(04-08-2024, 03:26 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: I think we really REALLY need to use the THJ contract to the absolute most. Green+THJ contract lets the Mavs get 1 last semi large trade and they can take back roughly 30 mil of salary with it. 

Now do they target a starting 3/4 that can play off PJ and can hit 3s? Do they break that up and bring in 2 guys that fill different needs? 


How they use Green+THJ+Hardy this summer along with the 25+31 will be really interesting to me. That and they have to retain DJJ. I think he's played himself out of the TP-MLE but who knows?

(04-08-2024, 03:26 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: I think we really REALLY need to use the THJ contract to the absolute most. Green+THJ contract lets the Mavs get 1 last semi large trade and they can take back roughly 30 mil of salary with it. 

Now do they target a starting 3/4 that can play off PJ and can hit 3s? Do they break that up and bring in 2 guys that fill different needs? 


How they use Green+THJ+Hardy this summer along with the 25+31 will be really interesting to me. That and they have to retain DJJ. I think he's played himself out of the TP-MLE but who knows?

(04-08-2024, 03:26 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: I think we really REALLY need to use the THJ contract to the absolute most. Green+THJ contract lets the Mavs get 1 last semi large trade and they can take back roughly 30 mil of salary with it. 

Now do they target a starting 3/4 that can play off PJ and can hit 3s? Do they break that up and bring in 2 guys that fill different needs? 


How they use Green+THJ+Hardy this summer along with the 25+31 will be really interesting to me. That and they have to retain DJJ. I think he's played himself out of the TP-MLE but who knows?

(04-08-2024, 04:58 PM)The Jom Wrote: I hate to say this and am ready to boo myself for putting it into text, but to really move the needle, don’t you have to give thought to packaging all available assets—including PJ Washington and, gulp, Dereck Lively—into an offer for Giannis? Add THJ’s expiring contract, Josh Green, and the kid from Marquette (pretty much everything you can get your hands on) and maybe you’re sniffing a deal there? It sure wouldn’t surprise me to see that teetering franchise go into a full-on meltdown.

(04-08-2024, 03:26 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: I think we really REALLY need to use the THJ contract to the absolute most. Green+THJ contract lets the Mavs get 1 last semi large trade and they can take back roughly 30 mil of salary with it. 

Now do they target a starting 3/4 that can play off PJ and can hit 3s? Do they break that up and bring in 2 guys that fill different needs?

How they use Green+THJ+Hardy this summer along with the 25+31 will be really interesting to me. That and they have to retain DJJ. I think he's played himself out of the TP-MLE but who knows?

(04-09-2024, 02:46 AM)F Gump Wrote: The choices to accomplish what needs to be done (as I see it) are very limited. I agree that they need to find a path to DJJ. I do think, because he's a defense-only guy, he's probably not going to be nearly as expensive as we fear, and he might even strongly prefer staying since his past places have not worked out at all for him, so I'd want to take advantage of such a window of opportunity.

They could certainly put the TxMLE on the table as a 1+1, starting at 5.2M, and perhaps he would say yes, with a plan to be a FA again in a year and get a bigger deal with Early Bird rights. That almost certainly lands them over Apron 1, but also offers no hard cap and some flexibility.

But I'd rather lock him up for 3-4 years instead, which would mean expanding the MLE room by reducing spending elsewhere, so that you can pay him more and still be under Apron 1. The avenue to that is a trade where the Mavs trade more salary for less, without messing with the needed players to keep.

Your idea to package THJ-Green (total salary about $29M) could work that way, where you're only taking back about $21.5M or somewhat more (the limit in salary differential is 7.5M if neither team has cap room and both can stay under Apron 1), but I frankly don't want any of those players who have contracts in that price range. I looked at the list. Ugh. And more broadly, I am still a proponent of a team of MLE-ish players, more or less, as how you pay those rotation guys. That's one of the things I really liked about the trades for Gafford (13.4M next year) and PJW (15.5M next year), the fact that both are not going to cost much beyond a big MLE that should be about 12.9M.

So if in a trade I am PAYING for a guy (with a pick or talent), I want to pay for the rotation guy whose salary is in the 10-15M range, so that he will fit in that payroll plan.

One trade that fits that model would be THJ for Caruso. Caruso is paid ~10M, and he may be available as his contract is expiring (and CHI may fear losing him in a year). He's a 2-way player. And if you did that swap, on the money front you would then create room to offer DJJ a deal starting at about $8-9M, which I think might be plenty to get him to sign for several years, and allows you to stay below Apron 1.

Because it's a path to BOTH Caruso and DJJ, you can justify the risk of Caruso walking, and still offer a FRP. But Caruso is extension eligible for an extend-and trade, too. Doesn't he seem like a guy who would fit well on this team?

Bottom Line ---
(1) THJ + 2025 FRP (lightly protected) for Caruso. Extend Caruso. (The CBA limits on a Caruso extension would be a starting salary of about $14M, which I think is plenty and maybe even too much. That number or less keeps him in that useful price range - and although he would come with Bird rights for when his contract expires, I don't want role players who will be eating up $20M & up out of my available spending room.)
(2) Sign DJJ at 3 yrs 27M.

That's my preferred summer.

(04-09-2024, 05:01 AM)omahen Wrote: Looking around the league, one of the problems is that the bad teams have been bad for quite some time and there is not much left to take from them. Chicago seems like a most obvious team to blow it up, but they have been like that for two seasons already and they just keep staying pat. Will they fire their GM and bring in a guy to clean the house and start over?

