EXTENSION: Maxi Kleber to DAL for 3 yrs/$33M (thru 2025-26, age 34)

[DrMav]

Awesome! Players from Wurzburg are only allowed to play for the Mavs, wouldn’t feel right for Maxi to be anywhere else.

[ItsGoTime]

Personally I think if you add a SGA or Siakam or somebody like that and keep our top 6 or 7 players we are at those teams level because of Luka.  

I mean, we’re contender because of Luka and Siakam or SGA, sure. I still don’t think the rest of the team stacks up to the players on those other teams. Being 8 deep is a minimum playoff rotation GSW and LAC can go much deeper, and with the recent additions in BOS I think you can say the same. MIL is very top heavy like we would be (although I’d argue their top 3 with Giannis, Chris and Jrue would be better than ours) and they’re trying to figure out how to stay healthy and pivot since their championship.

[ItsGoTime]

As for trade matching, you can do 125% trade matching while over the tax.  The value of having a lot of salary when making that big trade is that you can send out filler and picks and still keep your core (who a rebuilding team probably does not want anyways).  Its a very similar path the Bucks took.  We don't have a Middleton, but we do have more quality role players.  I think we just need that number 2.

We’re talking about taxpayer vs over the cap. I know there have been some avenues that have been stymied by fgump due to the rules regarding trades ehile over the cap this offseason. 


I also know that if the taxpayer MLE is used the apron is a hardcap so there is no taking on extra salary in trade. Limitations to flexibility as I was talking about.

[ballsrchr]

I'm perfectly happy with this contract for Maxi.  He has versatile skills for a big man that I would rather see on the Mavs...than against us.  I still think he has some room to improve...for the next year or two...before he plateaus, and eventually begins to drop off.  Originally signed as an offensive threat he has grown into a fine, versatile, defensive and offensive core, or anchor man.  Yeah...he had a down year offensively, but I hope he rebounds from that. I think learning new, and more, defensive schemes took a little off his offense.

[mvossman]

I mean, we’re contender because of Luka and Siakam or SGA, sure. I still don’t think the rest of the team stacks up to the players on those other teams. Being 8 deep is a minimum playoff rotation GSW and LAC can go much deeper, and with the recent additions in BOS I think you can say the same. MIL is very top heavy like we would be (although I’d argue their top 3 with Giannis, Chris and Jrue would be better than ours) and they’re trying to figure out how to stay healthy and pivot since their championship.

The Bucks did not go nearly that deep when winning the chip.  Hell, they started Wesley freaking Mathews.  They basically went 4 deep and then it got fairly ugly.  GSW and LAC are deep, but they are also aging and have significant health concerns.  The Warriors championship run was a rare stretch of games in the last 2 or 3 years where all of their top guys were healthy.  Boston is deep and young, but I don't think Tatum is in the same class as Luka or Giannis.  A team of Luka/SGA/Dorian/Wood/Dinwiddie/Bullock/Maxi/McGee is 8 deep and in the conversation.

[mvossman]

We’re talking about taxpayer vs over the cap. I know there have been some avenues that have been stymied by fgump due to the rules regarding trades ehile over the cap this offseason. 


I also know that if the taxpayer MLE is used the apron is a hardcap so there is no taking on extra salary in trade. Limitations to flexibility as I was talking about.

The taxpayer limitations are affecting all of the contenders.  They still found it necessary to go there.

I don't think tax MLE will trigger hardcap.  I think the full MLE will (as well as the BAE and an S&T).  I believe you can do 25% extra salary in a trade (125% rule) even if you are a taxpayer.  There are some limitations, but the biggest one is the owner's wallet.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Limitations to flexibility as I was talking about.

Dinwiddie's expiring next offseason along with Jaden Hardy and every FRP imaginable is all the flexibility we need.  Not sure how you can watch last years playoffs and not feel that the two dudes we've extended out with Luka can play a vital role on a team contending for a championship.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

https://twitter.com/BiasedSlightly/status/1567945638121246722?s=20&t=qhPdbR_40a_4FbpoikTcAA

[F Gump]

Yes re Maxis' extension! This is good news (and smart GM-ing).

Kleber got the extension that I have been wishing for, and the price was appropriate. It was a good FO move, framed by the fact that the big MLE in 2023 should be about 11.3M and this deal probably starts at 10.8M where the Mavs are offering "the most we can offer." It's a deal everyone can feel good about.

The big plus for the Mavs with this is that it keeps Maxi out of free agency. When you have a player who fits as a key part of your core, you should work to extend at a mutually-reasonable number, whenever doable, rather than let them get to free agency where you have to compete for their services.

The next decision will be Green's 4th year option, that has to be decided before the season starts (probably will wait and see what he looks like in camp).

And then Wood (where they will be juggling "first see how he fits" fitting with "the limits on money/years are stricter for Wood until Dec 23" and with "if he fits, try to keep him from feeling a need to be a free agent where the price becomes iffy"). Right now, the "max" limits for a Wood extension are 2 more years, starting at about $15M, and the result leaves the Mavs in sight of being tax-free in 2023. I would think the Mavs, if they get a positive sense of Wood's fit early in the season, might try to make that happen within that convenient limit.

Bullock would also seem to be one they want to extend, as a key part of their core, but he's not eligible until late next summer.

I know Dougie is also eagerly hoping to see a Powell extension so he can keep making him an issue, but obviously DP's days are done in Dallas when this year ends. They don't have room for him financially, even if they lost their minds, as it would cost Cuban an arm-and-a-leg taxwise to add him to the plans (and I suspect they see his expiring as a trade filler, which means he will be gone if they can find the right swap available).

