Dirk Nowitzki May Be Willing To Play 6th Man Role

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:14 pm

Dirk Nowitzki may be willing to come off the bench in his 21st season. Nowitzki has primarily been playing center over the past few seasons but the Dallas Mavericks acquired DeAndre Jordan this offseason.

"Obviously, the last couple years, I've played more at the [center position]," Nowitzki said. "Jokingly, I told DeAndre that, the way the foot is healing, you're going to have to fight for your starting spot. I texted him that two, three weeks ago. He was just laughing.

"I'm not sure what that meant."

Jordan is on a one-year deal while Nowitzki may retire after this season.

"Obviously, DeAndre's going to be our starter at the five position and the rest will just kind of fall in place after that," Nowitzki said. "If [Barnes] goes back to the four or we start other ways, I have no idea as of yet. But it's a great problem to have. We want to be a franchise that is back in the playoffs and plays well and has fun again."

Via Eddie Sefko/Dallas Morning News

nedleeds · Post #2 » by **nedleeds** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 3:58 pm

*cough* Carmelo *cough*

jimmy keys · Post #3 » by **jimmy keys** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:28 pm

nedleeds wrote:*cough* Carmelo *cough*

Exactly. This is how you age/evolve as an NBA great. Dirk gets it. Duncan got it. Melo take notes.

falcindor · Post #4 » by **falcindor** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:00 pm

Knicks can use you in such a role as a Porzingis mentor.

Pickled Prunes · Post #5 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 6:35 pm

jimmy keys wrote:
nedleeds wrote:*cough* Carmelo *cough*

Exactly. This is how you age/evolve as an NBA great. Dirk gets it. Duncan got it. Melo take notes.

So Dirk sees an All-NBA caliber player,that plays his same position joining his team and he shows willingness to step aside. Yeah, that makes sense. But it also makes sense that Melo doesn't envision himself coming off the bench behind James Ennis or Gerald Green.

The Starting thing gets so overblown with fans... especially on boards like this one. There are only 48 center minutes per game. DJ and Dirk will be on the floor together at some point during the game. It doesn't really matter at what point in the game this happens so why can't they be the 1st few minutes of each half?

The same actually goes for Melo. You can use him as a reserve, despite the fact that he's starting.... but HOU doesn't have a better starting option than Melo and they do have a better 6th man in Eric Gordon. And in general, coaches aren't afraid to move guys to to the bench. If the coach sees a better option on their bench I am certain they will go with it. There wasn't a better option in OKC last season either... at least not after Roberson went down.

ChokeFasncists · Post #6 » by **ChokeFasncists** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:36 pm

jimmy keys wrote:
nedleeds wrote:*cough* Carmelo *cough*

Exactly. This is how you age/evolve as an NBA great. Dirk gets it. Duncan got it. Melo take notes.

Besides tanking, KoBeToo.

12footrim · Post #7 » by **12footrim** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:50 pm

jimmy keys wrote:
nedleeds wrote:*cough* Carmelo *cough*

Exactly. This is how you age/evolve as an NBA great. Dirk gets it. Duncan got it. Melo take notes.

honestly Dirk is still is a highly positive player by the advanced stats. Like a top 70 player by RPM. I think he should play as much as he can and Dallas should play him as much as they can while trying to win. Got the rest of his life to kick back if he retires.

Ryan91729 · Post #8 » by **Ryan91729** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 8:18 pm

"May be willing"? Lol. Dirk has been saying for 5 years now that he's fine coming off the bench. They were just never able to find anyone better than him even at his age until now.

Revived · Post #9 » by **Revived** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 10:10 pm

I love Dirk the player and his character so much. I’m gonna miss him more when he’s gone than kobe/Duncan when they retired even though they were superior players.

Tiesto_Lakers · Post #10 » by **Tiesto_Lakers** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 10:37 pm

How about 9th man?

