09-03-2023, 07:39 PM
(09-03-2023, 06:01 PM)myconsumerclub Wrote: Obviously Lively will come along slowly just like they brought Hardy along slowly. What if they are forced into getting him going faster?
"Forced"? You are never forced - nor is there ever real value -- in playing a player who is not able to play at a level that is useful, where he will be overwhelmed, unless your team is wasting a year. And the Mavs are not.
If they literally have no other players available at C -- ie, all of Powell, Holmes, and Maxi are not in uniform -- then of course he will probably play added minutes. But the odds of an injury wave like that is really small. They have many experienced players at C to use.
Although, in that unlikely circumstance, even then he might not start. Don't freak out if/when they go small and players like DJJ, GW, and maybe even OMax get mins at C instead of Lively. I think he will have to earn his minutes by what he shows in camp/practice, and as he gets a few minutes here and there, in order to get more. They aren't slowing down this team (and its chances) to cater to him imo, because they want to be winning now.
And BTW, imo they brought Hardy fast. Maybe too fast, I thought, but the tanking probably helped (I think it was part of the equation long before game 80). The kid played over 700 (a very high number for a low pick), and he had issues. He was good at hoisting a lot of shots every time, of course, but his defense was horrendous (almost non-existent), and his concept of team (on either end) was not good.