Bob8 wrote:BeiBeau wrote:Bob8 wrote:
Hope that both rookies can contribute immediately is not exactly realistic situation. In best case scenario they can, but the most realistic scenario is that they won't. Both players are just projects. And if they won't, we have, at the moment, the same problems like last year. It will be crucial that they address problem with wings in offseason and I'm not exactly confident that rim protection will be better next year either.
I think there is a big difference between prospect and project. A project is a player with insane potential but doesn’t really have any NBA ready skills yet. Giannis was a project, Bilal Coulibaly is a project. DL2 and OMax both have NBA ready skills. Expecting them to contribute right away is not the same as thinking that they can. Particularly Lively. Michael Finley said that they were impressed with his defensive reads and knowledge. If he gets the learning aspects down. We also need to know his weight, a lot of reports are saying he’s 230-235. If that’s true he can easily be 240 by opening day. He can come in a block shots, finish lobs, and rebound the ball just fine because those are his strengths and those skills translate very well. We have seen a ton of young bigs come in and make impact right away. Mobley, Kessler, JJJ, Duren, Williams, Robinson are all in just the last 5 years. Now granted some of them were playing garbage ball on bad teams but Mobley made the playoffs playing 33 minutes and Kessler could’ve made the playoffs with Utah but they decided to tank. I think Lively’s goal should be to be starting by January-February.
For O-Max it’s more difficult. The win last night was Dallas got the best on ball defender and the best interior defender in college basketball. However, Lively’s skills will be easier to translate because the offensive side of the ball will be such a cake walk. Finish lobs and set screens that’s it. For O-Max it will come down to can he hit his 3s. If he can he can play. He for sure has the defensive tools and skills, I would say there is a very good chance he is the best on ball defender Dallas has to start the season. He’s also 21 and has a NBA body so the weight won’t be an issue their.
You're saying that a player, who has played 20 minutes in a college, was total non factor in offense there and not particularly good rebounder, will become important piece of playoffs Nba team overnight? Mobley and Kessler numbers were much more impressive in their last year in college. The problem I see is that Mavs are in situation that won't allow for experimentation with rookies. Do you really believe that all young players, ( Green, Hardy, Lively and O-Max) will get big minutes? Not very likely. Mavs need to get some already rotational Nba players in offseason and develop rookies by the way.
1. College stats are just not a good argument they’re always **** up. His per 40 minutes stats are on par with all of the other young centers I mention above. You have the watch the games. Lively came on slow because of an injury. But in the last 8 weeks of the season he was an absolute menace on the defensive end. His rebounding is fine, he played with another 7 footer so realistically he was getting less because Filipowski was grabbing them as well. Even still his rebounding percentages were fine. Offensively shouldn’t be an issue. Duke did not have a point guard Roach is a combo guard scorer who averaged 3 assists per game. Lively is a good lob finisher. On a team where he has Luka and Kyrie to get him the ball in his spots he will not struggle on offense.
2. No I don’t think it’s going to happen over night. I do think he could be a starter this season though it took Kessler, Williams, and Duren until January last year to be ready to start. Because he is a very good Rim protector and Powell and Holmes are not I think he can have a niche to start. Maxi is gonna close, I think Holmes starts, and Powell brings the energy, but Lively is the rim protector.
3. I think Green, Hardy, and Lively will get spots in the rotation yes. Putting Green, Hardy, Lively, OMax in the same category is very disingenuous. Green played 30 minutes a game after DFS was traded, he’s already a borderline starter. Hardy proved that he can play in meaning full games at the end of last year, he played 20 minutes after the Kyrie trade and already broke into the rotation. For Lively I see 15 minutes to start and then Dallas will have to adjust based on how it goes. I think O-Max has a chance because he is a special defender but that will probably depend on his 3pt shot I’m not willing to commit to him getting rotation minutes as a rookie but I could see him getting minutes early in his career.
4. I agree that I want Dallas to get more vets. I’m not particularly happy that Lively’s stop gap is Holmes because I think Dallas would be better served with a Lopez type player however if we get OMax I’m fine with Holmes. Dallas needs to hit on the MLE or S&T that they get. I’m of the mind set that they need both a MLE or S&T plus a trade for another vet but I just don’t think it’s feasible so I think Holmes/Lively/Powell/Maxi is what we got.