2021-2022 MAVS NEWS: 4th in West | WCF loss [ARCHIVED]

[DallasMaverick]

...and he hasn't operated it for cash flow:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/04/mark-cub...l-fan.html

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So.  Back to this tax thing.

https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/maveric...sing-money

[SleepingHero]

...and he hasn't operated it for cash flow:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/04/mark-cub...l-fan.html

---

So.  Back to this tax thing.

https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/maveric...sing-money

Actions speak louder than words. Cuban hasn't come close to paying the tax since 2012. Now's the first time the team has come close and we haven't gotten any sort of firm commitment to paying whatever to keep the best team out there.

How the Mavs approach this summer should tell us what Cuban really thinks about the tax after the harsher tax rules were put in place. Easy to say "I don't mind paying tax" when the penalties are relatively light. When teams are fielding a repeater tax bill of 300 million I can see why Cuban has avoided it.

[omahen]

JBs max extension starts at around 11.5.  That's the cap hit in 2022. Future years would have raises.

In any event, offering that number/deal is a dead end and not worth endorsing, since he's not interested, apparently. Nor should he be. That's not a lot more than MLE money (which should start at ~10M this year).

I am not sure if that deal was/is on the table. As good as Brunson is playing in the regular season, there is always a question mark how he will work in the playoffs where teams might target him on defense and will have much more engaded defenses on the other end. Mavs could be perfectly well opportunistic here. If Brunson plays great in the playoffs, then no problem, we have a "star" and we pay him "20 per". If he is average or bad, the offer is a bit over MLE (or less if he was really bad) which might be best on the table for him. If he walks, it is not the end of the world since he wasn't that great anyway. As long as he doesn't have an extension, it is also easy to trade him.

[fifteenth]

Great discussions on the forum at the moment! Here's my offering after catching up on the last few hours of posts.

For me, the big story at the moment is how the team has bought in to Kidd's system and how well they're playing. My question is, how should that impact the TDL for the Mavs? I think their current trajectory for this season suggests that the Mavs should be careful not to disrupt the progress.

I see lots of trade suggestions that might have been interesting if this turnaround hadn't happened. But now I think the turnaround has to be in the equation.

Do y'all think this as well?

[omahen]

For me, the big story at the moment is how the team has bought in to Kidd's system and how well they're playing. My question is, how should that impact the TDL for the Mavs? I think their current trajectory for this season suggests that the Mavs should be careful not to disrupt the progress.

I think this team lacks talent and it would be a mistake thinking they are legit after a stretch of good games. I think lack of talent and flaws in roster construction will be exposed in playoffs. Offenses will be much more patiently attacking what will be determined as biggest weakness of our defense. Brunson, KP and Luka can all be liabilities. Defenses will focus much more on our strong points neglecting weaker links of the offense and I think limitations of Maxi and KP will be exposed on the offensive side. Teams can still afford to go small 5 out lineups that will hold their own on defense and punish us on the other end. 

So, they should be looking to improve the team. Of course there is no guarantee such a deal is there, but it would be nice to see Mavs to pull off something substantial after very bad three offseasons and two TDL.

[ItsGoTime]

after very bad three offseasons and two TDL.

THIS! So much this! How many were talking about last offseason being THE make or break offseason for this team? The talk was there for the last 3, but that last one, everyone bought into. I don't get why anyone would think that this team is anywhere close.

[KillerLeft]

I don't think Mark Cuban minds paying the tax.

https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/maveric...-tax-kings

Dude, you might be right, but that was the year following the new CBA, which he didn't like. 

...and it has been 10 years since. 

I could post an article about the '92, '93 and '95 super bowls and tell you the Dallas Cowboys are a great franchise, but at some point, what have you done for me lately? 

He might pay the tax. There are loads of people who expect him to do so, but there are loads who don't think he will or even should with this roster.

[KillerLeft]

How many were talking about last offseason being THE make or break offseason for this team? The talk was there for the last 3, but that last one, everyone bought into.

