[TXSTYLE]

In the wake of 2 first round exits to the Clippers back to back, and Superstar Luka Doncic verbally unhappy with his team's trajectory, Marc Cuban not only listened, he's taking ginormous action:

Fired the GM of over 20yrs.
Hired NBA legend DIRK Nowitzki as Special Consultant of Basketball Operations.
More importantly, a much needed change of head coach with the departure of Rick Carlisle whose been here 13yrs.
Hired NBA players well liked coach, former MAVS star Jason Kidd.
Hires former Nike Executive Nico Harrison as GM who many teams have tried to hire. He is also very close to several NBA Superstars and agents.
These moves alone position Dallas front and center to attract Star Players for years to come. To help arguably the most prolific young Superstar in the foreseeable future, Luka Doncic.
In fact, said veteran stars are already taking notice...
https://www.si.com/nba/mavericks/new...spiracy-theory

[mjr24]

Originally Posted by TXSTYLE

In the wake of 2 first round exits to the Clippers back to back, and Superstar Luka Doncic verbally unhappy with his team's trajectory, Marc Cuban not only listened, he's taking ginormous action:

Fired the GM of over 20yrs.
Hired NBA legend DIRK Nowitzki as Special Consultant of Basketball Operations.
More importantly, a much needed change of head coach with the departure of Rick Carlisle whose been here 13yrs.
Hired NBA players well liked coach, former MAVS star Jason Kidd.
Hires former Nike Executive Nico Harrison as GM who many teams have tried to hire. He is also very close to several NBA Superstars and agents.
These moves alone position Dallas front and center to attract Star Players for years to come. To help arguably the most prolific young Superstar in the foreseeable future, Luka Doncic.
In fact, said veteran stars are already taking notice...
https://www.si.com/nba/mavericks/new...spiracy-theory

Eh....disagree with you here. That front office is in turmoil right now. I actually used to be a pretty big Mavs fan (have met MC a few times) and still follow them but kind of switched over to the Bucks the last few years after Dirk retired (I live in Wisconsin). Kidd was not very good as a coach here even though I loved him as a player both times with the Mavs. He is definitely a downgrade from Carlisle and Donnie Nelson was the closest person to Luka....so that was a downgrade, too.

This isn't to mention the rumor has been the real one calling the shots is that Volgaris guy who MC hired out of professional gambling. At this point, I don't know that Luka stays there. A month ago, it was a given he would stay.

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by mjr24

Eh....disagree with you here. That front office is in turmoil right now. I actually used to be a pretty big Mavs fan (have met MC a few times) and still follow them but kind of switched over to the Bucks the last few years after Dirk retired (I live in Wisconsin). Kidd was not very good as a coach here even though I loved him as a player both times with the Mavs. He is definitely a downgrade from Carlisle and Donnie Nelson was the closest person to Luka....so that was a downgrade, too.

This isn't to mention the rumor has been the real one calling the shots is that Volgaris guy who MC hired out of professional gambling. At this point, I don't know that Luka stays there. A month ago, it was a given he would stay.

Kidd may be a step down from Carlisle in terms of basketball knowledge, but players like him and with the direction the NBA is going in terms of being more player friendly, I think he can succeed. He took his lumps as a rookie head coach, sure, but not many guys are successful with their 1st HC job and hes done well as the lakers assistant HC.

Also think the FO turmoil is being overblown. Nico has been a great talent evaluator for Nike, has tons of player contacts and players like him, and has a pretty good amount of basketball knowledge. Cuban might be a meddler, but he is willing to pay the money to improve the team.

As for Luka, there were also a lot of rumors he didnt get along with Carlisle and like his style, and wasnt a fan of Nelson either. All these moves this offseason have been made to keep him happy and I'd be surprised if he passes up on the max contract to go elsewhere, especially if they can build a better roster around him.

[BMWILUVU]

Cuban is willing to gut this team to keep Luka. The NBA is full of bad ugly basketball. Many times, the person bringing the ball down doesn't even pass. The Nets is a case in point. When hero-baller Durant took a forced 3 to try to win it all instead of an easy 2 to tie it and send it into overtime in the playoffs. Kidd is not a great coach. Kidd being a player's coach is letting Luka run free which is not sitting well with Porzingis or any other star they try to bring in. There are only a handful of good coaches left in the league and Carlisle was one of them. I am beginning to want to turn off the NBA except for the TNT halftime show with Shaq and Barkley which is better entertainment.

