lue benched Ivica Zubac midway through the third quarter. From that point, the Mavericks’ feisty ability to defend tall players turned into another problem they have far fewer solutions for: Playing good man defense at the point of attack. Without Zubac clogging the paint, any opposing player who could beat his man would often end up at the rim for a layup. Dallas didn’t have enough perimeter defenders who are strong enough to prevent that.

Luka Dončić’s absence, Dallas’ defense and more: Mavericks-Suns observations - The Athletic

It is a good strategy if you have multiple guys who can create (which team doesn't have multiple guys to do this).   Hardaway will draw a charge and DFS will have the occasional block, but no one else is much resistance if there is no rim protection.   Plus, you are probably going to get a lot of free throws because the Mavs will get into the penalty early.

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/TheLaurenGunn/status...1622625281

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/KT_3410/status/1620997325480153088

[BigDirk41]

Give him his 4 year max even if they want to trade him later. Don't lose the asset. Contract will look cheap down the road.

[F Gump]

Give him his 4 year max even if they want to trade him later. Don't lose the asset. Contract will look cheap down the road.

Once he's said he won't sign for 2 years, why not table those extension discussions until after the TDL? It looks to me like that's exactly what they did. It would seem there's no value in getting in a rush and closing off choices, when you can have the same extension conversation in 2 weeks.

[ThisIStheYear]

So the Mavs lost Brunson for nothing and now may lose Wood and the first round pick they’ve already given up for him for next to nothing?  These guys are basketball geniuses!  They’ve got the league right where they want them.  

There are literally hundreds of thousands of people who could do a better job running this team.

[BigDirk41]

Once he's said he won't sign for 2 years, why not table those extension discussions until after the TDL? It looks to me like that's exactly what they did. It would seem there's no value in getting in a rush and closing off choices, when you can have the same extension conversation in 2 weeks.

That's bad asset management if that's the case. Trade him if he isn't going to sign. Mavs FO is incompetent.

[omahen]

Once he's said he won't sign for 2 years, why not table those extension discussions until after the TDL? It looks to me like that's exactly what they did. It would seem there's no value in getting in a rush and closing off choices, when you can have the same extension conversation in 2 weeks.

Thats just bad management, imho. The value lost if the Brunson story repeats (Wood has a great second half of the season and playoffs) is far greater than saving a couple of millions. We already know he can produce stats in the regular season. That contract will not be a negative.

[IamDougieFresh]

This org was barely able to get a top 20 player of all time ONE title. The odds of them fucking up not only this situation, but screwing another top 20 all time player are VERY high.

[F Gump]

Thats just bad management, imho. The value lost if the Brunson story repeats (Wood has a great second half of the season and playoffs) is far greater than saving a couple of millions. We already know he can produce stats in the regular season. That contract will not be a negative.

Where is my point not getting through?

(If I read this correctly ...) ...the delay has nothing to do with money. It's about a desire to keep the door open to be able to trade Wood, if they need to at the TDL (ie if the trade they are looking for becomes available). That's not letting Wood get away, it's looking for the best way for Wood to be an asset. What's wrong with that?

Stein says they have "started" extension talks already. Obviously they already see what will do the deal. As I said elsewhere, see what happened with DFS - it looks exactly like the same path with Wood.

[Jym]

Give him his 4 year max even if they want to trade him later. Don't lose the asset. Contract will look cheap down the road.

Yeah if Wood wants less years then we can negotiate from there, but it's insanity to me if they haven't offered him the full 4 year extension already. I will lose what little faith I have left in Cuban and his underlings if he walks for nothing this summer

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

I'm in favor of trading CWood if he doesn't want an extension.
But if CWood doesn't want to sign because the offer is 2 years instead of 4, then the FO are absolute id10ts.

CWood isn't a star, but it's already known he fits well with Luka. And from what I'm reading, the chemistry is there even off court. That's something Luka never had with KP. There is value in knowing a player on your roster has a good working relationship with your superstar. Specially if that player averages 18 and 8, and is the other half of one of the most efficient pick and roll/pick and pop duos in the league.

[dynamicalVoid]

Never saw Luka sit next to KP on the bench.

I have seen Luka playing grab-ass with Wood while sitting directly next to him on the bench.  Luka was like playfully pinching Woods elbow or something while Wood wasnt looking.   Thats a good sign, imo.

[ThisIStheYear]

Let’s talk about Wood’s trade value. It’s got to be fairly limited.  As a rental, he’ll return a dime on the dollar, particularly with the injury. He could possibly be traded for a player on a bad contract, like Collins (Mavs would have to throw something else in and would just be trading one problem for another). Maybe he’s a salary match in a bigger trade?  Low chance. The Mavs aren’t ready for that kind of deal. Only thing that makes sense, and I don’t know the rules here, is to a team projected to be over the cap making a trade and extend or acquiring his bird rights to pay him this off season? I wonder what team is down for that?  Can’t think of many — the Lakers sending back Westbrook and the Mavs getting to dump a bad contract as compensation?  It’s a pickle. Let’s see if the Mavs can surprise us with a competent, positive move instead of another one that reeks of damage control.

[ItsGoTime]

Let’s talk about Wood’s trade value. It’s got to be fairly limited.  As a rental, he’ll return a dime on the dollar, particularly with the injury. He could possibly be traded for a player on a bad contract, like Collins (Mavs would have to throw something else in and would just be trading one problem for another). Maybe he’s a salary match in a bigger trade?  Low chance. The Mavs aren’t ready for that kind of deal. Only thing that makes sense, and I don’t know the rules here, is to a team projected to be over the cap making a trade and extend or acquiring his bird rights to pay him this off season? I wonder what team is down for that?  Can’t think of many — the Lakers sending back Westbrook and the Mavs getting to dump a bad contract as compensation?  It’s a pickle. Let’s see if the Mavs can surprise us with a competent, positive move instead of another one that reeks of damage control.

Right. To me, he is worth more to this team than what we paid to get him. If we can’t get more than that, I see little reason to trade him.

[omahen]

Let’s talk about Wood’s trade value. It’s got to be fairly limited.

I think it is not a bad contract and non lottery FRP. Perhaps also a so-so youngster in addition to the pick

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If we can’t get more than that, I see little reason to trade him.

Perhaps he doesn't want to resign at all

[ItsGoTime]

I think it is not a bad contract and non lottery FRP. Perhaps also a so-so youngster in addition to the pick

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Perhaps he doesn't want to resign at all

While it may be too late to even give him the max extension, that’s the direction I would want, and do it before the TDL to show him the commitment. Not much faith in getting more than we paid for him.