JimmyJammer · Post #11 » by **JimmyJammer** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 11:11 am

nedleeds wrote:*cough* Carmelo *cough*

Carmelo is not backing up freaking Jeremy Grant, that is all there was to it. Even on one leg, Carmelo figures he is better than Grant. You want Melo to go on the bench? Just bring in a legitimate starter to play ahead of him, and he'll get it.

nedleeds · Post #12 » by **nedleeds** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:29 pm

JimmyJammer wrote:
nedleeds wrote:*cough* Carmelo *cough*

Carmelo is not backing up freaking Jeremy Grant, that is all there was to it. Even on one leg, Carmelo figures he is better than Grant. You want Melo to go on the bench? Just bring in a legitimate starter to play ahead of him, and he'll get it.

Jeremy Grant is a better player than 2018 Melo, so yes.

Cookin Baskets · Post #13 » by **Cookin Baskets** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 5:36 pm

Not surprising Dirk is a class act and future Hall of famer. 8-)

Pickled Prunes · Post #14 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 8:41 pm

nedleeds wrote:
JimmyJammer wrote:
nedleeds wrote:*cough* Carmelo *cough*

Carmelo is not backing up freaking Jeremy Grant, that is all there was to it. Even on one leg, Carmelo figures he is better than Grant. You want Melo to go on the bench? Just bring in a legitimate starter to play ahead of him, and he'll get it.

Jeremy Grant is a better player than 2018 Melo, so yes.

LOL... as long as you don't pass him the ball, right? Melo has fallen off quite a bit since his prime, but he'll need to fall several more years before he gets to Jerami Grant territory. Sure, if OKC wanted to put out an all-defensive lineup Melo would be on the bench. But that in no way makes Jerami Grant a better player than Melo. Grant, like Roberson, is just a player that is willing to defend and stay out of the way on offense. (Those two on the floor together is going to be ugly!) And don't get it twisted; I was on these boards trashing Melo on his way out of Denver and as he pushes D'Antoni out of NY. I am no Melo fan. But people get so out of touch with reality with their player-hate sometimes. But here's a player comp... just for fun.

https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Carmelo-Anthony/Comparison/452/Jerami-Grant/24661

And for more fun... I bet you a sack of donuts that Grant is out of the league before Melo gets into the HOF... and yes, he'll be 1st ballot. There is just a massive disparity in talent there!

Popashotovich · Post #15 » by **Popashotovich** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 11:49 pm

Revived wrote:I love Dirk the player and his character so much. I’m gonna miss him more when he’s gone than kobe/Duncan when they retired even though they were superior players.

Kobe, Dirk, Duncan, Kidd.....very special dudes from a very special era. Guys who saw the tougher style of play 15 years ago and also evolved with the rule changes, adding elements to their games or taking evolving into different roles. Who am I missing?
I feel like there must be more guys like this that I am not thinking of...

nedleeds · Post #16 » by **nedleeds** » Sun Sep 16, 2018 4:01 pm

Pickled Prunes wrote:
nedleeds wrote:
JimmyJammer wrote:Carmelo is not backing up freaking Jeremy Grant, that is all there was to it. Even on one leg, Carmelo figures he is better than Grant. You want Melo to go on the bench? Just bring in a legitimate starter to play ahead of him, and he'll get it.

Jeremy Grant is a better player than 2018 Melo, so yes.

LOL... as long as you don't pass him the ball, right? Melo has fallen off quite a bit since his prime, but he'll need to fall several more years before he gets to Jerami Grant territory. Sure, if OKC wanted to put out an all-defensive lineup Melo would be on the bench. But that in no way makes Jerami Grant a better player than Melo. Grant, like Roberson, is just a player that is willing to defend and stay out of the way on offense. (Those two on the floor together is going to be ugly!) And don't get it twisted; I was on these boards trashing Melo on his way out of Denver and as he pushes D'Antoni out of NY. I am no Melo fan. But people get so out of touch with reality with their player-hate sometimes. But here's a player comp... just for fun.

https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Carmelo-Anthony/Comparison/452/Jerami-Grant/24661

You're comparing their careers? What the hell does that have to do with 2018-19? I mean lets compare Karl Malone to them ...