[TXSTYLE]

Originally Posted by TheWatchGuy

Kidd may be a step down from Carlisle in terms of basketball knowledge, but players like him and with the direction the NBA is going in terms of being more player friendly, I think he can succeed. He took his lumps as a rookie head coach, sure, but not many guys are successful with their 1st HC job and hes done well as the lakers assistant HC.

Also think the FO turmoil is being overblown. Nico has been a great talent evaluator for Nike, has tons of player contacts and players like him, and has a pretty good amount of basketball knowledge. Cuban might be a meddler, but he is willing to pay the money to improve the team.

As for Luka, there were also a lot of rumors he didnt get along with Carlisle and like his style, and wasnt a fan of Nelson either. All these moves this offseason have been made to keep him happy and I'd be surprised if he passes up on the max contract to go elsewhere, especially if they can build a better roster around him.

Facts. 💯

[Josh-PA]

Here in Philly we'd probably do Ben Simmons for Luka straight up if you want him

[TXSTYLE]

Originally Posted by Josh-PA

Here in Philly we'd probably do Ben Simmons for Luka straight up if you want him

Absolutely NOPE!

[mjr24]

Originally Posted by TheWatchGuy

Kidd may be a step down from Carlisle in terms of basketball knowledge, but players like him and with the direction the NBA is going in terms of being more player friendly, I think he can succeed. He took his lumps as a rookie head coach, sure, but not many guys are successful with their 1st HC job and hes done well as the lakers assistant HC.

Also think the FO turmoil is being overblown. Nico has been a great talent evaluator for Nike, has tons of player contacts and players like him, and has a pretty good amount of basketball knowledge. Cuban might be a meddler, but he is willing to pay the money to improve the team.

As for Luka, there were also a lot of rumors he didnt get along with Carlisle and like his style, and wasnt a fan of Nelson either. All these moves this offseason have been made to keep him happy and I'd be surprised if he passes up on the max contract to go elsewhere, especially if they can build a better roster around him.

You are forgetting...this is Kidd's THIRD head coaching job. He coached the Nets, too. I suspect this will be his last if he doesn't get the job done. Of course players like him....most of these guys idolized him growing up. However, he hasn't shown he can coach NBA talent in today's game. The coach is the issue when teams go from winning 40 games to overnight winning 65 games like the Bucks did when they got rid of him (same with Mark Jackson in GSW). It tells you how much he held them back. Quite honestly, if he wasn't Jason Kidd...he wouldn't have gotten this opportunity, either. Cuban is hiring him because of their history.....which may backfire on him.

Also not sure where you heard Luka wasn't a fan of Nelson. It is the complete opposite. They've known each other since before Doncic was even drafted.

Also, I love Cuban.....but let's be honest, even when Dirk was in his prime they could never get an A-List free agent to sign there even when Cuban was offering max contracts. It was always the B list guys. They have Doncic and, in reality, a whole lot of nothing besides him. Hardaway isn't a guy you can count on year in and year out....and Porzingis has been a complete failure.

[mjr24]

Originally Posted by BMWILUVU

Cuban is willing to gut this team to keep Luka. The NBA is full of bad ugly basketball. Many times, the person bringing the ball down doesn't even pass. The Nets is a case in point. When hero-baller Durant took a forced 3 to try to win it all instead of an easy 2 to tie it and send it into overtime in the playoffs. Kidd is not a great coach. Kidd being a player's coach is letting Luka run free which is not sitting well with Porzingis or any other star they try to bring in. There are only a handful of good coaches left in the league and Carlisle was one of them. I am beginning to want to turn off the NBA except for the TNT halftime show with Shaq and Barkley which is better entertainment.

Was that Durant play literally the only play you saw in the entire series? He was a fucking God the rest of the series.....far and away the best player in the league and this was his first year back from the Achilles (and I hated the guy but facts are facts).

[TXSTYLE]

I know and understand Basketball. But more importantly our team here in Dallas. Luka is 110% on board with these moves and additions, period. But what's more exciting is watch how magically Free Agents start appearing here.... 😉

[BMWILUVU]

Originally Posted by mjr24

Was that Durant play literally the only play you saw in the entire series? He was a fucking God the rest of the series.....far and away the best player in the league and this was his first year back from the Achilles (and I hated the guy but facts are facts).