It was, and they flopped. The whole cap space thing is dead now (for a while, anyway) and OMG was it an epic, disastrous failure. 

Totally new ballgame now, and one way of acquiring talent is closed. They were never successful going the free agency route, really, which sucks, especially since it was the basket they put all their eggs in. 

Now, it's all about trades, and with not a lot to offer in return. Not an ideal situation, but hey - at least they're playing well!

[fifteenth]

I think this team lacks talent and it would be a mistake thinking they are legit after a stretch of good games.

The above is what we've been saying for a couple of years. And it's the premise that the rest of your argument is built from. And to this premise, my thought is, maybe. But since we started saying that (the team lacks talent) we've had a few developments that are at least worth taking a look at.

• Two of our top four (Brunson and Dorian) have shown a good bit of improvement, so much so, that our talk about the need for a secondary creator has died down and Brunson and Dorian have proven to be two of the top few players on the team because of their outstanding play and consistency.
  
• KP, after his first healthy off season as a Mav, and possibly because of his buy in to Kidd's system, is looking like he MIGHT could live up to his "2nd star" status.
  
• Kidd's defensive system, and how the whole team has bought in and is executing, has changed the equation. Once upon a time we bemoaned our lack of 2-way players and figured we'd have to turn over portions of the roster to ever have a playoff worthy defense. Now we're looking more like a team with a good number of two-way players!
  

I'm not saying definitively that our top 4 are now on par with other contenders, or that KP is finally who he was supposed to be, and he'll be that reliably going forward or that Kidd's magical transformation of the defense will result in a championship level defense. It's too early to say these things, definitively.

BUT, I am saying, that the way the team is playing deserves consideration. It should be part of the calculus. Fantasy trades are fun and all. But I'm more interested in what the team is thinking. I'd imagine that the the improvement of the team is at least part of the equation.

I think lack of talent and flaws in roster construction will be exposed in playoffs.

Maybe. Talent is important, but typically, playoff experience is important as well. I wouldn't assume that the team we're watching right now is set up to suffer the same fate as the the teams of the previos two years. Similarly, I wouldn't assume that Brunson is doomed to be a playoff failure. 

So, they should be looking to improve the team.

Yes! They should always look to improve the team. But they should also pay attention to what's happening with the current roster. It may be they don't want to disrupt the upward trajectory that we're seeing at the trade deadline, but rather, assess after the playoffs and make changes in the offseason. 

but it would be nice to see Mavs to pull off something substantial after very bad three offseasons and two TDL.

I don't care about this. The new regime should try to make great moves at every opportunity. But it's not in order to make up for past mistakes. Moves should only be made for the purpose of improving the team, not to make us feel better about the past.

[cow]

Regarding lacking talent, this might be a down year for the league.  Thanks to a combination of factors, there aren't a lot of teams that seem head and shoulders above the rest.  Heat, Nets and Chicago are all dealing with injuries.  Bucks haven't rounded into championship form yet.  Cleveland is a nice story.  GSW seem inconsistent and can they stay healthy?  Memphis is working through their own injury issues and I don't worry about the load they are putting on Ja.  Utah is in a slump.  Suns are the best team but it's all about the playoffs for them and if CP3 can stay healthy in a title run.

That's not to say the Mavs could beat most of those teams in a playoff series, but of late, we have shown we can play with the best of best.

[omahen]

The above

I thought about a long answer, but I would be just repeating myself, so I will keep it short. I never said they should do the move to make a move. I think they should be looking hard for an upgrade for two reasons. First because I don't think they are contender level. I need way more than a hot stretch to change my perspective. Agree to disagree. Second, because league is wide open and it may be a good time for a win now move. Besides that, there is also the tax issue. 

I have no idea what team thinks. Kidd said something about the need for Pippen next to our Jordan just a week ago.

