Mann is the ideal role player to pair with Harden, low volume, high efficiency, good defender, mismatch abuser, cutter, passer, jack of all trades.
Back when we drafted him he reminded me of a Rockets player, Danuel House Jr. Very very similar build & game to Mann, but Mann turned out to be much better overall.
House-Harden had amazing synergy together, I feel like Mann-Harden is replicating that all over again. Someone like Mann allows Harden to be “the system”, sorta feels like the pairing takes him back to his HOU days when all the role players complimented him, can’t really say that about some of his recent teams despite their talent.
This team ain’t winning without Mann playing a significant role, that’s for sure.
He’s saved us year after year that’s why. Every single year we go away from him, try someone new, we look like crap & lose games, we bring him back into the rotation & start winning games & it becomes obvious he needs to be part of the rotation to win. It’s been like that for the past 4yrs now. It’s like we don’t want to commit to playing him but he forces his way back into the rotation. Always.