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

[mavsluvr]

I don't understand this. The Mavs might want Dragic, but they don't actually need him. If a deal doesn't get done, they just move on. Toronto, on the other hand, actually has to pay Dragic (which they seemingly would prefer not to do). Therefore, all the leverage is on the Dallas side--unless there's an unidentified 3rd team looking to pick up Dragic, but in that case it's Dallas and the other team splitting the leverage. Toronto still has none (other than to pull out of any deal entirely and decide to live with Dragic taking up a roster and budget spot).

Now, if Luka were to tell Nico "You *must* get this done", I agree, that would change the dynamic somewhat, but there's no indication that's the case. There's every reason to believe Luka would *like* the Mavs to bring in Dragic, but there's a big difference between preference and demand.

That's a concise way to putting this line of thought. 

It seems like if any team is in a box, it's Toronto. They're the ones who agreed to take on an old backup guard on a wildly inflated salary, and are now scrambling to find a way out of it. There are lots of playmaking guards out there who are as good as/better than Dragic, and the Mavs will find one. At worst, it won't be in the offseason. But Toronto is stuck with Dragic if they can't find a way to make a deal that works for the other team involved. 

I am presenting that as an opinion, not a report or a fact, so it may be that circumstances exist that make it crucially important for Dallas to sign Dragic himself.