One of the most frequent throw away lines of recent Mavs articles goes something like this “The Mavs are expected to draft a point guard as an insurance policy for Jason Kidd’s free agency.” Let me just get straight to the point…
That’s a simplistic and ignorant thing to say.
If the Mavs draft a point guard… they will be planning for the future… Since Kidd is the PG of the present not the future.
If the Mavs draft a point guard… they will be consistent with their draft history… Since they drafted Devin Harris when they fully expected to re-sign Steve Nash.
If the Mavs draft a point guard… they will be taking advantage of a point guard heavy draft class.
If the Mavs draft a point guard… they will be responding to a weakness on their team… Since Kidd and JJB clearly got out played by some point guards.
If the Mavs draft a point guard… they will be drafting one of the best players available at their draft pick, wherever that is.
If the Mavs draft a point guard… they will strengthening (arguably) the most important position on the team.
If the Mavs draft a point guard… they will not want the rookie to be a starter… Since veteran smarts is one of the primary reasons they traded away Devin for Kidd (if you recall).
If the Mavs draft a point guard… they put themselves in position to trade JJB if the right offer comes along.
Seriously. The Mavericks are not about to sit down at a negotiation table with Kidd and say “we dare you to leave because we just drafted this wiz kid, [insert rookie of choice here].”
The Mavericks want Kidd back. Kidd wants to be on a good team and to get paid. Dirk wants Kidd back. The Mavericks are going to draft somebody that they think makes the team deeper and more balanced. If that pick is a point guard, it isn’t as an insurance policy.
Whoever the pick is: It is a person they intend to use with Kidd and with Dirk.
