Trade & FA 2023-24: Paul George to Test Free Agency After No Contract Extension

[DallasMaverick]

3 and D role player is difficult, especially for a young player still trying to develop in a bland offensive system. Grimes and Josh Green are basically the same player. If Grimes is frustrated by how he's used in NY, he is also going to hate it here. Green can probably say the exact same things:

https://nypost.com/2023/12/05/sports/que...icks-role/


Josh Hart had similar comments: 
https://nypost.com/2023/11/28/sports/jos...icks-role/

For all his nice qualities, Jalen Brunson is very much a ball-dominant point guard.

[RGP1981]

3 and D role player is difficult, especially for a young player still trying to develop in a bland offensive system. Grimes and Josh Green are basically the same player. If Grimes is frustrated by how he's used in NY, he is also going to hate it here. Green can probably say the exact same things:

https://nypost.com/2023/12/05/sports/que...icks-role/

I agree with you partly. Green is more athletic and better at being POA defender... but Grimes is a much better and more confident shooter. If Grimes gets the same chances that Green (and THJ) is getting here, I think he will be happy and more productive on offense.

I think it could be really good to have an SG rotation of Grimes and Green. It will be much less expensive that paying "the next actual Klay Thompson" too. There can be a place in this Mavs team for both guys.

Also, I think it is two different things to not get enough shots because the ball is with Luka vs not getting enough shots because Randle and/or Barrett are doing low IQ, low efficiency things... or cause Jalen Brunson is trying to prove that he deserves the contract he got. Thibbs also yanks Grimes out early for missing a shot or two. The Mavs don't have that luxury of yanking him out like that if they want a capable defender + 3-point shooter at SG on the court since they don't have the guard depth that the Knicks do.

As for Josh Hart saying the same things, that's okay. Not interested in Hart so much as Grimes. Grimes is a better shooter and on lower salary for now. Maybe Hart won't have the same problems any longer if the Mavericks trade for Grimes, since Hart will then get more minutes at SG along with DDV.

[Knutsen]

Update on the Theis-watch before we play the Clippers: 8 points (on bad shooting), 11 rebounds and 4 assists in a win against the Spurs.

Let‘s hope we won‘t see the matchup against Powell on Saturday, because that means Lively is good to go and Holmes keeps doing his thing.

So one more, than I‘ll let it go:

Theis - with Zubac - keeping Jokic in check and scoring 8 points along with 11 rebounds and 3 blocks while being +14 in 21 minutes. 

This guy was there for the taking, Dirk should have recruited him and we‘d have a nice one-two punch with him and Lively…

[mvossman]

So one more, than I‘ll let it go:

Theis - with Zubac - keeping Jokic in check and scoring 8 points along with 11 rebounds and 3 blocks while being +14 in 21 minutes. 

This guy was there for the taking, Dirk should have recruited him and we‘d have a nice one-two punch with him and Lively…

I'd like to see his TS get above 50% before I start thinking we made some kind of mistake.  He is approaching 32 years old and has played 63 games the last three years (out of 184).  Don't we already have an aging, oft injured German big?

[DallasMaverick]

So one more, than I‘ll let it go:

Theis - with Zubac - keeping Jokic in check and scoring 8 points along with 11 rebounds and 3 blocks while being +14 in 21 minutes. 

This guy was there for the taking, Dirk should have recruited him and we‘d have a nice one-two punch with him and Lively…

But we didn't take him.

We also can't go back and change the past.

So, why are you beating yourself up?

[surfpuckmd]

So one more, than I‘ll let it go:

Theis - with Zubac - keeping Jokic in check and scoring 8 points along with 11 rebounds and 3 blocks while being +14 in 21 minutes. 

This guy was there for the taking, Dirk should have recruited him and we‘d have a nice one-two punch with him and Lively…

I would have liked to have had Theis here as a backup center option.  If healthy, he'd be a good fit here.

I can't criticize the Mavs on this though.  It doesn't seem like he chose the Clippers because the Mavs rejected him.  He probably just wanted to be in LA like almost every other NBA player.  He'd probably rather play for Ty Lue than Jason Kidd.

[SleepingHero]

But we didn't take him.

We also can't go back and change the past.

So, why are you beating yourself up?

He also wasn't really there for the taking.

No way the Mavs were going to give up anything of value for Theis who was ready to be bought out. No way the Pacers would've accepted a Holmes for Theis deal straight up (as they get an even worse contract and no value).

