If the Mavs REJECT Tanking, What Would Make the Season Worth It? | Dallas Mavericks Podcast

If the Mavs REJECT Tanking, What Would Make the Season Worth It? | Dallas Mavericks Podcast

on today’s show. All right, it’s probably best for the Dallas Mavericks to tank. That would make sense. Get this draft pick, get another guy to play pair with Cooper Flag, but they’re not going to do that. They’re going to go for it. And so, we’ll tell you what would make it worth it for the Mavs to go for it. Today’s locked on MS. This is Cooper Flag and you’re listening to Locked on M5. I think that’s a good question. All these changes, you know, I still got my dog Dwight Pal, your daily Mavericks podcast of the Locked On. Still can’t leave. Your team every day. I’m going to get a city like that. And welcome. You are locked on to the Dallas Mavericks, your team every day. My name is Nick Angstead, media member, covering the MS for 10 years. Thanks for bringing in every dare. Making locked on Mavs, your first listen to making locked on podcast network, the number one sports podcast network out there. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. If you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit fan duel.com. Place your NFL live bets all season long. Joining me as always, my co-host medium member of the master for over 10 years right alongside me, the go for it fiend, the one more thing ganging. What you got for me, Isaac Harris? Shout out to everyone who listened to our pod yesterday. Yeah, you got an extended long episode on YouTube. So there you go. We don’t do those very often, but uh shout out to all the positive feedback for the long show yesterday. That was a fun one. We we’ll do those like once every like once every quarter or so for the season. We we’ll do one of those. And that was a lot of fun with Slightly and Isaac. So, if you missed that one, go listen to that episode. But today, we want to talk about the maps going for it because I don’t think they’re going to tank this season. They’re going to try and go for it. They’re going to bring Kyrie back. They’re going to try to do the Anthony Davis, Kyrie, and bring everybody back and see how far they can go. this is they’re not necessarily under the win now Nico Harrison like vision necessarily anymore but they’re under something right now and so we want to talk about what would make it worth it for them to go on a run and for them to go on a run how would they have to go on a run so we’ll talk about that we’ll talk about a bunch of different things but let’s start here logically I think it makes sense for the maps to tank we talked all about it yesterday you made the you made the case a lot on the show yesterday when you and Slightly were going back and forth and I was just the I felt like the I felt like the kid in divorce. I was just going back and forth like, “Okay, dad’s side, mom’s side. What do I do?” I was like, “I’ll buy you an Xbox when you come to my house.” And it’s like was like, “I’ll buy a PS5.” And I was like, “Oh, okay.” Like crap. All right. Well, I’ll get you ice cream every time. But it makes sense logically for the Mavs to tank this season. They don’t control their draft pick after this year for the next four years. Be careful saying that, Nick. You’ll have people They don’t They don’t control the pick. No, I meant like saying that they should tank building around. Sure. Building those people can be mad. Building around Cooper flag is not a right now situation. It’s a in the future. Get somebody around them. Look at what the Spurs have around Victor Wemanyama. Dylan Harper had a great game tonight against the Pelicans. They already have Castle. They already have some other young young pieces as well. Obviously, what the Thunder have done. They’re an outlier, but still they got Chad Homegrren. They got Jaylen Williams to put with Shay Gildas Alexander. Look at what the Pistons have. Kade Cunningham with Duran with, you know, Jaden Ivy even with Ron Holland with Assar Thompson. Look at even what the Rockets have with getting Amen Thompson and Reed Shepard to go without Albrin Jenon. And then they added Kevin Durant and the Mavs kind of did it backwards. We’re like, “All right, we’re going to get our old our older pieces first. Then all of a sudden we get gifted Cooper Flag and now what are we doing?” And so I think to tank and find the next piece to pair with Cooper Flag long term is the best thing. But the Mavs are going to go for it. I don’t think that they’re going to trade Anthony Davis tomorrow, right? Like and so they’re going to try and go for a run. They’re going to try to bring Kyrie Irving back and uh I don’t I I think that that’s what they’re going to do. Yeah. So, you know, I’m not going to rehash all the tank stuff. Um I do think it’s funny though for me personally that work for the team and freelance for the team and for five, six, seven years was called a homer and too positive and how I’m biased and all the things. And now now that now the tables have turned and uh I’m like and Nico’s gone too, you know, like and Nico’s gone. So like why would you and all of these factors have have like lined up perfectly for me to be like Pro Tank this year and