Quote:
Originally Posted by Dallas41
I think some of you guys are going to be really frustrated with the way he's used. He's a good player no doubt but I'm not not getting my hopes up high that he'll be a consistent rotation player.
I pretty much see him being used similiar to how Boban or WCS was utilized last year as a situational player by RC.
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Well, to be honest, I've had similar thoughts on Johnson to what you expressed above. But, let me express the counterargument, even if I'm not totally sure which way I'm leaning yet:
1) Almost every metric available, especially those related to defense, seem to point to the idea that the team was much better off with both KP and Powell playing together last season. There's a fan-driven narrative making the rounds that KP's game took off when Powell got injured, but this
could be attributable to timing, as KP was working his way back into shape early on.
2) The same metrics show pretty clearly that DFS is a positive when playing the 3, but not so much (so far) when playing the 4.
3) Without Powell in the mix (which might be the reality, depending on how he looks after his awful achilles injury) the only real option they had at the 4 was Kleber, who we know is also going to play behind KP at the 5 some for spacing purposes.
4) Johnson is almost exclusively a 4, and he can play many different ways. He's a defender, a catch and shoot guy, he can be a ball-handler or a competent screener in these actions.
5) The Mavs could have simply dumped Wright for Ariza. That trade would've satisfied Detroit's need for savings this year, and Ariza is expiring (and usable), so he would've worked for Dallas, too. For some reason, they spent an EXTRA 2nd to re-route Ariza and get back Johnson instead. There could be several reasons for this, but the most likely one, imo, is to give them depth specifically at the 4, and specifically because of Powell's uncertain status.
Conclusion: I won't be surprised if your prediction proves to be correct, but I ALSO won't be surprised if Johnson is a crucial cog in their plan for a world in which Powell isn't the same guy this year. Most people aren't the same after achilles injuries.