Melo is a 1st ballet hall of famer, thanks for the update, who here debates that? What the **** does that have to do with 2018 Melo? Did I claim Grant is a HOF talent, or even anything better than a rotation player? The talent difference in 2011 Melo and Grant is massive. 2018-19 Melo is one of the worst defensive players in the NBA, throw in his total lack of effort on defense and Grant is a superior 4 right now. But like most Melo Stans you completely disregard defense.

Compare 2018 Melo and 2018 Grant.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.fcgi?request=1&sum=0&player_id1_hint=Jerami+Grant&player_id1_select=Jerami+Grant&player_id1=grantje01&y1=2018&player_id2_hint=Carmelo+Anthony&player_id2_select=Carmelo+Anthony&y2=2018&player_id2=anthoca01&idx=players#stats-advanced::none

Man, even worse than I thought. That 50.3% true shooting from your power forward. Sign me up! He really stepped it up in the playoffs with a blistering 45.2%. Well at least he has his defense to fall back on ... that -1.9 DPM.

Pickled Prunes · Post #17 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Sun Sep 16, 2018 10:35 pm

nedleeds wrote:
Pickled Prunes wrote:
nedleeds wrote:Jeremy Grant is a better player than 2018 Melo, so yes.

LOL... as long as you don't pass him the ball, right? Melo has fallen off quite a bit since his prime, but he'll need to fall several more years before he gets to Jerami Grant territory. Sure, if OKC wanted to put out an all-defensive lineup Melo would be on the bench. But that in no way makes Jerami Grant a better player than Melo. Grant, like Roberson, is just a player that is willing to defend and stay out of the way on offense. (Those two on the floor together is going to be ugly!) And don't get it twisted; I was on these boards trashing Melo on his way out of Denver and as he pushes D'Antoni out of NY. I am no Melo fan. But people get so out of touch with reality with their player-hate sometimes. But here's a player comp... just for fun.

https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Carmelo-Anthony/Comparison/452/Jerami-Grant/24661

You're comparing their careers? What the hell does that have to do with 2018-19? I mean lets compare Karl Malone to them ...

Melo is a 1st ballet hall of famer, thanks for the update, who here debates that? What the **** does that have to do with 2018 Melo? Did I claim Grant is a HOF talent, or even anything better than a rotation player? The talent difference in 2011 Melo and Grant is massive. 2018-19 Melo is one of the worst defensive players in the NBA, throw in his total lack of effort on defense and Grant is a superior 4 right now. But like most Melo Stans you completely disregard defense.

Compare 2018 Melo and 2018 Grant.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.fcgi?request=1&sum=0&player_id1_hint=Jerami+Grant&player_id1_select=Jerami+Grant&player_id1=grantje01&y1=2018&player_id2_hint=Carmelo+Anthony&player_id2_select=Carmelo+Anthony&y2=2018&player_id2=anthoca01&idx=players#stats-advanced::none

Man, even worse than I thought. That 50.3% true shooting from your power forward. Sign me up! He really stepped it up in the playoffs with a blistering 45.2%. Well at least he has his defense to fall back on ... that -1.9 DPM.

As stated, I'm no Melo lover. But the talent disparity is immense. They are both one-way players for sure but OKC has a crappy offensive system with Melo getting last second desperation heaves from Westbrook on the regular. And you're going to compare him to a guy that deffends and gets a couple of put-backs per game. Come on, man! You can't compare offensive numbers when one of the players isn't involved in the offense. You know who also had terrible offensive numbers in the playoffs?... Westbrook and PG13. Yep, that whole teams offense needs to be revamped. Of their three high-volume scorers, Melo is the one with the least control of where or when he got the ball. He also wasn't that high of volume at 12 shots per game (38%). PG was at 20 (41%) and Westbrook at nearly 30 (40%). So yeah, situation matters. (Oladipo says hello!) Grant was in his ideal role defending and cleaning up the falling bricks while Melo was in a very uncomfortable position as the third whell of a broken tricycle. I'll give you that Grant was clearly better suited for the "stand back and watch Westbrick chuck" offense that OKC runs, but Melo is still a vastly more talented player than Grant. Yes... I said vastly!