everybody’s like dude he sucks. Isaac sucks for being negative and uh they probably thought that before anyway. I mean well yeah I love the people that listen every day like Isaac sucks. Listen every day Nick sucks you know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for listening though. Yeah. Um, so I’m not I’m not going to go down the tank thing. Um, so the the question that I was kind of, you know, throwing back at slightly yesterday, um, to the crowd of like, hey, just ride it out. Like just just ride it out, play the game, like just see where it lands. How how far do you think they they could go? Like if we answer that first question on the screen there on on YouTube, like what would make a run worth it? Like if they if they go for it? Um, and we’ll detail all the things that would need to happen for them to to make a long playoff run. What would make going for it worth it? What would be And first it’s like what what is the cost um of like hey, what’s the cost for going for it? And let’s just say that now like you lose you most likely lose a higher draft pick. um there is a chance you don’t make the playoffs uh and you go for it and you land at, you know, 12, 13, um 11 somewhere through there. Um you you could make the playoffs and then, you know, you’re obviously not in the top 14 at that point. Uh, so the cost of it is you don’t trade Anthony Davis. You do risk the injury stuff. Um, you risk the higher draft pick and a future the one chance at a future building block around Cooper Flag moving forward that a lot of these other young teams that we all love and we’re all super high on right now. Pistons, Spurs, Rockets, like you were talking about, um, we kind of lose that chance right now. So, what would make it worth it for that cost to pay that cost? Um, and now this is where I think it all differs, right? Like I think there’s probably like a lot of listeners out there. It’s like, dude, if we make it to the playin, a the rest of the regular season and a playin game for Cooper Flag would be great for his development. If you have that opinion, like, okay, like cool. I don’t think it’s the it’s worth the cost for that. Um, but you might. And so then it’s like a playoff series. Is it worth Is it worth going for it if you match up with OKC in the first round and get swept or you win and win the game? Is it worth it then? Um, for me, what would make a run worth it? It would be like a deep playoff run. It would be a a Western Conference Finals. Yeah, I think the cost I just think that cost is a lot of is a heck of a cost. Like I I think that is a that is a risky cost, but if you’re willing to give that up, I think and you made you make the Western Conference Finals and you face off against OKC or, you know, whatever it is, like I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth the cost. But for me personally, making the playoffs and getting steamrolled in the first round against OKC, I wouldn’t say it was worth the cost. And you’ve got to get to get Yeah. to to get I I think to make it worth it to me, you’d have to get to at least seven or eight in the standings to be able to not play OKC in round one because there’s just no chance that you’re Oh, seven or eight in the playin seeds. Yeah. Yeah. In in the play Yeah. in the play or in even just the West standings because like there’s just no way you’re going to beat OKC. I actually can’t see a scenario where you do unless multiple players for them get hurt or stay out or or whatever happens. Uh, and so to make it worth it to me, I think you got to get there. And then I think if they even got to the second round, had a competitive second round series. I think I could I could talk myself into that being I could Yeah, I could hear the argument for that. Yeah. Being worth it for that kind of experience, especially Cooper Flag being able to see the playoffs early. I think that’s something that’s helped Anthony Edwards to to see playoff success early and then but he’s made two Western two made two Western Conference finals and so that’s something too. But uh and then experience playoff experience early for John didn’t really help didn’t really help him either. So there’s there’s two two sides to that coin for sure. But I I I think there to make it worth it. I think to go to just go for it. I think there is something to the idea of being competitive in all these games. I was listening to Locked on Wizards today and bet that was fun. Our friend Ben, not against Ben, but Ben was like, uh, they suck. Not the show, the Wizards. They’re very bad. and their coach Brian Keefe had this whole thing about we’ve taken a step back and Ben on his show was like where was the step forward ever? Like where was the step forward for this team? They have not been competitive. We were promised this team that had some vets that had some young players that were supposed to be competitive and definitely lose a ton of games but at least be competitive and show some fight. And I think there was that Dallas win they had. Yeah. Right. That they got they got that second game of the season. There is something to be said about trying to stay in it and keeping that culture and that that mindset of of we want to