(06-19-2025, 04:02 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: If you can find a BETTER guard than Sexton to target, I'm all for it.

But, bending over backwards to keep insanely deep front court depth on the roster just because you're scared of some injuries seems insane to me when you're in a situation WHEN HEALTHY where you OBVIOUSLY don't have enough at other positions. Like, maybe AD gets hurt, and maybe Lively misses time. And yes, if they both miss time at the same time, you're going to feel that. But, they don't have starting guards RIGHT NOW, as healthy as they can possibly be IN TRAINING CAMP.

That's not a roster situation that works.

Sorry, everyone, but either Gafford or PJW has to go. Maybe both. That's just where it is. Yes, they're good players, but the guys playing ahead of them AT THEIR POSTIONS are better.

(06-19-2025, 03:49 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: And, what Sexton does, handle the ball and score, is objectively valued more than what Gafford does. By the market, the rules, the pace and style of the modern game, the salaries...you name it.
AND, the Mavericks do not have a healthy lead guard on the roster. THEY HAVE THREE STARTING CENTERS.

(06-19-2025, 04:40 PM)Ghost of Podkolzin Wrote: IMO, the Mavs aren't going to bring in any defensive matadors like Sexton or Simons.  Yes, a PG, but one who plays both ends of the court.

(06-19-2025, 04:54 PM)F Gump Wrote: I would truly prefer 2 BW's rather than add Sexton. That's not taking into account the salaries. Yes Sexton creates numbers (for himself) but he does none of the things that make a TEAM better. (I'm higher than most on BW but that's been the case since very soon after Luka was given away, and I think I was right to be so bullish. Still do.)

You are correct in saying that the Mavs have a big need for a PG -- but I think you are way off base in the idea that we need to have Sexton to fill that need. In fact, I'm not convinced he actually would really be a solution at all - sure, he can handle the ball and get himself some shots, but so can Hardy. 

A trade for Sexton would be the PG version of a  Christian Wood trade.

Sexton has no interest in defense or team and his best skill is getting a shot for himself. I've no interest in giving up good talent PLUS paying 19M to have that on my team. 

BOTTOM LINE --- imo The Mavs can do soooooo much better for a far far far lower price in talent and pay.

(06-19-2025, 04:54 PM)F Gump Wrote: I would truly prefer 2 BW's rather than add Sexton. That's not taking into account the salaries. Yes Sexton creates numbers (for himself) but he does none of the things that make a TEAM better. (I'm higher than most on BW but that's been the case since very soon after Luka was given away, and I think I was right to be so bullish. Still do.)

You are correct in saying that the Mavs have a big need for a PG -- but I think you are way off base in the idea that we need to have Sexton to fill that need. In fact, I'm not convinced he actually would really be a solution at all - sure, he can handle the ball and get himself some shots, but so can Hardy. 

A trade for Sexton would be the PG version of a  Christian Wood trade.

Sexton has no interest in defense or team and his best skill is getting a shot for himself. I've no interest in giving up good talent PLUS paying 19M to have that on my team. 

BOTTOM LINE --- imo The Mavs can do soooooo much better for a far far far lower price in talent and pay.

(06-19-2025, 04:55 PM)Winter Wrote: That's easy to say, but the availablity is limited at the value we need. I don't think anyone this board will want to spend on what it would take to acquire Jrue Holiday or Derek White. It would be more than Gafford. You can't just say what "should" be done and assume we have the assets to do it. This isn't fantasy trading.

What are you willing to do with guards that might be available?

(06-19-2025, 04:55 PM)Winter Wrote: That's easy to say, but the availablity is limited at the value we need. I don't think anyone this board will want to spend on what it would take to acquire Jrue Holiday or Derek White. It would be more than Gafford. You can't just say what "should" be done and assume we have the assets to do it. This isn't fantasy trading.

What are you willing to do with guards that might be available?

(06-19-2025, 04:02 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: If you can find a BETTER guard than Sexton to target, I'm all for it.

But, bending over backwards to keep insanely deep front court depth on the roster just because you're scared of some injuries seems insane to me when you're in a situation WHEN HEALTHY where you OBVIOUSLY don't have enough at other positions. Like, maybe AD gets hurt, and maybe Lively misses time. And yes, if they both miss time at the same time, you're going to feel that. But, they don't have starting guards RIGHT NOW, as healthy as they can possibly be IN TRAINING CAMP.