[fifteenth]

I thought about a long answer, but I would be just repeating myself, so I will keep it short. I never said they should do the move to make a move. I think they should be looking hard for an upgrade for two reasons. First because I don't think they are contender level. I need way more than a hot stretch to change my perspective. Agree to disagree. Second, because league is wide open and it may be a good time for a win now move. Besides that, there is also the tax issue. 

I have no idea what team thinks. Kidd said something about the need for Pippen next to our Jordan just a week ago.

"Agree to disagree" is always fine. I always love reading your stuff. But we may not be that far off. I'm not totally against making a move, I'm just trying to figure how current play impacts the decision. A piece to this puzzle would be to discern whether we are in a "hot stretch" or in an upward trajectory towards a new normal.

[omahen]

I'm just trying to figure how current play impacts the decision. A piece to this puzzle would be to discern whether we are in a "hot stretch" or in an upward trajectory towards a new normal.

I am not so sure short term stretches should impact the decisions much. 15 games ago half the board wanted to blow it up and tank the season. I am not convinced yet, because I think playoffs are a much different story in general. Our weaknesses will be exploited, imho. I think hot stretch and good plays from some guys right before the TDL could also be opportunity to sell high for once.

[ReunionMav]

Can we at least agree that some guys including DFS, Brunson, Green and maybe others like KP and Powell have elevated their play and future value significantly over where we were pretty recently. Kidd as well has earned some positive thoughts from us. 

All are making good points here as usual but I agree that we have seen some long term progress that has been great to see. As for using our assets to get better assets: Yes please!

If we keep DFS and Brunson I will be happy to see them in the playoffs. There improvements will show up in the playoffs and it will be fun to see them rise above past weaknesses.

[DallasMaverick]

Regarding lacking talent, this might be a down year for the league.  Thanks to a combination of factors, there aren't a lot of teams that seem head and shoulders above the rest.  Heat, Nets and Chicago are all dealing with injuries.  Bucks haven't rounded into championship form yet.  Cleveland is a nice story.  GSW seem inconsistent and can they stay healthy?  Memphis is working through their own injury issues and I don't worry about the load they are putting on Ja.  Utah is in a slump.  Suns are the best team but it's all about the playoffs for them and if CP3 can stay healthy in a title run.

That's not to say the Mavs could beat most of those teams in a playoff series, but of late, we have shown we can play with the best of best.

The "trick" in team-building is to understand that it's a team.  You can't just reduce each player to a number, add up the numbers and emerge with a winning formula.

So giving up a player and replacing him with a different player might be a net plus.  Or you might end up worse, depending on the chemistry and interactions of different players on the team.

...and often it takes time for a new puzzle piece to figure out his role, or to feel comfortable and confident.  So the results of a change can't be evaluated well for some period of time.  

The safe thing is often to hold pat, and hope that growth and chemistry yield favorable results.  If you were looking at the 2011 roster at the beginning of that season, would you have believed you had enough to win a championship?  Really?

[ItsGoTime]

"Agree to disagree" is always fine. I always love reading your stuff. But we may not be that far off. I'm not totally against making a move, I'm just trying to figure how current play impacts the decision. A piece to this puzzle would be to discern whether we are in a "hot stretch" or in an upward trajectory towards a new normal.

Haven’t we talked about the FO has/should have long-term vision. I know it’s talked about in the offseason. I believe in that, which means a 15 game streak is nothing compared to possible long term growth.


The FO should be thinking 2-4 seasons down the road. Also, if it’s the right thing to do long term, why wait. No telling the dividends it could pay off in the here and now either. Sure there’s a possibility of it not working out too. I don’t think, that fear should play into making the team overall better.

[SleepingHero]

https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/...7233917953

[Tyler]

Ouch. Get well soon, Timmy.

[SleepingHero]

https://v.redd.it/h1ofxcr796e81

Luka, DFS, KP, FN, and Bullock all chatting with DSJ post game. Must say it really makes me want another DSJ run.

[KillerLeft]

Must say it really makes me want another DSJ run.