win every single game. I think there is something to that. And even just going on a run and going for it, I think keeps you at that level where even if you fail at that spot, you keep this this competitive level. And the Mavericks have not been successful this last year or even this year yet, but they have kept that competitive fire. And I think that that’s because they’ve been going for it over the over this stretch. Yes, they have vets and all that too, but I think there is something to be said about that that mentality. Yeah. No, 100%. Like I I am I am fully in that camp of like that mentality, the opposite of that mentality hurts prospects more than people think in a consistent yearby-year losing. It’s the franchises that commit to the And I can’t I I hear the argument from them and fans and everything. And it’s like, dude, we just need as many bites as the app as you can at the apple to get that prospect or to get multiple prospects in there. I I get that. It would suck, but I think consistent losing year after year after year after year. Um, with the exception of SGA and OKC, which wasn’t too long. I was say it was two years and they kept him out of a lot of those games. They like held him out and I was like, I think that probably did a lot of good for him to just like, hey, we’re just going to hold you back from this losing. Yeah. I I just it affects you know the habits you form and yeah just so much stuff whenever you’re committed you’re you’re tanking year after year after year and that’s where I’m like this is a one-year thing for Dallas because they they have zero incentive to tank for the years to come. Um but yeah I I I think it does affect players and and it would be fun. It would be fun for Cooper and uh those guys to I I do I will say if they if they go for it air quote go for it and try to win all the games I think they’re going to win more games like then like they’re you know they’re getting Kyrie back and stuff. So will it be enough games to you know crack the top six? I don’t know about that but I think they’ll win enough games to be in the playin for sure. And so they are going for it and so what would make it worth it? I think it’s some kind of right now. I think I think it just seems like it. Yeah. Yeah. I I think it’s important to say that they’re I think it feels like they’re going for it right now. But I mean, they could flip a switch super fast in the next few weeks and ship off Anthony Davis next week and we’re like, whoa, that was crazy. And then all of a sudden somebody tweaks something. It’s like, oh, PJ’s out for a month. And then it’s just like, well, they’re losing all these games. So, I wouldn’t say definitive right now. The Mavs are going for it for the rest of the year. Okay. They are right now though. At this exact moment. Yes. At this exact moment in time. This is the information I have now. This is what I think they’re doing. I think they’re going for it. Coming up, we’re going to go and tell you uh what would make it worth it and how the Mavericks could go on some kind of run that would make it worth it. Let’s talk about that and more coming up. Today’s episode of Black MS brought to you by FanDuel. fan of sports book with all kinds of props and odds, things that you can use to get in on the action. Go check it out and see what you can get. All kinds of stuff happening all the time. Isaac, you’re a big NBA Cup guy. Just just a huge NBA Cup fan. Oklahoma City to win the cup minus 135. Whoa. I just want to see OKC have to raise the cup after winning the title last year. You think they How excited do you think they would be? Would they be barking? Would they they be excited at all? They’d have everybody like around each other for the interview. Will they always do that? Nick, it should just be a regular game. Knicks plus 500, Lakers plus 700, Magic plus a,000, Heat plus 1,200, and Spurs plus 1500 to win the NBA Cup. You can see that and all kinds of other things on uh you can see it on FanDuel. And you can also bet on stuff live during games as well. So, if you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit fanuel.com. Place your live NFL bets and NBA bets all season long. FanDuel, the game moves fast, so can you. Shut it down. Let’s go home. Thanks for hanging out with us on Locked on Mabs, being part of the show, part of the raccoon squad. And we have another thing to add to this experience with Lockdown Mabs. We’ve got this thing called the Everydayer Club that Lockdown has announced. They’ve been kind of teasing it for a while and it’s the Everydayer Club. You make us your first listen and making us you make us the number one sports podcast number. We appreciate that. You already live your team every day. So now take it up another level and go ad free. You can get this show ad free. join the everyday club and get uh locked on Mavs without ads, which is awesome. So, go check that out. You can go to locked onm lockedonmavericks.com. Locked onmixs.supcast.com is and we’ll put the link in the description. Uh, and so you can do that. It’s $5 a month, $50 a year. You can go there lockedonmicks.supcast.com. Get the show ad free. There’s also a Discord that we’re starting with this. So, you can be