That's not a roster situation that works.

Sorry, everyone, but either Gafford or PJW has to go. Maybe both. That's just where it is. Yes, they're good players, but the guys playing ahead of them AT THEIR POSTIONS are better.

(06-19-2025, 04:54 PM)F Gump Wrote: A trade for Sexton would be the PG version of a  Christian Wood trade.

(06-19-2025, 04:55 PM)Winter Wrote: That's easy to say, but the availablity is limited at the value we need. I don't think anyone this board will want to spend on what it would take to acquire Jrue Holiday or Derek White. It would be more than Gafford. You can't just say what "should" be done and assume we have the assets to do it. This isn't fantasy trading.

What are you willing to do with guards that might be available?

(06-19-2025, 08:36 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: I tried to look around and see what others are saying.  I think the most realistic deal I saw was Gafford/Hardy for Sexton/#43.  Gafford would potentially go to a third team with assets coming back to Utah (though it could also be Kessler going out and Gafford staying).  

I like the shooting touch of the Stanford center if he's still there at #43.

I think if we never had Gafford on the Mav's and heard that Washington traded him to Utah for Sexton that we'd think that was a good deal for Washington.  In other words, we tend to assign more value to him because he's ours.  He works hard and seems to be a likeable guy.  But, just like Sexton, Gafford isn't closing games in the playoffs.  If AD and Lively are healthy, there is probably a 14 minute backup center role on this team in the playoffs.  

I think it would be difficult to play Kyrie and Sexton together (but easier than playing Gafford and Lively together). To be fair, if Kyrie is healthy, the Sexton role is probably a similar 14-16 minutes (with some possibility of a little bit of overlap in the middle of each half that might take the role to 22 minutes).  But, Kyrie isn't healthy to start the season.  We need the 3 point shooting and we need the steady hand creating some perimeter offense until February.  

I think I would do a deal involving Gafford.  I see he and Sexton as among the best backups at their positions in the league.  But, I think you are not going far in the playoffs if either is your starter.  We have answers without Gafford at center.  Right now, we don't have answers without someone like Sexton.

(06-19-2025, 05:39 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: I just don't see it.

The PG problem is a temporary problem anyways theoretically. Kyrie should return by February around the halfway point in the season. Are we really going to sell for half a season when the Mavs could theoretically cash in better later anyways?

And I also wonder just how big of an issue this is in reality anyways. Of course we can't say for certain, but if Flagg is the real deal AND he can create.

Flagg had 17.2% of all of his possessions as the PnR ball handler for Duke, his 2nd most called play type (the first being spot up at 17.8%). Of which he had a 26.8% AST rate and a 2.05 AST/TO ratio. This ranked him in the 91st percentile among all college players last season. 

Here is a chart showing Flagg's playmaking numbers compared to other wings. 



I think there is real merit to having Flagg be a primary initator at least until Kyrie comes back. Especially if Kidd wants to keep reworking the offense to be less heliocentric and more cuts/passes. Both of which Flagg can play in.

(06-19-2025, 05:58 PM)Smitty Wrote: I absolutely agree with your take on Flagg. I’ve been saying it every chance I get. I think he will be more Point-Forward than most think here. That doesn’t mean the Mavs shouldn’t solve the “3 Center problem”, while adding to the backcourt. Sexton is a near 50/40/90 guy. Per 36 puts him in Kyrie territory. The one year he played 35 minutes, he actually put up the same numbers Kai did for the Mavs this year. I’m not saying he’s in the same category obviously, but the extremes others are going to to trash him, it felt noteworthy.

(06-19-2025, 06:17 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: But I argue that AD and Lively's health are big enough question marks that it is VERY much needed to keep a great center on the bench during the season. And if Flagg can be more Point-Forward, then the Mavs could most likely skate by the guard position with a guy that doesn't cost Gafford. 

(06-19-2025, 06:13 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: [@JakeLFischer]

"The two teams I hear the most about for Jrue Holiday are Sacramento and Dallas, but Dallas' path forward (with CBA issues) is wonky."