Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[KillerLeft]

I've said this before, and I know some will disagree, but I just don't think you can pile onto the Luka misery by adding Trae Young to this team. The tweets write themselves, and it would start the grief cycle all over again. Plus, he's not a player you can win with at the end of the day, imho, so while I would be looking for a PG, I would only be in favor of trades involving him if they rerouted him somewhere else. Just my opinion.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

If Trae is outgoing, I would greatly prefer to reroute him somewhere else.  I think somebody would be willing to give up an asset for him and I just don't see him as the right kind of piece for a contending roster.

It's weird how low my expectations are now.  With how OKC and SA are situated, I'm not looking at it through the prism of building a title contender.  I'd be happy with a team winning 50 games every year and fun to watch. That's the only reason I entertain Trae Young or Lamelo Ball.

Beginning in 2031 we have our draft picks.  Maybe by then SGA is slowing down and Wemby has injuries.

[mvossman]

It's weird how low my expectations are now.  With how OKC and SA are situated, I'm not looking at it through the prism of building a title contender.  I'd be happy with a team winning 50 games every year and fun to watch.  That's the only reason I entertain Trae Young or Lamelo Ball.

Beginning in 2031 we have our draft picks.  Maybe by then SGA is slowing down and Wemby has injuries.

I remember when everybody said Mavs need to retool roster to be able to beat Celtics.  That lasted one season.  Things change fast in the NBA.  I would be more worried about OKC if I was trying to contend with AD and Kyrie in the next year or two.

I am aiming higher.  Flagg is the real deal.  If he is this good at 18 with his drive, the sky is the limit.  Its going to be years before they get back to contention level, but the quicker they make moves like trading vets for assets and focusing on younger players the sooner they will get there.  I'm hoping it will be less than the 6 years it took them with Luka.

[Winter]

I remember when everybody said Mavs need to retool roster to be able to beat Celtics.  That lasted one season.  Things change fast in the NBA.  I would be more worried about OKC if I was trying to contend with AD and Kyrie in the next year or two.

I am aiming higher.  Flagg is the real deal.  If he is this good at 18 with his drive, the sky is the limit.  Its going to be years before they get back to contention level, but the quicker they make moves like trading vets for assets and focusing on younger players the sooner they will get there.  I'm hoping it will be less than the 6 years it took them with Luka.

I agree with the post... and maybe most of the board does too. It seems that way anyway.

I have read recently that Matt Riccardi may be inching his way toward GM. I have no opinion on that one way or another, but it seems likely that he's getting ready to put his stamp on this Trade Deadline. It's going to be a very interesting next couple of months.

[Jakeospikez]

I remember when everybody said Mavs need to retool roster to be able to beat Celtics.  That lasted one season.  Things change fast in the NBA.  I would be more worried about OKC if I was trying to contend with AD and Kyrie in the next year or two.

I am aiming higher.  Flagg is the real deal.  If he is this good at 18 with his drive, the sky is the limit.  Its going to be years before they get back to contention level, but the quicker they make moves like trading vets for assets and focusing on younger players the sooner they will get there.  I'm hoping it will be less than the 6 years it took them with Luka.

I don't think it has to take multiple years to be a contender. This team without Kyrie and some roleplayers already beat Houston who was missing Sengun and some roleplayers. Houston will be contender level this year imo. Mavs could easily be contending next year with Flagg continuing his rapid development plus a few moves here and there. Next year's draft pick probably won't be a starter level contributor but hopefully at least a decent bench contributor.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

The trade:

AD - Hardy - Exum
FOR
Trae - Risacher - NO 2026 1st -might also need a 2nd

Done deal.

[mvossman]

I don't think it has to take multiple years to be a contender. This team without Kyrie and some roleplayers already beat Houston who was missing Sengun and some roleplayers. Houston will be contender level this year imo. Mavs could easily be contending next year with Flagg continuing his rapid development plus a few moves here and there. Next year's draft pick probably won't be a starter level contributor but hopefully at least a decent bench contributor.

I disagree.  Winning a couple of regular season games does not change the fact that this team is short on creation, shooting and perimeter defense, not to mention its an unbalanced roster where 5 of the 6 best players should be playing the 4 or 5.  I'm afraid a mindset like this could lead them to disastrous long term decisions like extending AD and spending the rest of their assets for a win now player.  If we go down that route it might take longer than 6 years to build the right team around Flagg.

[Jakeospikez]

West is starting to get weaker overall. Doubt it's still 9-10 teams deep that are all within a few games of each other. Trade 1 of the centers for a guard, draft a guard, and getting past the 1st round is easily doable next year. Even with AD traded, could still be really solid, but would need Lively to play a lot of next year of course. Suppose it's a big risk to have all of AD/Kyrie/Lively healthy come playoffs next year but if they are then they can probably hang with anybody. If they aren't giving much for AD now, he may end up actually having more value as an expiring or on a cheaper deal next contract for a trade down the line.

[DanSchwartzgan]

The trade:

AD - Hardy - Exum
FOR
Trae - Risacher - NO 2026 1st -might also need a 2nd

As with so many of these things, I find myself saying "I don't like so-and-so, but".  I don't see Trae as an asset or a good fit.  But, if you want the other premium assets, you probably have to help them solve their money issue with him.  Put another way, you probably don't get expiring KP and Risacher AND the 26 pick.  You have to take Trae's money back (and the trouble they will probably have paying what he will want).  I'm also dubious they will give you that pick unprotected.  Could you give protections and it converts to their other 26 pick plus a 2029 (they have two) if it falls in the top 2?  

