Trade & FA 2023-24: OKC The Favorite For Nic Claxton Should He Leave BRK

[Okstate819]

It’s worse than that. Luka and Kuzma have a history of sort of bickering at each other back-and-forth through the press.

Seriously, I can really not think of very many people who would be worse targets for the Mavericks. I can’t believe they’re actually interested. Were they to make a deal for Kyle Kuzma, I would probably yank back some of the respect I have given the front office recently. 

Even after watching Grant Williams suck here for half of the season, I’d still be more excited about keeping him in place and hoping he breaks out of the funk than I would be about adding Kyle Kuzma. He is a loser to the third degree.

At the same time he does have 28 in 22 minutes so far tonight. Halfway through the 3rd. Does his low bbiq have something to do with him being on the lowest bbiq team in tbe NBA? Or was he the same on the Lakers?

[Chicagojk]

Honestly, when reading the last couple of pages and seeing the number of fans who are in favor of standing pat.... I don't really know what to say. This team is in year 6 of Luka, and no closer to a title than his first year here. I can't understand it, I wish I did, so then I could atleast raise a glass to y'all and say cheers, we all on the same page, Luka is going to lead us to the promised land, by himself. :'D

That old saying is so apt here... the people get the government they deserve. You all deserve Cuban.

For me, I'm just wishing that Luka forces a way to Utah. Danny Ainge will build a proper team around him in 6 months flat.

Enough of the jazz stuff.  Go find a Jazz board if you are a fan of them.   I hear they made a trade today.  

This front office does not deserve a lot of faith.  I think we would all like a trade to improve the team.   But it appears even a first and a young player may not be enough for some of the solid, not spectacular guys.  So, we should be opportunistic.   Do a trade now and it is the wrong trade, we may not be able to recover as we would have used several future assets.    So for me a bad trade is a lot worse than no trade.   If you could tell me adding Kuzma or PJ Washington makes a contender than tell me where to sign up.   I don't think either of those trades get us in the top 4 in the west.

---

Third quarter PJ Washington has 6 points coming off the bench. Miles Bridges has 36. No, I don't want him, but it will be really interesting to see if he is traded. Probably better for him if he stays there to the offseason right?

[youzigizag]

Enough of the jazz stuff.  Go find a Jazz board if you are a fan of them.   I hear they made a trade today.  

This front office does not deserve a lot of faith.  I think we would all like a trade to improve the team.   But it appears even a first and a young player may not be enough for some of the solid, not spectacular guys.  So, we should be opportunistic.   Do a trade now and it is the wrong trade, we may not be able to recover as we would have used several future assets.    So for me a bad trade is a lot worse than no trade.   If you could tell me adding Kuzma or PJ Washington makes a contender than tell me where to sign up.   I don't think either of those trades get us in the top 4 in the west.

The problem with kicking the can down the road is...Luka's timeline is shorter than an infinite road.

At what point do you start putting talent around the kid?  And to silence the negative crowd...why are there suggestions Danny Ainge could put a team around Luka quickly if he acquired Luka?   Why is that a thing...but our FO gets 10 years grace period to do it?   Seems like a fair question to me.

I think I am out on watching Mavs closely after next years TDL.   The Mavs can wait until the summer and have tons of assets finally...but if they get outbid by Houston, OKC, Orlando and use the "next summer" excuse...Im out.  

At some point talent outweighs one trick ponies and you should be looking at all around talent over one or two percentages for a player.

[KillerLeft]

At the same time he does have 28 in 22 minutes so far tonight. Halfway through the 3rd. Does his low bbiq have something to do with him being on the lowest bbiq team in tbe NBA? Or was he the same on the Lakers?

Imagine being a fan of some other team and tuning in to watch the Mavericks on a night when Hardaway goes supernova.

[Winter]

I'm one of those guys who really expects a trade. The team needs to be bigger. But I'm also realistic about value.

Right now, everything rumored seems to be too costly... and the players available don't seem like real game changers. Perhaps if there was a larger trade rather than discussions of player vs player, it would be different.

In my mind, the only player rumored recently that I truly liked was WCJ. The secondary player I liked was Portis, but at a different price. Neither seem to be available within a reasonable cost. I hope the Mavs find a backup center at least, but that's about the extent of my expectation now. Kuzma and PJ Washington don't make this team a finals contender at the cost rumored. Unless there's a surprise, a rebounding big man is my best hope at this stage.

