08-02-2023, 02:24 PM
(08-02-2023, 01:44 PM)Ghost of Podkolzin Wrote: If you have known any professional athletes, your first point applies to 95%. Even the least among professional athletes have been told how special and valuable they are from an early age. But to your point, you have temper that in regards to your equals and betters. IMO that applies to KP, not wanting to play with the most gifted ball handler since Lebron. That was just foolishness, immaturity, and youth. It doesn't mark him for life as many elites grow out of that (eg Penny/N.Anderson, Kobe/Shaq, Kidd/J.Jackson). There's simply no smoke that that was the issue with Wood in Dallas. He thought he should have a bigger role, and anyone with a bball IQ above room temperature would agree, but that was between him and the coaching staff, not teammates.
I agree with your second point, as it pertains to younger players. You hit late 20s, however, you are who you are. At that point the curve (season to season) is pretty smooth. The example I'll use is Capela; what he did in HOU doesn't matter; you have to project out his current decline curve. This applies to players who had an act II to their careers like G.Hill and D.Rose. You don't assess them for their earlier MVP value; you assess them for their current role-playing value.
I think you are ignoring all evidence if you think Wood's only issue is Kidd. That would not explain why we could not get any value for him at trade deadline, or why nobody has offered him a contract.
There are plenty of players that take big dips in their late 20's and then turn it around completely, especially with a change in scenery. Its not just the youth curve. There is other stuff too.