Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith are eligible for 4-year, $55 million extensions

[omahen]

The way I understand it is 4/55 is his max, regardless of whether he hits UFA or not. So I don't think he really has a choice between settling for that or trying to get more somewhere else. He can get 4/55 from the Mavs or from someone else in UFA. Same money, regardless. At least I think that's how it will work for him. Same with DFS. A resident cap expert can correct me if I'm wrong though. So if they leave for more money it will be because the Mavs refused to offer that 4/55 while someone else was willing to pay it, or maybe in the case of Brunson for instance, another team offers him a starting role that we won't.

You are not correct here. 4/55 is max extension. He can get max as an UFA, if someone is willing to give it.