PGDT: Mavs at Thunder 7:00pm CT

[SMC0007]

A lot can happen during the season. I hope McGee plays well enough for it to be a no brainer that he must remain a starter. I would have put one of Bullock, SD or Dorian as 6th man, instead of Wood. It seemed most logical for it to be SD given our lack of ball handler depth, but whatever.

Wright IV looked super solid last night. He's the kind of guy who we let slip through our grasp when he's right here, just like Cam Payne.

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by SMC0007

A lot can happen during the season. I hope McGee plays well enough for it to be a no brainer that he must remain a starter. I would have put one of Bullock, SD or Dorian as 6th man, instead of Wood. It seemed most logical for it to be SD given our lack of ball handler depth, but whatever.

Wright IV looked super solid last night. He's the kind of guy who we let slip through our grasp when he's right here, just like Cam Payne.

Mavs need that second ball handler in the starting lineup. Especially in the playoffs. The second unit could be a disaster, though. They?ll have to get creative with the substitution patterns.

[purplefrog]

Mavs need to learn from the Brunson ordeal. I recommend they hire his dad to be an assistant coach and his agent to be an assistant to Nico. There.. fixed. No worries now.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by purplefrog

Mavs need to learn from the Brunson ordeal. I recommend they hire his dad to be an assistant coach and his agent to be an assistant to Nico. There.. fixed. No worries now.

That was only to tamper

Mavs can talk to their guys all they want

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by FreshJive

Mavs need that second ball handler in the starting lineup. Especially in the playoffs. The second unit could be a disaster, though. They?ll have to get creative with the substitution patterns.

They kinda need a second ball handler, but they mostly need someone who can relieve some pressure from Luka taking the ball up every possession. In theory if you must have another ball handler on the floor, then sit Bullock and keep SD.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by SMC0007

They kinda need a second ball handler, but they mostly need someone who can relieve some pressure from Luka taking the ball up every possession. In theory if you must have another ball handler on the floor, then sit Bullock and keep SD.

I mean, they've looked to Green, Hardy, and Frank for this, and so far it looks promising with Green and Hardy.

I kinda get the Dragic offer now. I'm sure they still want a vet in an emergency but are committed to developing the young guys. And honestly, we need one of those young guys to hit more than having a vet sit around not playing. That all changes with an injury, of course.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

I mean, they've looked to Green, Hardy, and Frank for this, and so far it looks promising with Green and Hardy.

I kinda get the Dragic offer now. I'm sure they still want a vet in an emergency but are committed to developing the young guys. And honestly, we need one of those young guys to hit more than having a vet sit around not playing. That all changes with an injury, of course.

We also doubted Dragic would get PT in Chicago, but with Lonzo out until at least the ASB, Dragic is going to get plenty of playing time.

With Luka getting 35mpg at PG, Spencer getting 30mpg at PG/SG, and THJ getting close to the 30mpg at SG, then we have only about one minute to spare.

Of course, we could reduce THJ to 20mpg, but that still only gives us 10-11 minutes for a combination of Green/Hardy/Frank/Wright IV to split. Definitely a good call to give other guys time, but those are not the consistent vet minutes that Dragic wanted

[purplefrog]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

I mean, they've looked to Green, Hardy, and Frank for this, and so far it looks promising with Green and Hardy.

I kinda get the Dragic offer now. I'm sure they still want a vet in an emergency but are committed to developing the young guys. And honestly, we need one of those young guys to hit more than having a vet sit around not playing. That all changes with an injury, of course.

I believe it comes down to two or three decision-making calculations:

1). Do you maximize the probability of making another deep playoff run this season or develop the young guys for the long-term (possibly concluding there is little chance of a championship this season anyway).

2). Can Green/Hardy/Frank steady the ship in the case Luka or SD go down with an injury? Can they contribute if asked to play significant minutes when Luka or SD need a game or two rest?

3). Will the current roster necessitate a large number of minutes logged for Luka and SD during the regular season and will that impact their effectiveness in the playoffs?

It seems to make sense to me that you would want to have a vet pg on the bench in the case of an emergency or the calculations above tip in favor of the lack of a second ball handler leading to one of these suggested negative scenarios (for example, Green/Hardy/Frank are not up to the challenge). But I tend to be risk averse and lean on the side of every season being viewed through the lens of maximizing championship opportunities for Luka. I also think there is value to adding this hypothetical player before the season starts, so they have the opportunity to develop chemistry with rotation players.