M.C. Swag said:
zgolfz85 said:
mavsfan4ever said:
I'm still into the nba but this is where I'm at with the mavs. Gave up my ticket package. Illl still watch games bc im curious about Flagg but I'm dead inside and have no feeling of excitement or nerves or anything about whether they win or lose. I guess I hope they lose every game bc I'm clinging to hope that I will be able to get re-engaged once Nico is fired and/or dumont sells. But I'm sure that'll be a few years and I'm not even sure if I'll care at that point. And it's not just the trade. It's really just how everything went down. If they had traded him in a normal way, I honestly think id still be engaged (or at least more than I am now).
Sucks because the mavs are the only pro team that I really got excited for and lived and died on every big game. Guess I'll try to just get really into Bucky Ball this year to make up for it. And I made a long shot big bet on the spurs to win the west just to give me some skin in the game for the season. Tempted to take the mavs season wins under as well just for fun bc im sure I'll be watching most games to check out Flagg and I think we will struggle without playmakers.
/end of depressing Eyeore post.
I'd have likely been there too, until we landed Flagg. I can wrap my head around a Luka for Flagg trade (I know it wasn't that, but conceptually). Whether it was legit or fully concocted (I still lean conspiracy theory here), I'll take it.
1. Lol If you believe that conspiracy is true, it provides rational cover to Nico's thought process (when none existed) but it's fundamentally disproven because the Mavs were on a trajectory to make the playoffs until Kyrie got hurt. Which means, Nico couldn't have possibly done the trade with a *wink wink* from the league to win the lottery because the Mavs as a team were not projecting towards the lottery at the time. Unless he somehow foresaw AD's injury and Kyrie's injury (which, now we're talking about an actual prophet).
But I understand your point about wrapping your head around the 'concept' of trading Luka for AD+Flagg+Christie as a form of 'cope.' Something I've done myself.
2. Regarding Flagg, I'm excited but also worried. His reputation as not only the #1 pick but as a 'generational' prospect is setting him up for disappointment amongst some Mavs fans expecting Luka 2.0. Flagg has the potential to be really good...but he'll never be Luka. He has less weaknesses in his game but he lacks the game breaking showman ceiling that Luka possessed. Flagg will never be able to end a game or a series by himself. He'll likely never score 50pts in a game or be the engine of an offense (to me, the most valuable skill there is), but could be an elite #2 player on a championship team (which will disappoint).
Agreed on both points. I go back and forth on conspiracy because none of it makes sense. I just can't wrap my head around us being that insanely lucky after being so insanely dumb. To me, the conspiracy is not on the Nico side....it's the NBA throwing us a bone and feeling sorry for us side. I understand that would insinuate real jail-time punishable fraud and a massive cover-up, but who knows. The whole thing is just still so wild to me.
For Cooper, I can't disagree there, but I do think he seems like the type of high character, high IQ kid that can wear that burden of expectations better than most. And, the kid was clearly raised right, which means a ton as well. I'll always be a Luka stan and will always be heartbroken, but to get over my mental hump, I continually have to remind myself about Luka's frustrating aspects as well. To say I haven't cursed him out on tv for the last few years would be a massive understatement. Every time he held on to the ball at end of a quarter or half only to heave up a double teamed lean back 3 was infuriating. Every time when he would just demand iso in end game or late game situations when all his teammates had been cooking all game, his failure to get back on D while he's griping at refs, etc. I try to focus on his negatives to keep me more upbeat on it. I can only sell myself so much on his shortfalls, but it helps. In either case, if we didn't land Flagg, I'd probably be done with this team. It was that dire.