[vfromlmf]

Cuban wants Kuz, he has a connection to Kidd. Mavs have the assets. Feels like it’s gonna happen and we might as well rationalize it.

[surfpuckmd]

I'm one of those guys who really expects a trade. The team needs to be bigger. But I'm also realistic about value.

Right now, everything rumored seems to be too costly... and the players available don't seem like real game changers. Perhaps if there was a larger trade rather than discussions of player vs player, it would be different.

In my mind, the only player rumored recently that I truly liked was WCJ.  The secondary player I liked was Portis, but at a different price. Neither seem to be available within a reasonable cost. I hope the Mavs find a backup center at least, but that's about the extent of my expectation now. Kuzma and PJ Washington don't make this team a finals contender at the cost rumored. Unless there's a surprise, a rebounding big man is my best hope at this stage.

I think Drummond for two, 2nd-round picks or the THJ for Gary Harris and Bitadze trade are the two best rumored deals we can make.

I think Kuzma has talent but isn't what we need and not worth the price that is being asked.

PJ Washington isn't good at anything and this board would quickly turn on him once they watched him play every night.

A backup center or not trade at all is what I'm hoping for as well.

[BigDirk41]

Cuban wants Kuz, he has a connection to Kidd. Mavs have the assets. Feels like it’s gonna happen and we might as well rationalize it.

I think this is the trade that happens also. I'm not sure one way or the other on Kuzma, but I'm prepared for it just in case.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

Cuban wants Kuz, he has a connection to Kidd. Mavs have the assets. Feels like it’s gonna happen and we might as well rationalize it.

Cubes was very specific in his description -- someone 6'8" or taller who can handle the ball a bit.
You guys may scoff about it, but there's another clue -- something Kuz said about the Mavs needing another piece to contend. Yes that's pretty audacious of him to say it, but it's a clue nonetheless.

It wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility, Cubes and Kuz had talked about this privately.
Kuz is the primary target all along.

BUT.. I'm just hoping Cubes is smart enough on where to draw the line.

Kuz is NOT worth a FRP+Green, not even worth a FRP+Omax.
I wouldn't even include Maxi in any deal for him.

Unlike most here, I am not enamored with the FRP, I think JG can get you a minimum of 1 FRP, if the Mavs really need to get one. I trust Omax too to be useful next season. 

I'd start with GW+Holmes+Hardy+2 SRPs.
But could go as far as THJ+GW+Hardy+FRP (already an overpay but this is the limit of what the Mavs should give)

No JG, No Omax, No Maxi in any deal.

[BigDirk41]

Cubes was very specific in his description -- someone 6'8" or taller who can handle the ball a bit.
You guys may scoff about it, but there's another clue -- something Kuz said about the Mavs needing another piece to contend. Yes that's pretty audacious of him to say it, but it's a clue nonetheless.

It wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility, Cubes and Kuz had talked about this privately.
Kuz is the primary target all along.

BUT.. I'm just hoping Cubes is smart enough on where to draw the line.

Kuz is NOT worth a FRP+Green, not even worth a FRP+Omax.
I wouldn't even include Maxi in any deal for him.

Unlike most here, I am not enamored with the FRP, I think JG can get you a minimum of 1 FRP, if the Mavs really need to get one. I trust Omax too to be useful next season. 

I'd start with GW+Holmes+Hardy+2 SRPs.
But could go as far as THJ+GW+Hardy+FRP (already an overpay but this is the limit of what the Mavs should give)

No JG, No Omax, No Maxi in any deal.

Be prepared to be disappointed. None of those offers are landing Kuzma. Either Green or Omax will be outgoing in any Kuzma trade.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

Be prepared to be disappointed. None of those offers are landing Kuzma. Either Green or Omax will be outgoing in any Kuzma trade.

I hope the Mavs walk away from any deal involving Omax and/or Green.
The FRP and Hardy is enough.
I like Kuz, but not so much to take away Omax or Green.
Would rather not trade for Kuz if that's the case.

But yeah, if Cubes is insisting on Kuz, Mavs could probably lose all 3 (Green+Omax+FRP).

[Jakeospikez]

If any of the selling tanking teams demands green/omax just move on to another deal and tell them to kick rocks.

[mvossman]

Cuban wants Kuz, he has a connection to Kidd. Mavs have the assets. Feels like it’s gonna happen and we might as well rationalize it.

