Mavrelous wrote:FWIW, DJJ+Green as defesnive guards with Gafford/Lively + PJ frontcourt is good enough IMO, Mavs need backup PF, Maxi is nearing the end of his servicable career, and they need offense off the bench if Hardy isn't in the plans to fully replace THJ, I just don't see THJ another year in Mavs uniform, they also need 4th ball handler because both Kyrie and Exum aren't reliable and see to be 30 games each, with Mavs shortage of resources, just addressing these is going to be tough.
Enough THJ already. Giving him the extension probably made FO to not give Brunson a well-deserved extension.
In WCF run, THJ was injured and the team did not miss him at all. He is done with those multi-year deals. He should be looking for MLE or less.
This year FO made really nice signings and trades. Some low-risk tries didn't pan out, but some did. DJJ is not a great starter for playoffs but for a vet.min he is a steal. Exum is great, he provides real PG skills which completes Kyrie's SG skills.
Gafford is a steal for trading a future draft pick switch. I cannot understand why other teams didn't go for him. Like in West alone, there are 3-4 teams that'd benefit from Gafford, considering his age and reasonable contract. I'd not want to play against the Suns with Gafford.
PJ is getting better, Green-Maxi will be needed in playoffs as well. Lets see if Kyrie struggles in playoffs against length like he did against opponents like Celtics. More importantly, if Kyrie gets injured in 1st round or sth, Mavs would need to re-evaluate that plan. This also applies to Exum. After all the goal is winning the title. If you have injury-prone players that cannot survive to the next rounds then that is a problem.
So these playoffs should give good indications about what positions to focus on. I believe Luka-Exum-Gafford-Lively are great for the contracts so they'll be here for next year. Lively can only be traded if there is a so great opportunity present. Like if LAC dismantles the squad and offers Kawhi for Lively+fillers, then Cuban may bet for a short-term win.