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

[Branduil]

You made a great summary and as I said before, I totally agree Mavs are better than they were. 

However, I remember you saying early in the season, I can't see how Mavs offense can be stopped with Luka/Kyrie/Lively and two shooters. Turns out Mavs offense is as good as it always was, but Mavs defense was so bad that good teams easily scored even more. I don't see Mavs significantly improved in that area.

This last paragraph you posted is why I am not enthusiastic. If Mavs ceiling is a 2nd round exit, how do they improve from here? As you said - going from Green and PJ to a serious upgrade isn't easy. Give it another try and finish with another 2nd round exit? Perhaps even WCF. Kyrie will turn 34 after that. 

I don't buy "we got young players (Gafford, PJ) who will keep their value" narrative some have posted. Both PJ and Gafford will be 26 next year and they have been around long enough. I could see Gafford having same value as Mavs paid. But PJ was greatly overpaid for what he is and will have to be considerably better in Dallas to have an almost unprotected FRP value.

I am not interested in being decent. I want rings. I am sure Luka does too.

I do believe Dallas could see a significant improvement on BOTH ends of the court simply by hiring a competent X-and-Os coach. Right now the offense is simply whatever Luka and Kyrie can generate and the defensive scheme actively sabotages any improvement.