part of that Discord. There also may be like a locked on maverick’s discord that is part of that thing that we’re starting because we’ve we’ve waited way too long to do a discord for this show. But we have go check it out and uh and be part of it. The everydayers club get shows ad free get access to the discord also access to extra uh national bonus stuff as well. So check that out link in the description. All right. So all right, Isaac, let’s let’s get into My hair is not that long. Not anymore. When I met you it was. Let’s get into what would make it worth it for the Mavs to go to to go for it right now. Um, I think the experience of Cooper Flag actually being in competitive games all throughout the season with some of these vets, I think playing next to Anthony Davis, especially at the five, has seemed like it would be worth it. And, uh, the Mavericks may get Kyrie Irving back and I think playing with Kyrie Irving because if they don’t go for it, I think they shut Kyrie down for the season. And if they do go for it, then Cooper Flag playing with Kyrie Irving I think would be great for his development, too. That’s another thing I had. Yeah, I’m really excited to see him play with Kyrie uh more than anybody. Just uh yeah, I’m I’m really excited for that. And I do think that even if they do flip the switch and want to go south more than North, uh there’s a way that they can bring Kyrie back and and still achieve that. I I think uh but Cooper and Kyrie on the floor together, I’m really excited to see that. That would be huge. All right, so the Mavs have to go on some kind of run to make it worth it for us to uh to see this to see this season through. How do you think that they could do that? How far do you think an AD Kyrie team could go? Yeah. Well, I think it f first for them to go uh like go on a big run and like you for the rest of the year, climb up into play, go on a deep playoff run, it all starts and ends with Anthony Davis, like you got to you get the full, you know, slate like clean health from this, you know, point forward. Um and in almost in tandem with that is you get an agreement for Anthony Davis to play the five and with some sparing minutes at the four because you’re seeing that it has I mean shocker it’s working with Anthony Davis at the five and then playing a point guard. Who would have ever thought that? But I think it it just starts and ends there of like if they get a healthy Anthony Davis for the rest of the year and Anthony Davis willing to play the five for majority of his minutes out there with a PJ and Cooper at the three and the four then that that’s the biggest thing I think that would have to happen. And we’re also operating under the assumption that Lively is not going to play the rest of the season. That’s kind of where where we’re operating right now. It has not been announced by the Mavericks yet. he’s still seeking another opinion and so we’ll see. There’s a chance that he could play, but I’m I’m just looking at it like I don’t think he’s going to. And so if that’s the case, then yeah, we’ve got to play Anthony Davis at the five. And I think that’s the the best way to go. I think there will be times when it’s more beneficial to play Gaffford next to to AD if he comes back or Musa or maybe even Dwight. But right now 80 at the five, Cooper Flag, and PJ Washington. That that three makes a lot of sense and it is uh they’re winning games with that with that trio. So I think you do have to get that agreeance agreement from from AD and he may not have to agree to it because right now injury-wise he has to like there’s just nothing to agree to. I mean yeah if Gaffford stays out then he kind of has to play it as long as the Gaffford thing I don’t even know if we’ve seen healthy Gaffford all season. He’s just keeps coming back from that ankle and then just going out with the ankle and coming back with the ankle and coming going out with the ankle. I mean ever since season you know we we fired off some of these numbers the other day. even when Gaffford was healthy, they didn’t they obviously didn’t like that pairing because they’ve played zero minutes together. So, um you know that that’s something to think about too is like even if he does, you know, when he does come back and he’s like healthy, do they just bring him off the bench and AD cool with that? But then there was the AD quote the other day of like, yeah, I’m just waiting on them to come back um and uh slot back into the four. But so you got the AD part. If they’re going to go on a run, what needs to happen for them? And then I think the next thing is Kyrie’s got to be at least 80%. Right. Like Yeah. To go on a run. Yeah. Yeah. Like 90% for them to go for it. If you’re in the camp of like, hey, they should go for it because I think that they can go on a deep playoff run, then you need Kyrie. Well, hopefully if you’re in the camp of go for it, then you believe that they can go on a deep playoff run because I struggle with the hey, I think they should go for it, but I I think the highest they can go is like one play it and play endgame. I struggle with that camp that that’s the Chicago Bulls Billy Donovan camp and that’s I’m kind of or Sacramento Kings like I