Trade & FA 2023-24: OKC The Favorite For Nic Claxton Should He Leave BRK

[Chicagojk]

I have to think about the Kuzma aspect of it. On paper it'd make sense but attitude wise he still scares the hell out of me.


I'm more interested in swinging a trade for Thybulle this offseason honestly.

Yeah I think Thybulle and DFS are much more likely.  Thybulle will be easier to get.  dFS may be too much for what we are willing to give up.

One concern I have going forward.  We seem not to be prioritizing shooting.  Length + shooting is what everyone is looking for so it is tough to find.  But how I envision this team we need good shooting to really spread the floor and get the best out of Luka and our bigs.

[loki]

I'd rate them Caruso > Brown > Thybulle. I think Thybulle gets ignored in a playoff series due to his shooting. Brown would be a solid addition, but he isn't the impact defender that the other two are.

[Chicagojk]

Man, I thought the Mavs free agency is frustrating. The Cowboys say "hold my beer". The most popular franchise in the world and they penny pinch with gaping holes all over the place.

[SleepingHero]

@TheDunkCentral
The Bulls will look to trade Zach LaVine again this offseason, per
@KCJHoop

[KillerLeft]

@TheDunkCentral
The Bulls will look to trade Zach LaVine again this offseason, per
@KCJHoop

Ask @KCHoop if the sun is going to come up tomorrow. I have plans, and I'm worried about them being ruined by perpetual darkness.

[RGP1981]

Ask @KCHoop if the sun is going to come up tomorrow. I have plans, and I'm worried about them being ruined by perpetual darkness.

I think Dwight Powell looks like an acolyte from an underground cult of perpetual darkness. I can just picture him donning his coarse, billowy brown acolyte robe with accompanying hood, wandering about in the rugged mountains or strolling around the post-apocalyptic ruins of some woeful township, carrying a stick or a scythe for protection and to beat unbelievers with, muttering under his breath as he somehow manages to club himself in the head when he swings the stick or scythe.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Man, I thought the Mavs free agency is frustrating.  The Cowboys say "hold my beer".  The most popular franchise in the world and they penny pinch with gaping holes all over the place.

Jerry lied and said the Boys were gonna be players in FAgency. So they sign a punter. I believe they're holding back because of Dak's huge extension that's due. Cowboys have fell behind the Eagles again.

[SleepingHero]

I think Dwight Powell looks like an acolyte from an underground cult of perpetual darkness. I can just picture him donning his coarse, billowy brown acolyte robe with accompanying hood, wandering about in the rugged mountains or strolling around the post-apocalyptic ruins of some woeful township, carrying a stick or a scythe for protection and to beat unbelievers with, muttering under his breath as he somehow manages to club himself in the head when he swings the stick or scythe.

I'm gonna need the full story of Dwight Powell: Cult Leader.

I think you're onto something....

[SkenfromLMF]

Quick, we need somebody to ask Dwight if there is a comet coming!

O snap, check his plans for the eclipse…

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

No, not having Kuzma on the Mavericks was and continues to be one of my main goals as a fan.

I agree we don't with Kuzma at the 4, but Kuzma at the 3 with PJ at the 4 makes a ton of sense for this team.

[mvossman]

I agree we don't with Kuzma at the 4, but Kuzma at the 3 with PJ at the 4 makes a ton of sense for this team.

Don’t think that starting lineup can play contender level defense. On a good team Kuz is a 6th man. Is an unprotected first and bigger cap hit worth a Timmy upgrade?

[RGP1981]

I'm gonna need the full story of Dwight Powell: Cult Leader.

I think you're onto something....

I already gave you the whole story... i.e., Dwight still manages to get himself hit in the head, regardless of the scene or setting.

He isn't a high level acolyte either but one of the low-level, expendable scrubs. If this was a movie and he was on the bad guy's side, he might not be the 1st or 2nd acolyte killed off by the script but he'd likely be the 3rd or 4th. Either way, his character on the Mavs has survived way longer than any fictional equivalent of his would have.

[SleepingHero]

I already gave you the whole story... i.e., Dwight still manages to get himself hit in the head, regardless of the scene or setting.

He isn't a high level acolyte either but one of the low-level, expendable scrubs. If this was a movie and he was on the bad guy's side, he might not be the 1st or 2nd acolyte killed off by the script but he'd likely be the 3rd or 4th. Either way, his character on the Mavs has survived way longer than any fictional equivalent of his would have.

I think you're underestimating Dwight's staying power. He has survived how many iterations of the Mavs at this point? Forever morphing into a guy they need, always playing behind the scenes, currying the favor of those who he needs so he can survive.

If anything Dwight is more like a little finger type character. Unassuming at first, but we know who is really pulling the strings of this underground cult 

[RGP1981]

I think you're underestimating Dwight's staying power. He has survived how many iterations of the Mavs at this point? Forever morphing into a guy they need, always playing behind the scenes, currying the favor of those who he needs so he can survive.

If anything Dwight is more like a little finger type character. Unassuming at first, but we know who is really pulling the strings of this underground cult 

*cough, cough, cough*

You can fantasize about Dwight's staying power all you want... but I'm fantasizing about him being traded off the team.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Guys, the roster is not the problem. It could always be better, but more trades and more roster shake up at this point is the worst idea possible. You’d just be throwing more resources out the window without actually knowing how the team would look with competent coaching. In other words, no one really knows what is needed here, other than coaching, so that is the issue to solve before making any other moves.