[ItsGoTime]

Dinwiddie's expiring next offseason (not if they extend him for a little bit more than they should too) along with Jaden Hardy and every FRP imaginable is all the flexibility we need.  Not sure how you can watch last years playoffs and not feel that the two dudes we've extended out with Luka can play a vital role on a team contending for a championship.

Of the two dudes we extended, DFS has consistently gotten better, is a high minute, high number of games starter and I was happy about his extension. Maxi has been hit and miss in the playoffs and regular season and has to stick to a minutes restriction due to his back issues. Might I suggest those back issues are also the reason he isn’t a sure-fire starter on this team.


DFS also signed a 4 year extension (4th year PO) that ends when he’s 32. Maxi signed the 3 year extension ending when he’s 34. 

I love Maxi on this team, he covers a lot of holes, I just don’t think we can count on his back being healthy.

[Jason Terry]

Of the two dudes we extended, DFS has consistently gotten better, is a high minute, high number of games starter and I was happy about his extension. Maxi has been hit and miss in the playoffs and regular season and has to stick to a minutes restriction due to his back issues. Might I suggest those back issues are also the reason he isn’t a sure-fire starter on this team.


DFS also signed a 4 year extension (4th year PO) that ends when he’s 32. Maxi signed the 3 year extension ending when he’s 34. 

I love Maxi on this team, he covers a lot of holes, I just don’t think we can count on his back being healthy.

Think of Maxi more like Draymond green. Who cares if he has periods of being out hurt or ineffective. He shows up in the playoffs the only time it matters. Playoffs is the only performance period we should pay our players based off of. So far in Luka’s career only DFS and Maxi have showed up every year in the playoffs. This is our core for the next few years. Bullock belongs as well obviously with him playing 40mpg in route to the WCF. But those 3 have been doing it together for awhile now

[IamDougieFresh]

Think of Maxi more like Draymond green. Who cares if he has periods of being out hurt or ineffective. He shows up in the playoffs the only time it matters. Playoffs is the only performance period we should pay our players based off of. So far in Luka’s career only DFS and Maxi have showed up every year in the playoffs. This is our core for the next few years. Bullock belongs as well obviously with him playing 40mpg in route to the WCF. But those 3 have been doing it together for awhile now

DFS
Maxi
Bullock

Championship role players

[ItsGoTime]

Think of Maxi more like Draymond green. Who cares if he has periods of being out hurt or ineffective. He shows up in the playoffs the only time it matters. Playoffs is the only performance period we should pay our players based off of. So far in Luka’s career only DFS and Maxi have showed up every year in the playoffs. This is our core for the next few years. Bullock belongs as well obviously with him playing 40mpg in route to the WCF. But those 3 have been doing it together for awhile now

He didn’t the previous 2 playoffs. He tweaked his back 3 games into the 1st go at the LAC and went into the playoffs with his back tweaked the second year (and was repeatedly posterized by Kawhi that year). I was really glad to see him healthy this last run, but your memory of past that has faded.

[F Gump]

I love Maxi on this team, he covers a lot of holes, I just don’t think we can count on his back being healthy.

I get your issue about Maxi's reliability.

But I think you are way off in failing to accurately assess what a BIGGGGG 3-and-D player is worth when they are healthy, and what he's still going to be worth after factoring in some iffiness.

Those bigger 3-and-D guys are so few. Yet almost every team needs and wants one. And if they have one, they want another.

If he was healthy all the time, I think Maxi would be a $16-18M signing all day long, about 35-45% above the MLE. I accept he's not, but you can't pretend that MLE is his starting value "when healthy." That's way low.

So getting him extended for 10.8, which is below what almost EVERY team can offer (the 11.3M MLE, or even more if they have cap room) is about right if he is NOT healthy, and will prove a steal if his issues are in the past.

Plus, we also have to recognize that if he got to free agency, the Mavs would very likely lose him to bigger offers -- and then would have no way to replace him, either. The Mavs wouldn't get an extra MLE, just because he walks. If you don't think that's a very real issue, and how NBA life works, and if you think it's better to negotiate such players into free agency rather than something you want to avoid with your key core players, see Brunson, J.

[SleepingHero]

Honestly what a fantastic signing. Maxi for 11 a year is a steal given his impact on this team. I'm not 100% sure he would've been money whipped if he were a free agent and am leaning more towards that this is his true Market Value, but in either case he's locked up on a great team friendly deal.

[audiosway]

MLE extension for a better than MLE player? A definitive end to plan powder? 

This is good news.

I agree. Definitely happy with this one. I love Maxi as a role player. Love the extension price and love the end of plan powder. I've never seen this powder guy score a single point.

[Jmaciscool]

 I've never seen this powder guy score a single point.

Sure you have. It was just always on a team other than the Mavs.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Yessssssss

Finally something good happened.

[BackToSquareOne]

I'm not reading the thread. This is an excellent deal at this price. Nothing more to be said.

[Jason Terry]

He didn’t the previous 2 playoffs. He tweaked his back 3 games into the 1st go at the LAC and went into the playoffs with his back tweaked the second year (and was repeatedly posterized by Kawhi that year). I was really glad to see him healthy this last run, but your memory of past that has faded.

Maxi was guarding Kawhi because he was the best option we had(even when hurt he was the best option). He was ran into the ground every year before this one. The problem is we rely on him too much