BRUNSON BURNER: to NYK for 4yrs/$104M (no SnT) | NYK docked 2025 2nd for tampering

[mvossman]

No one is "trying to get rid of him"....what we are wanting is the Mavs to upgrade their roster in any way possible. 

I think there are too many scenarios (playoffs in particular) where JB's size is going to be a detriment on both ends and he won't be in the closing five. I want the Mavs to invest on upgrading their closing five. It is my opinion that JB isn't the best for that in the long term. Just my opinion, that is all.

I think this is the right way to look at it, but I'm curious who you see on this roster outside of Luka/DFS/Din that belongs in the closing 5?  There is nobody else on this team close to as good as Brunson.  I also find it highly unlikely that you are going to be able to replace him with a better fitting piece in an S&T, given the difficulties in executing that trade and the fact that his primary suitors either already have cap space or can get it reasonably easily.

I would argue the route to go this coming offseason is to find the 5th closer alongside Luka/DFS/Din/Brunson.  Given that group, an athletic defensive center that is better offensively than Maxi (and can handle a starting workload) would make the most sense.  Then in the future if Brunson is still getting abused in the playoffs you can look to improve on that spot.