I gave that play as an example of bad basketball whereas you re trolling for an argument on Durant being a great player or not which is not the point.

[mjr24]

Originally Posted by BMWILUVU

I gave that play as an example of bad basketball whereas you re trolling for an argument on Durant being a great player or not which is not the point.

LOL, you are the one taking literally one play from one game as evidence of ugly basketball.

Yeah, he should have taken the easy 2 (and just ignored the All-Defensive 1st team PG draped all over him and the other All-Defensive PF sitting there waiting for him to drive).

[TXSTYLE]

Luka still making headlines....
https://thesmokingcuban.com/2021/06/...doncic-angola/

[TXSTYLE]

Make no mistake about it... Luka is a Superstar and will soon become the face of the NBA!

[TiMSport]

I think Atlanta has done a much better job of developing a team around their star player Trae Young. This year's playoffs proves that point. Now that they locked up Nate McMillan they're going to be a consistently good team for a change.

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

I think Atlanta has done a much better job of developing a team around their star player Trae Young. This year's playoffs proves that point. Now that they locked up Nate McMillan they're going to be a consistently good team for a change.

east vs west.

mavs got to play a healthy clippers while the hawks played the knicks and an injured 6ers

if kawhi stayed healthy, youd see the clippers winning the ship this year.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by TheWatchGuy

east vs west.

mavs got to play a healthy clippers while the hawks played the knicks and an injured 6ers

if kawhi stayed healthy, youd see the clippers winning the ship this year.

Are you disputing what I said? I think it's pretty well known the Mavs haven't done a great job of building a team around their star player. So the only reason the Hawks won those two first series is due to injuries? I don't think so.

Knicks and Sixers had all their players in the lineup as far as I remember. The Hawks were missing a few key players, especially De'Andre Hunter.

[NickyC]

The NBA still exists?

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

Are you disputing what I said? I think it's pretty well known the Mavs haven't done a great job of building a team around their star player. So the only reason the Hawks won those two first series is due to injuries? I don't think so.

Knicks and Sixers had all their players in the lineup as far as I remember. The Hawks were missing a few key players, especially De'Andre Hunter.

Im not ready to say the hawks are a good team yet. just like im not saying the mavs are a bad team.

Embiid was dealing with a knee injury during that series fwiw. The knicks are the knicks and were a surprise to make it.

again though, pretty much any team that got paired up with the clippers in the 1st round while they were healthy wasnt going to have a good time. I have no doubt that the hawks wouldnt have made it past them either.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by TheWatchGuy

Im not ready to say the hawks are a good team yet. just like im not saying the mavs are a bad team.

Embiid was dealing with a knee injury during that series fwiw. The knicks are the knicks and were a surprise to make it.

again though, pretty much any team that got paired up with the clippers in the 1st round while they were healthy wasnt going to have a good time. I have no doubt that the hawks wouldnt have made it past them either.

Well we can certainly agree to disagree on this. BTW, I never said the Mavs were a bad team. What I did say was they haven't done a great job of building a good team around Luka.

If you recall, NO ONE gave the Hawks a chance to win anything, yet they made it a series against the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. They weren't even supposed to be in the playoffs. Yeah you can say whatever you want about the Eastern Conference but that's a tired conversation IMO.

Keep in mind Embiid was still a monster even with the gimpy knee. His game wouldn't have been much different I don't think. He got his points.

The Hawks had the best record in the East since Nate McMillan took over the head coach position. One could argue that if he were the coach from the beginning they could've had the #1 or #2 seed. In the end it doesn't matter because we're talking about "what ifs".

I've said this in other posts but Atlanta has something special going because they've built their team with high draft picks and solid veteran free agents. They might be the youngest team in the NBA now. Not that crap like the Nets or Heat of the past assembling hired guns. They're only going to get better.

[EDWYER]

And the Mavs will still go out in 1st round. LOL

[TXSTYLE]

Originally Posted by TooSoonJunior

And the Mavs will still go out in 1st round. LOL

We get it. You're a MAVS Hater.

Carry on and start your own Atlanta Hawks thread. 🙄