Trade & FA 2023-24: Stein-Ingram Trade Inevitable| LAL Want Lebron Back On Any Terms

[The Jom]

Kyrie ain’t the problem. If the Mavs are unsuccessful, the reasons (in declining levels of impact) will be:

1. Luka performance. (Has to be Dirk-like or better. I’m a firm believer he is and will be, last year notwithstanding.)

2. Kidd’s coaching. (I’m a believer, but not a confident one.)

3. Team health. (Always a crapshoot.)

4. Lack of development. (Not gonna bet against our young core.)

5. NBA rule/reffing changes. (They’ve already made a rule against foul baiting that would’ve killed Duane Wade and James Harden’s careers. Well, it did end Harden’s. What more can they adjust to handicap the Euros who are taking over the league? Guess we’ll see.)

Stupid Kyrie interviews just doesn’t make the list. Don’t mind anybody disliking the dude due to his—let’s charitably call them “political”—beliefs. But I cannot accept that (1) those beliefs, (2) his widely broadcast comments on them, and (3) fans’ reaction to them have any real effect on team performance.

Yes, yes, I know. Many disagree. But not that many who fall outside of (3) above.