(11-10-2025, 03:07 PM)Mavs2021 Wrote: Usually these press leaks are done to prepare the fanbase for a harsh situation/move/reality, but in this case what stops Dumont from just flat out firing Nico? It´s the most popular move.


I have this odd feeling that MacMahon and Stein went rogue here in a good way. MacMahon and Stein are Mavs homers and Stein is obviously close with Dirk. They might just f*** with Nico to help Dumont finally reach a decision and not drag it out.

Or they know the Mavs are already talking to potential replacement. There are still decisions to be made this season that are way too important to give them into the hands of Finley/Cuban/Dumont alone.

(11-10-2025, 07:59 PM)F Gump Wrote: About the question of a GM who can fix this roster -- I WOULD FIRE NICO YESTERDAY, NO MATTER WHAT.

But, if you get a new GM, what would we expect as a result -- is there any trade he could TRULY fashion that would be able to turn this team around THIS SEASON where they are actually competitive at the upper level? (Not just figuring an answer to "they need to have a better PG" etc ie find a fill-in who will make them less sucky so they lose by 5 rather than 15, but something to make this team great.)

I'm thinking that a GM who comes in and does a hero trade could sell off future assets for a quick fix that doesn't accomplish much -- and which could set the post-Luka rebuild back by years.

Even if Nico gets fired (yes, please, yes yes yes!!) I'm still on the bandwagon for adding a TOP draft pick via tanking. It costs no assets to get that player - you only invest games, games that are going to be ugly a lot of the time anyhow. Yes I'm beating the same horse. But to me, turning this roster into a super team this season looks like a lost cause no matter what. And if so, I'd rather see them commit the other way, ie win 10 and pick in the top 5, rather than win 30-35 and pick in the 11-14 range. Let players sit and heal for long stretches. Develop youngsters. Take one (a bad season) for the team. Just my 2c after seeing the sum of the parts.

One other point about a new GM --- I do want an expert who can evaluate the OFFERS and if there is a super-sweet one grab it. While I don't want the Mavs to chase any trade to fix this team (because I don't think one exists), the inevitable outcome of a really bad season is that teams will then look at this roster and try to grab a piece here or there if they can. Getting those buyers to grab the pieces you can best afford to lose, and pay an arm and a leg and extra picks on top, that's what an expert GM would do for you. Never in a million years would I trust Nico (or Cuban) to be able to negotiate deals and get full value and more -- but some GMs with expert negotiation skills can do that. Need that sort of guy before making more trades.

(11-10-2025, 08:58 PM)mvossman Wrote: That said, I am struggling with the hard core tanking that would be required to truly finish bottom 5.  I realize the value that would have in draft odds, but I think it would have a negative impact on Flagg and anybody else we might want to hold onto.

(11-10-2025, 11:04 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: They are very, very, very clearly not tanking. At least not yet. They are fighting like hell to beat the bucks right now. 

(11-10-2025, 08:16 PM)RoyTarpleysGhost Wrote:

(11-10-2025, 07:52 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: Trading for Gaff and PJ and signing Exum (when he can stay healthy) were the best moves Nico made, then he threw it all away trading Luka.

(11-11-2025, 07:10 AM)Kidnova Wrote: Exum?  The guy that's eating up a roster spot for 20-30 healthy games per season??

(11-11-2025, 10:40 AM)ThisIStheYear Wrote: Rejoice. Who’s next? I don’t want to waste any more thoughts on that guy. Are the Mavs landing Myers?

Doesn’t sound like Myers is available. Lindsey would be great.

(11-11-2025, 01:31 AM)F Gump Wrote: "They are very, very, very clearly not tanking." -- Umm not sure I can buy what we saw as any indicator either way. (And for a point of reference, they did get another L, in a home game, didn't they?)

When I think about it....

I agree 1000% the Mavs played hard vs MIL. It was good effort and fun to watch. They almost won!! I want players who want to win and work to win and think the game and do all they can. The Mavs players did that. 

However if you think closer, players are not ever tasked with in-game tanking. Throwing a game gets a player suspended, and can even get them jail time. No one is going to tell them to play to lose, miss shots on purpose, etc. Players are always going to be COACHED to play hard too, when they get minutes.

For a tanking agenda to be seen, we have to observe actions of people at a different level.

GMs can make losses much more common by things like (disadvantageous) roster choices, by simply having a roster with much lesser talent, and by (hyper-protective) organizational injury management. "We are prioritizing younger talent that will take us to the next level." "We needed to sit Sammy Superstar for lots of games, to prevent further injury!!"  (Sometimes they may ask star players to help in tanking by NOT playing, once a season has become impossible, even though they are healthy, but we're far from that point this season. The NBA has added some awards-limiting rules to try to curtail such things, because they happen.) Coaches won't ever tell players to lose or to play badly, nor do anything to damage a player's ability or performance individually, but they can facilitate losing by the way they (oddly) allot minutes, by (weirdly stupid) choices of lineups, and by (poor) plays and defenses chosen at key points.

I agree it's far from certain the Mavs are tanking so far. But I have seen decisions this season at both the GM and coach level that fit the profile and sure do make me think the tank perhaps has already started. And there's no question that this GM-coach combo have tanked one year (without anyone noticing until the very last game when Kidd couldn't keep his mouth shut) and maybe even more. I do think that a good portion of the massive number of injuries last season could very likely have been tanking related. 

This season? Early on, I think our best read on it will be the injury list, and also the Kyrie situation and how they manage him over the season. And agendas can change - a string of losses can make them tank even if they didn't intend to, and an unexpected series of wins and good play can flip the switch from a tank to a title chase. 

Another point of reference - they are on a 22-win pace. That would have slotted them at 5 in the lottery last season and 6 the season before and tied for 2 the season before that.