Other than Chicago there are not many obvious targets that would consider blowing it up. Boston, Denver, OKC will just continue to try to improve, no matter the result. Phoenix, Clippers, GSW, Lakers, Miami, Milwaukee, Minny are in all-in mode but I don't see any of them blowing it up, even if they don't even make it out of first round. Pelicans could probably need some reshuffling, but I don't see them trading their interesting young wins unless a star is involved (no interest in Zion or Ingram). New York, Orlando, Houston, Indy, Memphis and Sacramento will be looking to improve. Philly will be star hunting and will have almost an empty roster at the summer start outside of their stars. Charlotte, Detroit, Toronto, Portland, San Antonio and Washington will likely remain bottom of the league and don't have anything interesting anymore, that would be available. Atlanta is the only other team that could go in either direction. Not really anything interesting there for what Mavs need.

Based on this, my dream target would remain Paul George. More realistic would be Caruso. Perhaps combination of Caruso and Williams, as Mavs could use another bigger wing. THJ + Green + draft assets for Caruso and Williams (SnT). Resign DJJ for taxMLE. The move solves the minutes issues at the second guard position and adds another bigger wing behind PJ. I think it wouldn't be difficult to stay under hard cap making these moves (to allow SnT).

(04-09-2024, 02:46 AM)F Gump Wrote: Bottom Line ---
(1) THJ + 2025 FRP (lightly protected) for Caruso. Extend Caruso. (The CBA limits on a Caruso extension would be a starting salary of about $14M, which I think is plenty and maybe even too much. That number or less keeps him in that useful price range - and although he would come with Bird rights for when his contract expires, I don't want role players who will be eating up $20M & up out of my available spending room.)
(2) Sign DJJ at 3 yrs 27M.

That's my preferred summer.

(04-09-2024, 10:49 AM)Ghost of Podkolzin Wrote: I like the focus on SF/PF type wings.  I love Caruso, but would rather spend our assets elsewhere given all the ballhandlers we have.

I think Houston is a perfect trade partner.  Only one SG on the roster (Green and THJ).  Tari Eason is buried like 6 deep now.  I love him as our starting SF.  Green will be tough to trade given his base year, but that swap makes a lot of sense for both teams.

(04-09-2024, 11:51 AM)loki Wrote: Houston values Eason much more than that. I don't see them having any interest in a swap for Green unless you're adding a good 1st.

(04-09-2024, 12:11 PM)Ghost of Podkolzin Wrote: Going into this year, I'd agree.  After basically not playing at all this year, and after drafting Thompson and Whitmore, Eason is buried under JSJ, Brooks, Thompson, (possibly Tate) and Whitmore going into next season.  Just asset management alone would dictate they move him for a better fitting part.

(04-09-2024, 05:01 AM)omahen Wrote: Looking around the league, one of the problems is that the bad teams have been bad for quite some time and there is not much left to take from them. Chicago seems like a most obvious team to blow it up, but they have been like that for two seasons already and they just keep staying pat. Will they fire their GM and bring in a guy to clean the house and start over?

Other than Chicago there are not many obvious targets that would consider blowing it up. Boston, Denver, OKC will just continue to try to improve, no matter the result. Phoenix, Clippers, GSW, Lakers, Miami, Milwaukee, Minny are in all-in mode but I don't see any of them blowing it up, even if they don't even make it out of first round. Pelicans could probably need some reshuffling, but I don't see them trading their interesting young wins unless a star is involved (no interest in Zion or Ingram). New York, Orlando, Houston, Indy, Memphis and Sacramento will be looking to improve. Philly will be star hunting and will have almost an empty roster at the summer start outside of their stars. Charlotte, Detroit, Toronto, Portland, San Antonio and Washington will likely remain bottom of the league and don't have anything interesting anymore, that would be available. Atlanta is the only other team that could go in either direction. Not really anything interesting there for what Mavs need.

Based on this, my dream target would remain Paul George. More realistic would be Caruso. Perhaps combination of Caruso and Williams, as Mavs could use another bigger wing. THJ + Green + draft assets for Caruso and Williams (SnT). Resign DJJ for taxMLE. The move solves the minutes issues at the second guard position and adds another bigger wing behind PJ. I think it wouldn't be difficult to stay under hard cap making these moves (to allow SnT).

(04-09-2024, 03:10 PM)F Gump Wrote: I do agree that division of minutes can be a bit of a challenge when you have many good role players, but THJ outgoing for Caruso opens up over 2000 minutes (that's how many THJ has played this year), which is a bit larger than Caruso had in CHI. So nothing changes other than the player filling the minutes. I do envision in my Caruso idea that DJJ keeps his same role of defense and rebounding and super-athleticism, and Caruso becomes the 6th man to replace THJ/Hardy and provide offense -- but a much smarter player with some defensive skill. 

(04-09-2024, 11:47 AM)loki Wrote: Sensible plan, but I don't see any chance Caruso extends for the MLE. He'll probably make another 1st or 2nd Team All-Defense and expect more like $18-20M.

(04-09-2024, 03:35 PM)F Gump Wrote: I'm not convinced Caruso gets in the range of 20M as a FA. He has a good bit of Josh Green in him, ie he is a good shooter who can make defensive plays and can make shots, but doesn't shoot often enough, so his scoring is rather anemic (around 11-12 ppg). He's a tick or two more productive than JG.

The extension number limit would not be MLE. It would start at 140% of his current salary, which would land him at about 4 yrs 60M. Again, just a tick or two above JG.

If I had to, I would still do THJ + FRP for him, even without an extension. I'd just prefer to have more than one year in place. But as I see it, there would also be value in replacing THJ's money with a smaller number, in order to have a few million more to offer DJJ.

(04-09-2024, 03:24 PM)RoyTarpleysGhost Wrote: I don’t see DJJ getting the MLE. Thats $13 million.

Plus Okax will need to be worked into the rotation next year.