struggle with with that camp. What do you think about what do you think about I think that camp is even even to the point of like you just owe it to these vets to go for it. You owe your future. I mean yeah I’ve seen that comment I’ve seen that a lot. This business works like Yeah. Well well it does work that way because we have seen we have seen teens do that and then it destroys their future like you said they owed it to Kobe Bryant to play this massive contract. Kobe’s one thing. Yeah. But then they could and then they couldn’t do anything with it. They owed it to I mean just look at all these look at all these teams. But yeah, then then you have the Chris Pauls just getting thrown out on the street for no reason. Um so like yeah, you need to if you’re in the camp of like go for it because you think they can make a deep playoff run, then that’s because we believe that Kyrie Irving is going to come back and be at least 80%. You probably need him be 90% to go on a deep run. You need him to come back and run this team. be, you know, that source of offense. Um, set up the other guy like just be everything that probably not be at peak, you know, level of Kyrie of the crazy acrobatic in the lane type of shots all the time. You hope hopefully that would be awesome, but expecting that right off the bat. Um, even maybe, you know, at the end this regular season coming off the ACL might be difficult, but yeah, you you would need that high level of play from Kyrie. And I think he can do it. Like I love Kyrie. You’d need an agreement from 80 to play the five. You’d need Kyrie Irving to come back at 80%. Coming up, what other things would have need to be healthy? Yeah. Too. Need 80 to be healthy. And Kyrie to be healthy back, too. And everyone else to be healthy. What else would you need for the maps to go on a run? We’ll talk about that in more. Today’s episode of Locked on Maps brought to you by Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile. You’ve got your wireless plan right now and uh it’s draining your wallet, right? All of us, we look at the bill every month and you go, “Dang, I’m paying that much for a brick that just pulls stuff out of the air.” Especially during the holidays. Right now, Mint Mobile is running their best deal of the year. All their unlimited plans are 50% off. That means you can unlock three, six, even 12 months of unlimited premium wireless for just $15 a month. It’s the easiest way to take your overpriced phone bill and give it the Scrooge treatment. Still don’t really know what they mean by that. What What makes this even better is how simple Mint makes the switch. No contracts, no nonsense, just real savings and real quality service. 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One playoff series win definitely two would make it worth it. But what would have what would have to happen for the Mavs to make a run like that? Well, one, we’d need more Jim Harbaugh quotes because Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers coach, after this Monday Night Football win said he puts this win in the discussion of the birth of his seven children and his marriage. Uh he won a national championship with his alma moater in Michigan like two years ago. Just want to throw out there that this Monday Night Football win was that level for him. Um all right, so we covered AD Kyrie. If they’re going to go on a run, what needs to happen? I think that Ryan Nimhard has to continue playing at this like crazy level. Um shoot 68% from three the rest of the season. Yeah. I mean it’s a um because they need one of the biggest things about this team um the biggest weaknesses about this team even going into this season was the lack of ball handling on the team and then you know the shooting problem. And I actually have right underneath this if they’re going to go for it I think they need to trade for more shooting. I think they they need to make some type of smaller trade out there to add another shooter to the rotation to go for it. But I think you need Ryan Nimhard to to be that like for sure locked in backup point guard cuz Kyrie comes back Kyrie starting and you need him to be that guy that’s like all right or yeah I mean I guess you can talk me out of it because yesterday you’re like it has to be one of him or Brandon Williams. I just kind of view Nimhard as like the better player. I could be wrong in that, but I agree. I just think there are some nights where it’ll be Brandon Williams’ number called, but I think it’s be more likely Nemhards if he’s going to continue to play like this. Yeah. So, for them to go on a deep run and for them to go for it and everything, like I think Nimhard has to continue playing at, you know, maybe not 67% or whatever, but like continue to play at like the best basketball of his career, which is what he’s playing right now. Yeah. 53% from three for the season from NAR so far. It’s crazy. They do have to trade for more shooting because it can’t just be Klay has had a surge recently which has been awesome to see. He’s been shooting really well. He’s up to 35% from three for the season which is good. Max Christie still at 46%. From three for the season and then like after that you’re looking