No reason to do that until it happens.  I'm still holding out hope.

[BigDirk41]

I hope the Mavs walk away from any deal involving Omax and/or Green.
The FRP and Hardy is enough.
I like Kuz, but not so much to take away Omax or Green.
Would rather not trade for Kuz if that's the case.

But yeah, if Cubes is insisting on Kuz, Mavs could probably lose all 3 (Green+Omax+FRP).

I don't disagree with your value assessment. I just think it's going to hurt a lot more than most are prepared for. I just feel like that's Cuban's guy and it's going to happen no matter what. I would be more than glad to be wrong.

[SleepingHero]

Cuban wants Kuz, he has a connection to Kidd. Mavs have the assets. Feels like it’s gonna happen and we might as well rationalize it.

Oh great so another reason why we shouldn't trade for Kuzma. A GM could make a great career out of just doing the opposite of what Cuban says. He had to be convinced to draft Luka. He denied drafting Giannis. Decided against re-signing Nash and Brunson. Thought Eric Dampier was a good choice next to Dirk. Believed in dismantling the title team to chase powder.

On and on Cuban shows he has more money than brain power.

[SleepingHero]

FML I can keep going. Remember the Antwan Jamison and Antoine Walker season???????????????????????????????

YEESH

[ThisIStheYear]

Prediction for a Mavs trade? Probably not or very minor, like moving a second round pick. But, if a significant trade happens, I expect it to be with the Nets. The Nets can give the Mavs more value, probably a lot more value than they send out and the Nets get to play the correlated parley game with two Mavs draft choices. From what I understand, that kind of bet isn’t legal most places in Vegas, but nothing is stopping the Mavs and Nets from partaking. It’s in their interests.

[youzigizag]

Prediction for a Mavs trade?  Probably not or very minor, like moving a second round pick. But, if a significant trade happens, I expect it to be with the Nets.  The Nets can give the Mavs more value, probably a lot more value than they send out and the Nets get to play the correlated parley game with two Mavs draft choices. From what I understand, that kind of bet isn’t legal most places in Vegas, but nothing is stopping the Mavs and Nets from partaking. It’s in their interests.

Which Nets?

[SleepingHero]

Re: Kuzma

I'm not in favor of trading for him. I really don't think he's a winning player. I just finished watching the Wizards vs. Cavs game tonight (morning? my schedule is all out of whack). My impressions are:
I see why the Mavs have interest. Heck even when I scouted Deni earlier this year I saw why the Mavs liked Kuzma. He can create his own shot pretty reliably. His spot up 3 looks solid. He actually has great hands and can move his feet on defense. He actually can move the ball a bit and I can see him excelling in the short roll when Luka/Kyrie are doubled. But he has this tendency to just get checked out of games for long periods, if not the entire game. Like he really couldn't care less being there. Call it immaturity or what have you. He makes some of the most inane choices a player can make when he tries to get fancy while dribbling. His shot selection at times would make THJ blush.

Just so many warts that makes me shy away from him at the cost of just a single 1st, let alone more than 1 like the Wizards are asking for. I think Jerami Grant and even Wiggins* (*Rehabbed Wiggins) are MUCH MUCH better fits as they do all of the above but better. Kuzma is just a tier below those guys so paying a premium for him just feels wrong. And that's before we get into attitude/immaturity stuff with him.

By the way, the real MVP of the Wizards if I can't choose Deni has to be Gafford. The dude is a REAL difference maker. So much so that I might stomach a Kuzma trade if we could get him to be the backup big for Lively. Just pure activity. His contract his kind of vomit inducing. Maybe the Mavs having to eat that is worth the cost of a 1st by itself and can get the trade over the hump. Holmes' contract is at a similar price point, and he was absorbed for a 1st. Gafford's contract runs longer and he is also serviceable, but the history is there for that kind of salary dump to value it at that. One could argue swapping Holmes and Gafford's contracts cancels out, but in the long run we're saving the Wizards 25mil over 2 years. Same amount we ate for the Kings.

I'm also okay for getting Kuzma if it meant we could get Deni. I'm a big believer. I'm only clarifying this because unfortunately I do think the Kuzma thing has legs.

[SkenfromLMF]

What if Dallas "had" to settle for Deni and Gafford? THJ, Holmes, Hardy plus the 27 1st and one of the 2nd rd picks.

Is that enough for Washington?