I'd also want to do some other things around the fringes.  It was probably smart to keep them out of the tax.  I might want to add Flagg's HS mate Asa Newell, especially if I agree to protect the pick.  I'd want to also put more long term money in the deal...Hardy and D'Lo and we get back Newell instead of Hardy and Exum?  Or work in Kennard for Martin or somesuch.  There is probably a workable framework somewhere in here.

The key here is recognizing this doesn't create a finished product and it isn't about 25/26.  Everyone will need to understand that Trae will likely be here long enough to flip for other assets.  I wonder if it is better to extend him at some reasonable number or to just go to the summer and try to do a S&T (risking getting nothing) if he opts out of his PO.  I think he might have value if he gave up his PO and signed 3 years for $100mm.

[Chicagojk]

[Lewenberg] The Toronto Raptors are “highly likely” to make a trade before the deadline and have already “checked in” the Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic about Daniel Gafford and Goga Bitadze. Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick could be traded

**************
Stole this.   Dick is interesting.  I have no idea what his value is though.   Right now he would be your 4th wing.   You would have to be right on a guy like that.   Salaries would need to match too.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

Dick is interesting.

Bookmarked

[Winter]

[Lewenberg] The Toronto Raptors are “highly likely” to make a trade before the deadline and have already “checked in” the Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic about Daniel Gafford and Goga Bitadze. Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick could be traded

**************
Stole this.   Dick is interesting.  I have no idea what his value is though.   Right now he would be your 4th wing.   You would have to be right on a guy like that.   Salaries would need to match too.

Dick is hard to get excited about

Hard to get excited about that trade.

[Mavs2021]

[Lewenberg] The Toronto Raptors are “highly likely” to make a trade before the deadline and have already “checked in” the Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic about Daniel Gafford and Goga Bitadze. Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick could be traded

**************
Stole this.   Dick is interesting.  I have no idea what his value is though.   Right now he would be your 4th wing.   You would have to be right on a guy like that.   Salaries would need to match too.

Dick been limp this season. Not really an upgrade over Hardy. Raptors fans want to get rid badly. Numbers are very similar across the board, except Hardy is shooting better from deep and Dick is better finishing at the rim. Though that is really not saying much. Hardy´s advanced numbers are destroyed by LITERALLY being the worst finisher at the rim in the whole league. He´s shooting 30% within 0-3 feet. To translate how sh*t that is. The next Maverick from the bottom is Caleb Martin at 60%. 

I need a late 1st round pick and a rehab prospect for Gafford. Nico might be completely clueless with regards to basketball talent, but somehow the contracts he actually gave out (with the exception of that Martin stupidity) range from tolerable to excellent. Gafford is a starting center virtually earning MLE money. That is worth something.

[mvossman]

[Lewenberg] The Toronto Raptors are “highly likely” to make a trade before the deadline and have already “checked in” the Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic about Daniel Gafford and Goga Bitadze. Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick could be traded

**************
Stole this.   Dick is interesting.  I have no idea what his value is though.   Right now he would be your 4th wing.   You would have to be right on a guy like that.   Salaries would need to match too.

No interest in Dick.

[Mavs2021]

The one thing that works in our favour (as fans) is that the Mavs cannot trade AD for his potentially true value. If that is truly just Poetl, Quickley and a lottery protected 1st, they can´t do that. It would translate to Mavs traded Luka Doncic for Poetl, Quickley and Christie. That´s not happening.

[numnuts23]

Dick raised his game last season but has really petered out this season. Not sure what his problem is

[omahen]

Dick raised his game last season but has really petered out this season.  Not sure what his problem is

Age is usually not kind to Dick

[Dirknows]

The one thing that works in our favour (as fans) is that the Mavs cannot trade AD for his potentially true value. If that is truly just Poetl, Quickley and a lottery protected 1st, they can´t do that. It would translate to Mavs traded Luka Doncic for Poetl, Quickley and Christie. That´s not happening.

I mean if AD plays for the Mavs the rest of the season there’s a good chance we’re a play in team, which nobody is interested in. It’s going to be interesting how they navigate the AD elephant in the room.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Source: https://open.substack.com/pub/marcstein/p/the-many-many-layers-to-the-nbas?r=nuq3a&utm_medium=ios

As for Davis …

There doesn't seem to be much of a market for him at this juncture of Trade Season. Davis also missed his 16th game of the season on Monday night at Utah; he's played in 11.

The teams most interested to date, according to league sources, are Toronto and Atlanta. Beyond the well-known fact that the Hawks have zero intention to make the 2026 first-round pick coming their way from New Orleans available, I'm not hearing much optimism at the moment that Atlanta can get anywhere near a package that would tempt Dallas. The Hawks can really only make a credible bid for a high-salaried player by parting with Trae Young or Kristaps Porziņģis. On top of the ongoing uncertainty regarding Porziņģis' battle with illness, I don't see Young as a target for the Mavericks. Not when they remain committed to Kyrie Irving.

Sources say Dallas, furthermore, is not at all interested in just shedding Davis' contract, which is essentially the same deal as Antetokounmpo's in Milwaukee. The Mavericks have maintained to date that they would only be willing to part with the centerpiece of their infamous Doncić deal last February if the trade brings back a return of real consequence.

[vfromlmf]

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