from espn Zach Lowe:
Ten NBA things I like and don't like, including the Luka Doncic-Dwight Powell dance
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...t-powell-dance
#8. Respect the Mavs' other big men
I never got the mostly quashed rumblings Dallas might be interested in Andre Drummond. Kristaps Porzingis should eventually play more as the Mavs' lone big man, and in the meantime, Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell are doing just fine alongside him.
Skeptics in the preseason perceived the Mavs roster as top heavy: two stars and a motley crew of bench guys. It's true (it's damn true!) Dallas does not have anyone like a third member of past championship Big 3s. But they do have (by my count) seven guys you might describe as quality fifth starters -- seven fifth-best players, all but one (Tim Hardaway Jr.) on value contracts. There is power in giving zero minutes to below-average players.
Powell has always been a dangerous rim-runner, but he has exploded as Luka Doncic's go-to pick-and-roll dance partner. Only three player pairs have teamed up on that play more often. (For trivia purposes, the top three in volume: Spencer Dinwiddie/Jarrett Allen, Damian Lillard/Hassan Whiteside, and the Lou Williams/Montrezl Harrell symphony.)
The Mavs average a ginormous 1.18 points per possession anytime Doncic or Powell shoots out of the pick-and-roll, or passes to a teammate who launches -- ninth-best among 226 duos who have run at least 100 such plays, per Second Spectrum.
Powell has improved as a passer on the move -- crucial when teams trap Doncic:
Kleber does a little of everything. He's a serviceable screen-and-dive guy. He is hitting 41% from deep on a career-high attempt rate, and he makes canny plays off the bounce when defenses rush at him:
Kleber is a sturdy, smart defender across multiple positions. Rick Carlisle has trusted him to guard extra-large ball-handlers, including LeBron, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Simmons. He's a solid rim protector with some hops.
Dallas is starting Kleber and Powell in the absence of Porzingis, and the Mavs have outscored opponents by 13 points per 100 possessions with both on the floor.
Kleber and Powell earn $18 million combined this season -- $9 million less than Drummond. Drummond holds a much-discussed player option for 2020-21. Kleber and Powell are under contract through 2023. Leaving aside money and whatever assets Detroit might demand, it's unclear whether giving Kleber/Powell minutes to Drummond would even make Dallas any better.