NBA Trade Rumors |

[JamesConway]

Drummond would put this team over the top. His defensive shortcomings could be masked by KP shotblocking. As with any Adams deal I think the Mavs simply don't have the pieces to pull something of this magnitude off, although the interest Detroit has in expiring contracts bodes well for our ability to get something in return for Lee. I can only imagine the Mavs have kicked the tires with Detoit on this thing with some sort of package.

Over the top of what exactly? It's certainly not going to make us a better team. Just watch this teams offensive officiency fall off a cliff. Watch Luka have less space to drive, and Drummond waste possessions putting shots up (far more frequently, and far less efficiently than DAJ did last year, who was also not good for this team). For all the talk about Powell, he CAN space the floor, because he will stand at the 3 point line and take the open shot at a 30% rate or set great picks and roll hard to the rim. Drummond won't do the former and isn't any good at the latter (0.95 ppp in PnR, 28th percentile, vs Kleber 1.44 92nd percentile and Powell 1.20 66th percentile, which is low for him this season).

Also Drummond is NOT a good defender, in exactly the same way DAJ wasn't a good defender. He's terrible defending PnR, and sells out for rebounds. A guy is going to take the team over the top when he needs to be masked by someone else defensively, when this team is middle of the pack defensively as it is? Our rebounding might get better, but it really doesn't need to get much better, but we will be worse offensively, and defensively. Also the dude will be a liability in the playoffs. Some terrible takes here.

Most of the stuff you've brought up are things that people around here are aware. But some obviously think that he'd look vastly different in DAL compared to DET. He's not getting any postups here, I can guarantee you that.

Prime DeAndre Jordan was the absolute bluechip fit in terms of being the ideal Mavs PnR-finishing Center. We got the washed up, lazy version. But when he was at his best DJ was a s super athletic Center who could catch almost any lob from any angle who doesn't have plays run for him yet still produces. Basically a Dwight Powell on steroids. The whole idea with Drummond is that he might become that here in our system. He certainly has the athletic and physical tools.

For me personally it comes down to the price tag. Our rotation lacks balance anyway so a move might potentially add a high-upside starter to this roster without hurting the rotation too much. For instance our guard rotation is pretty crowded. JJB barely ever plays yet we still can't get all off Curry/Brunson/Wright the minutes they deserve. I am open-minded about moving one of them in a trade to balance out the squad and don't see a lot of downside there. Then we got plenty of other players who can be thrown in deals as fillers who don't play either (Lee, Bro, Roby).

It's a buy low-situation. That's it. We've done comparable moves in the past. I fully expect Drummond to be moved for a weak package. Maybe even worth less than what we traded away in the Noel-acquisition.