Theis was bought out and chose the Clippers because they had basically a guaranteed 20+ mpg-every-night role for him. Mavs couldn't honestly offer the same with Maxi waiting to return and Holmes+Powell sitting on the bench.

I like Theis, but let's not rewrite history and say he was right there for the taking.

[RGP1981]

I think someone was saying that Powell was better than Theis some pages ago?

Not going to go back and look it up... and I don't know if Theis would be a good fit here... but it has to be said!

Theis >> Powell

If AD is a new 2023 G-wagen, then Theis is a 1980's G-wagen... and Powell is a second hand Suzuki Jimny.

[KillerLeft]

I think someone was saying that Powell was better than Theis some pages ago? 

Yes, that was me. 

I still believe that, and feel it's pretty obvious.

[RGP1981]

Yes, that was me. 

I still believe that, and feel it's pretty obvious.

Oh, hello! I honestly didn't know who it was.

May I ask... how though? Like what is Powell better at and what makes it so obvious? I'm genuinely curious to learn how someone sees it that way.

Please don't say he's a bigger contributor to the Dallas community. That's not a valid bball reason.

Selling himself as a "valued member of the Philly community" is how Tobias Harris scammed his way into a max-contract.

[KillerLeft]

How though? Like what is Powell better at and what makes it obvious?

Screen-settiing (uber important). Knowing how/when to roll hard based on what's going on with said screen setting. Vertical spacing. Powell is literally elite in these areas. Theis is elite in no areas. 

The above is all pick-and-roll stuff. Theis is ok at that "Gortat screen" in the lane, but other than that he's not even a pick and roll big, meaning I highly doubt he has ever even been considered as a fit here. This is first and foremost a pick and roll team, after all. Honestly, I could quit writing the post at this point, because as long as Luka plays for the Mavs, 100% of their bigs will be pick and roll bigs.

Powell is obviously a great teammate and at least a decent leader, since the Mavs keep bringing him back and Udoka had him singled out to help him change the culture in Houston (at MLE money). Theis seems like kind of a journeyman, and while I don't know of anything negative about him in this department, I feel I can confidently say he doesn't match up to Powell here, either. Most players don't. 

I like that Theis shoots 3's, but I'm not a believer in him as a spacer, so it's a moot point. I'm sure he's better than Powell as a rebounder, because Powell might be the worst rebounder I've ever seen. But, I don't really feel Theis is a difference making rebounder, only slightly better, so moot point. 

I think Powell is a significantly more versatile defender (not sure he's fitting into this scheme well this year yet), and I personally believe he could be used to greater effect defensively than he has shown this year. The team has gone back to drop coverage, almost exclusively, as far as I can tell. If you want him to play center like Lively does, he can't. But neither can Theis. Like, at all. Even those who think he'd do better in drop than Powell (he might) would be complaining about him so hard after two weeks - because he can't do what Lively does. 

The only real thing Theis has on Powell is that Mavs fans aren't bored of him (yet).

[SleepingHero]

NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
The Indiana Pacers are reportedly looking to add a "big, athletic, two-way wing" on the trade market, per @wojespn

[DallasMaverick]

NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
The Indiana Pacers are reportedly looking to add a "big, athletic, two-way wing" on the trade market, per @wojespn

Sounds like THJ!!

[ThisIStheYear]

NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
The Indiana Pacers are reportedly looking to add a "big, athletic, two-way wing" on the trade market, per @wojespn

Join the club.

[Scott41theMavs]

Join the club.

I'd prefer they didn't. Competition drives the price up.

[SleepingHero]

NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
“I would expect [the Miami Heat] to be aggressive. Maybe that means a Pascal Siakam. Maybe that means an OG Anunoby. That’s someone I don’t think they’d hesitate to pull the trigger on because you could re-sign those guys if you’re Miami.”

- @SIChrisMannix

That now makes what? 20 teams in the OG/Pascal rumors? 


Of course I'd love the Mavs to get OG, or even Siakam. No shot they are in it though. Someone is going to overpay a crap ton.

[Scott41theMavs]

Sounds like THJ!!

Bwah hah hah, now you can come over and clean up the coffee I spewed all over the keyboard.

[SwisherPrice]

If the Pacers find that player, Mavs need to call them about Jordan Nwora, who doesn't even get minutes. And maybe even Jarace Walker, who just happened to get drafted to one of the coaches who hates playing rookies

[ThisIStheYear]

NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
The Indiana Pacers are reportedly looking to add a "big, athletic, two-way wing" on the trade market, per @wojespn

Join the club.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Sounds like THJ!!

Two-way and THJ is hyperbole to be paired in the same sentence.