Could the Porzingis trade mean more minutes for Ryan Broekhoff?
I'm not a morning person. But when you're a Dallas Mavericks fan, and this is the first thing you set your eyes on to start the day:
https://twitter.com/The_Stepback/status/1091111278351810560
... your body immediately goes to 100% LET'S GO MAVS mode.
The wild rush of news and the adrenaline that came with acquiring a unicorn eventually subsided, of course. As with almost every blockbuster trade, you've got to give up something of value to get something good. The loss of Dennis Smith Jr. sucks a little, Wesley Matthews has been a great person even if he's not the same player he was before his Achilles tear, and DeAndre Jordan... got lots of rebounds I guess. (His defence left a lot to be desired). Add two first-round picks, and while I agree with the popular opinion that the New York Knicks probably 'lost' this trade, it's not a completely terrible return.
On the other end of the trade, besides Kristaps Porzingis, the Mavs also welcome Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee, and Trey Burke. With so many new players, there'll probably be a bedding in period, which might open up more opportunities for Boomer Ryan Broekhoff.
The Mavs were short-handed post-trade, and with Luka Dončić sitting out with a sore ankle, Rowdy got a season-high 27 minutes of action against the Detroit Pistons yesterday. He tallied 7 points, 3 rebounds, and an assist on 3-of-5 shooting from the floor and 1-of-2 from 3-point land.
https://www.facebook.com/pickandrollau/videos/1406259519510959/?__xts__[0]=68.ARD5RFd70oxiU5tiZ-j36z-djx_CWWXMt7WxAG98K0Ln9xTqMNITP_EtEG4ozWjBPp7imckvZ3ZKPd6fTWL0pZDfAUzw9mVrYtcKHdPpZOI1hVIxp4OMIo6xB99OF4b0jkG_HcLnZ3qn1vT1HITZlPkUMDPk8UgicT4ONh1aSAnYUWcMHlsO9arYBbDzn7E3nI7fS_G1h1VJZ9F19PG5kC8Qednrv06qO_NVCmJZeWbRz73o6uHXdgncdLVBrqVCJQ9bsCiOgYGQjqRz6vi5OFT8ypw3xg9aoJ5Jzcs9zfdVnO9Xym1WXD8Zv9F3g_XEozyF1_d1n4jJe-WPz3VzlzUvHMAXSJyn-lFF-ti_TIlsEOxXAP8cA8O7WoQu8tRr&__tn__=-R
We probably shouldn't expect this to be the norm - Hardaway Jr. looks like he'll slot into Matthew's spot in the starting lineup, and Courtney Lee is a proven 3-and-D option. Add the continued development of Dorian Finney-Smith, and it may be more of the same for Broekhoff.
On the other hand, Rick Carlisle only has Harrison Barnes, Finney-Smith, and Broekhoff as players who are familiar with his game plan, and Courtney Lee hasn't done much of anything this season, only recently coming back from a neck injury which caused him to miss the Knicks' first 24 games. Rowdy's steadiness may be just what the doctor ordered, and he might finally get the chance to build some momentum and rhythm.
Here's hoping Broekhoff gets to spread his wings. It would certainly help if he continues to do things such as leading the whole team in +/- like he did against the Pistons.
Or, you know, be so efficient as to get three points and an assist in zero minutes:
https://twitter.com/The_Stepback/status/1089764231728091136
Hey Wilt Chamberlain? Rowdy's coming for your statistical records.