[grndmstr_c]

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

There's also a strategic element to this. What kind of team are the Mavs right now? They're not a contender. Even if we believe that Murphy (for instance) was actually better than Wright, he clearly has less upside. There is significantly more to be gained from giving Wright a bit more PT, whether that's his own development or just boosting his trade value.

In other words, even if I give Murphy the benefit of the doubt in every area, I still seriously question whether he should have played over Wright at this point in a Mavs' season that clearly isn't "championship or bust."

But again, don't the Mavs have a number of players, not just Wright, who they need to get reads on, develop, and build up their value? Jae and Sarge playing ahead of Brandan in the rotation clearly fits that bill. And if having Murphy out there provided an opportunity for DC and OJ to get game experience - and for their coaching staff to evaluate their performance - running plays and working out of sets that the team will rely on heavily when Dirk gets back, isn't that also serving developmental purposes (of an arguably higher priority)?