If Jason Kidd survives this season it will get much easier, because I will no longer care about the Mavericks

That's a false dilemma.  Even if you had a chimpanzee for a HC, you want to make the roster better.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Don’t think that starting lineup can play contender level defense. On a good team Kuz is a 6th man. Is an unprotected first and bigger cap hit worth a Timmy upgrade?

He's already started half the games on a championship team.

THJ upgrade?  He shoots 1/5 fewer 3's, twice the rebounds, twice the assists, over 5% better fg%, and is a much better defender.  There is no comparison between the two players.  Kuzma is a PF/SF.  THJ is a SG/SF.  We need a PF/SF, as a starter.

Luka, Exum, Hardy
Kyrie, Green (6th man)
Kuzma, DJJ. OMax
PJ, Maxi
Gafford, Lively

Only weakness is backup PF

[KillerLeft]

That's a false dilemma.  Even if you had a chimpanzee for a HC, you want to make the roster better.

Sure, but not really. Because, moves that make the roster "better" for some coaches, running some systems, don't fit into the plans of other coaches, running different systems. You really want THE guy who's going to be implementing the plan, longterm, to be in the mix on those decisions. Otherwise, you're spending resources for things you potentially might not want or need. 

It's basic, common sense.

[dirkfansince1998]

Sure, but not really. Because, moves that make the roster "better" for some coaches, running some systems, don't fit into the plans of other coaches, running different systems. You really want THE guy who's going to be implementing the plan, longterm, to be in the mix on those decisions. Otherwise, you're spending resources for things you potentially might not want or need. 

It's basic, common sense.

This. Mavs made roster moves that fit into whatever scheme Kidd is trying to implement. Not sure if the Mavs are better or more talented but it changed the dynamics of the team. Two drop defense bigs. Forwards with questionable outside shooting. Bigger and more athletic but with worse spacing.
Looking around the league many teams/coaches are trending into a different direction. Switch heavy with 5-out spacing. Mavs invested a lot of assets into players that wouldn't fit into that kind of scheme. A potential new coach would have to work with a roster that was build to play a certain style of basketball or the Mavs would have to rebuild the roster again.

[KillerLeft]

This. Mavs made roster moves that fit into whatever scheme Kidd is trying to implement. Not sure if the Mavs are better or more talented but it changed the dynamics of the team. Two drop defense bigs. Forwards with questionable outside shooting. Bigger and more athletic but with worse spacing.
Looking around the league many teams/coaches are trending into a different direction. Switch heavy with 5-out spacing. Mavs invested a lot of assets into players that wouldn't fit into that kind scheme. A potential new coach would have to work with a roster that was build to play a certain style of basketball or the Mavs would have to rebuild the roster again.

Totally.

And to be fair, if Kidd is the guy longterm, then sure, build the team according to his vision. It's only my opinion, but after giving him what I considered to be a clean slate this season, I just don't like what he's doing, sorry. I don't know if the Mavs decision makers are even stopping to consider whether coaching is an issue right now, obviously, but man, I sure would be if I were in their place. 

T0 the current MBT's credit, the team is athletic in a way that Donnie/Carlise never seemed to value much. I like that part. I just don't like anything about what they're doing defensively (unless they're playing Kleber and Washington together) and I CAN'T STAND the approach to offensive spacing and ball movement. I just don't understand a decision to play any other way than what gives Luka and Kyrie the most possible space to operate.

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

Totally.

And to be fair, if Kidd is the guy longterm, then sure, build the team according to his vision. It's only my opinion, but after giving him what I considered to be a clean slate this season, I just don't like what he's doing, sorry. I don't know if the Mavs decision makers are even stopping to consider whether coaching is an issue right now, obviously, but man, I sure would be if I were in their place. 

T0 the current MBT's credit, the team is athletic in a way that Donnie/Carlise never seemed to value much. I like that part. I just don't like anything about what they're doing defensively (unless they're playing Kleber and Washington together) and I CAN'T STAND the approach to offensive spacing and ball movement. I just don't understand a decision to play any other way than what gives Luka and Kyrie the most possible space to operate.

I’m fine with the big off-season addition being incorporating Omax into the rotation taking Maxi/DJJ minutes. Have to find out what we have in him. Same with Jaden Hardy. 

Obviously, if something falls into our lap and we can upgrade THJ we should do it. But I wouldn’t move him just to move him. Decent pick and expiring guy? Sure! Better fitting player, absolutely. But I wouldn’t give him away. 

I’m pretty vocal in my belief that Kidd is NOT the guy, but I don’t see much that isn’t fixable for a new coach. Pretty sure we can flip Gafford if we need to. Young, plays hard, fair contract. What we need to ascertain for certain by this time next year is whether Omax looks like a future starter (I think he is) and then whether Hardy has continued to develop enough to make him a keeper (and future THJ replacement.) Then we would be essentially saving assets for our next Kyrie-esque bucket getter to take pressure off of Luka. I personally love the way everything is set up going forward. Yes I wish we had a bevy of picks and a new coach. But aside from that, the roster build and talent scouting is light years better than before.