around going all right Hardy shooting 42% but how much of that is actual regulation time? Nemart has had his run recently and then you have like Russell Daniel Russell at 29% PJ Washington at 33% flag at 25% Naji at 31%. Um Anthony Davis at 33%, Brandon Williams at 19% from three. Like these the Mavs have not had enough three-point shooting from any of those guys. And they’re acting like a early 2000s team where you had big man slasher slasher shooter point guard, you know, like you just you have to have more shooting than that in 2025. And so I think they do have to make a trade for a shooter. Yeah. Especially when you know it comes down to, you know, teams are getting out of the regular season rotations. as they’re trying to get more of a playoff type of feel and especially when you get into playoff type of basketball playin game or playoff series. You make it that far like you got to have more shooting at that point. That’s when all the schemes and all the coaching stuff comes into play and you got to have more shooting. So, I think if they go for it and they make a deep run, it means that they traded uh and got another shooter in the rotation. What if I told you they had a shooter that was lights out in the Eastern Conference Finals a couple years ago on the roster right now? I I would say that that man is gone. Two of 13 from three so far this season. Caleb Martin, dude. He he barely played the other night. I know. It was a good It was a good decision from Kid. I know. Yeah. Kid still switching some things around. Um you know, with with Cooper, I thought about this too. like what would have for them to go on a deep playoff run. What would have to happen with Cooper’s year this year? Cuz I already think he’s rookie of the year. Um I I Yeah, I just I’ve I’ve always felt that. I mean, I guess you can say after that like first week VJ had a better first week than than Cooper, but and I could hear the you know, Keniple stuff, but I just think from start to finish right now that Cooper’s been the rookie of the year for a while and he’ll continue to keep that. But what would he have to do for them to go on a deep run? He It’s like he’s already clutch. He’s I guess be more aggressive. I guess we’d have to get a little like probably a little bit more aggressive go-to type of guy. But I’ll like go back at myself too. Like does for them to go on a deep run, would he have to? Because there in this in this scenario, Kyrie and AD’s healthy and Kyrie and AD’s on the floor. So, he might not have to go up to that next level on offense. So, yeah, that I struggle with what to say about what Cooper would have to do. Here’s the thing. That’s not necessarily Cooper’s fault, but they would have to start winning his minutes. That’s a that’s a thing that like Don’t look at his plus minus. But that’s what I’m saying. They would have to start winning his minutes. And so, how do the Mavs start winning his minutes? And I think that’s a thing that it’s not necessarily what Cooper has to do, but that’s a thing that overall this team their starters would have to be a lot better. Yeah. Yeah. I Yeah, I agree. Long pause. He froze on my side. And I was like, uh oh, is he thinking or is he I was looking up to see they’ve been positive in they’re positive in the Houston game, in the Miami game, and the Pelicans game from late November and the Portland game over the last like three weeks. Those are the only games that they’ve been positive in Flag’s minutes. And that that’s that’s a thing and it’s like a big red flag that I’m watching. His on-off numbers have also been been bad too because that starting that starting lineup has been bad. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Starting stuff. Um I put one like an asterk at the bottom of this. A non-mavas thing if we’re talking about what would have to happen for them to go on a like a deep run this year. Yeah. Would you have to have an injury to another West team somewhere near the top for you to go on a deep run? I I’ll go a different I’ll go a different way. I think it would have to be to a team in the middle to a team fall team can fall out, right? Yeah. I think you’d have to have the Suns kind of fall off from where they are. The Warriors maybe would have to fall out. The maybe the Spurs fall off a little bit, which Timberwolves. Yeah. Any of any of those four teams I think would have to fall off a little bit. You know, I was thinking about this, too. I mean, OKC is so deep. It’s like, is there an injury on their team that would make everybody rethink everything? I mean, I guess SGA if he had some crazy injury and they just had a 30-point win without him the other night. I know, but I think that would get some fans like really because then it’s like, oh, okay, then you can make a So, anyway, I just thought about that. But that’s why I say conference finals like if they if they went on a run and made it to the conference finals, then all all of the cost of not tanking is is worth it at that point. The Thunder on like a 78 win pace, dude. They’re insane. Like, they’re absolutely insane. And I I do love the people that are like, “Dude, are they that good?” Yeah, they’re overrated. You was like, “What what team are you watching?” I could understand that a little last year, but but now there’s just it’s out the window. Yeah, they’ve proven everything. Yeah, they have so much depth on their team, too. And they’ve had injuries, too. It’s not like It’s not like they’ve just been completely remember that they had that that year where they were like, “Oh, they just been completely healthy.” And that’s the reason why they’ve just been better than everybody else. That that was the year the Mavs played them. And then when the Mavs played them, it just that was it. And they still have like young guys like Topic hasn’t played any because of his health stuff. You know, big uh Sorber, Thomas Sorber from Georgetown, that was their first round pick and he tore his ACL in camp. Like they just have these first rounders that are just like waiting in the in the shadows. Brandon Carlson has been playing minutes for them here and there. Yeah, he’s been decent. And then they have all these draft picks to come. It’s just insane. AJ Mitchell, they have him for like $3 million a year over the next like two years. Dude, he was so he’s so good. Lefty the Santa Barbara. Like Yeah, he’s built like Brunson, too. Yeah, he’s he’s fun. I’d like him on the Mavs. That’d be fun. Any other thing the Mavs would have to do to make a run? Um, no. I mean, yeah. Yeah, I mean I mean Kid I think I think Kid would have to have some of the best coaching of his career. Um, you know, it’s something going into this year, it’s the first year without Luca, uh, with him in, you know, here in Dallas and implementing a new offense with Triano coming in. And so, for them to go on a deep run, I think we’d look back on it and say that’s probably the best coaching best coaching that we’ve seen from Kid. Um, especially in his time in Dallas, maybe be before that. The offense defense has flipped over the last couple of weeks. the Mavs over the last two weeks ninth in offense, 24th in defense. And so that’s very flipped for the Mavs. So I’m I think the defense would the defense combined like we were all excited about the Mavs offense looking competent again, but the defense would also have to get back to the state that it was in at the beginning of the season. Yeah, that’s good. It’s crazy though that you give me that stat and what slightly said yesterday that we’ve had a couple weeks of that and they’re still 30th. Yeah, it’s like they’ve had two two straight weeks of being in the top 10 in offense and they’re still 30th in the league. It’s like holy crap. Well, they’re still top 10 in defense, too. So, I mean, yeah, take it on both sides. Yeah. Well, they’re they’re in this they’re in this camp though of teams with 109 offensive rating. Kings, Pacers, Wizards, Maths. That is a group that I know. But like look at look at their upcoming schedule though. I mean especially in the camp of like go for it then you’re excited about this next stretch, right? Like you get the Nets coming off five five days off. Like it’s huge for this team right now. Just getting everybody I mean Cooper’s got the thumb thing. We know Anthony Davis like just getting everybody a if if this is the cost of not going to Vegas then you get five days off right now like it’s pretty nice especially for like Gaffford’s ankle PJ’s had a couple of things Cooper’s thumb I’m sure there’s a couple things here and there that they love to get some rest the Pistons game will be a fun one you know they played him in Mexico City didn’t didn’t look great but um Pistons playing really good basketball Kad’s awesome and uh that’ll be a fun that’ll be a fun matchup to see kind of like this new Mavs team. Yeah, this next stretch is interesting. We’ll have shows coming up uh covering all that. Go check that out. Also, go check out the Everydayers Club where you can get ad free episodes of this show. Link in the description. Also, our text line, our subtext is still going to continue on through all this. So, subscribe to that and we’ll give you alerts and updates on that. Guys, thanks so much for listening to Loime Apps. Peace out. Boom.

Is it time for the Dallas Mavericks to tank, or should the Mavs make a playoff run in the NBA this season? What does the future look like for Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Kyrie Irving if the team goes for it instead of rebuilding?

Nick Angstadt and Isaac Harris discuss whether the Dallas Mavericks should tank or push for the playoffs, analyzing the impact of Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and other key players like Klay Thompson, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, and D’Angelo Russell. The hosts break down the strategies and roster decisions involved, including analysis of Jason Kidd’s coaching and the front office moves by Nico Harrison, Mark Cuban, and Patrick Dumont. Tune in for perspectives on how the Mavs stack up against other NBA teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Sacramento Kings, and what it would take for Dallas to make a deep playoff run or develop their young talents.

0:00 Should the Mavs Tank or Go For It?
13:19 What Makes a Mavs Run Worth It?
22:10 Keys to Mavs Playoff Run

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