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

[KillerLeft]

The choice is either Young or Porzingis. 

I highly doubt they'd be acquiring Porzingis for the purpose of keeping him. You either move his expiring in a separate arm of the deal for some other minor asset or you let his money come off the books. In my opinion, either of those options is preferable to having to eat Trae Young's next season. Keeping AD a little longer might be the best option of all, depending on what ATL is actually willing to offer. It's ok if you disagree about Young as a player, because I do think he's on the verge of being underrated, ironically, but I see almost no value in him playing here, and that's coming from someone who has been banging the "they need a PG" drum for months. 

Where I completely disagree with you is this idea that he'd be easy to trade after the fact. The Hawks have been trying, and they can't. Is that because nobody wants him? Probably not, but it's the same situation as the other PG's suddenly flooding the market. Nobody wants to ADD salary for him, and the Hawks NEED to reduce salary. I think it's logical and reasonable to assume the Mavs will be in that very same situation, at least temporarily. If you're moving off of AD because you're admitting you're not as good as you hoped, isn't THAT the time to get out of apron hell, at least, if not all the way out of the tax? If not then, while you embark on the journey of remaking a team around an 18 year old, then WHEN? 

Do you honestly expect them to be among the most expensive rosters in the league every year, no matter what the circumstances are? I don't, and I say that with respect for their competency (even if it's just hopeful respect, at this point) rather than disdain for their potential cheapness. This IS the smart time to think frugally, imo.

[Winter]

The choice is either Young or Porzingis. There are no other options. You get one of the two. Unless you think you can find a better PG for the MLE, if he we even have it. God knows with these rules. 

You want to play Kyrie 40 MPG for 82 games coming off an ACL at age 34? I´m so confused. 

The reason we are crap is our G-League guard rotation. You want to make Flagg and our two new 1st round picks better players, how about having an actual elite PG out there at all times that knows how to run an offense.

That sounds like you think having Trae makes us a playoff team? I don't mind having Trae, but he's a short term rental for the rest of this season if he's a Maverick. 

Trae helps us a bit, but who cares. Neither Trae nor Porzingas matter much in the larger scheme. The picks do.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Trae will be flipped easily and we can increase his value... KP has 0 trade value.

[loki]

I don't see many obvious trades for Trae. Minnesota could probably use him, but they would have to put multiple long term contracts together to make it work. Portland could make some sense. Houston? No need to mess with what they have and stunt Sheppard's development.

[KillerLeft]

That sounds like you think having Trae makes us a playoff team? I don't mind having Trae, but he's a short term rental for the rest of this season if he's a Maverick. 

See, if this was a guarantee, I'd be more into it. I don't think he's a rental, as in I don't think that's even a possibility. I think it's 100% he opts in next year, and I think getting off of that year might require more than it's worth to get whatever you'd get in this deal (tough to know for sure without more details).

If you knew ahead of time that he'd opt out it would essentially be the exact same as if Porzingis was in the deal. No issues with that, but the absence of that is WHY we think more might be available if they're taking Young back.

[mvossman]

The choice is either Young or Porzingis. There are no other options. You get one of the two. Unless you think you can find a better PG for the MLE, if he we even have it. God knows with these rules. 

You want to play Kyrie 40 MPG for 82 games coming off an ACL at age 34? I´m so confused. 

The reason we are crap is our G-League guard rotation. You want to make Flagg and our two new 1st round picks better players, how about having an actual elite PG out there at all times that knows how to run an offense.

There are plenty of other options.  Gafford or Naji could be moved for a quality PG.  PJ could be moved in the offseason for one.  Their lottery pick could turn into a quality PG.  If they trade for KP and dump Klay salary they should have plenty of room for MLE.  Lots of options.

[mvossman]

Trae will be flipped easily and we can increase his value... KP has 0 trade value.

If Trae can be flipped then simply get that third team involved in the original trade.  KP is massive salary relief.  His obvious lack of value makes it easier to trade for him.

[Winter]

See, if this was a guarantee, I'd be more into it. I don't think he's a rental, as in I don't think that's even a possibility. I think it's 100% he opts in next year, and I think getting off of that year might require more than it's worth to get whatever you'd get in this deal (tough to know for sure without more details).

That doesn't worry me enough not to do this deal.

I understand what you're saying. Maybe some of the Front Office guys know more then we do about how to massage all this, but lets' face it, you'd rather not see much of Trae in a Mavs uniform, and I'd rather see as little as possible of AD in the same uniform. .Both of us would like to rationalize our positions with an imaginary future.

[Mavs2021]

If Trae can be flipped then simply get that third team involved in the original trade.  KP is massive salary relief.  His obvious lack of value makes it easier to trade for him.

Porzingis is just an expiring contract, that has numerous unfortunate illness rumours hanging over his head. He has literally zero value. He´s about as valuable as you and me. Trae Young is still a quality PG in his prime. No need to get hung up on his contract. It expires in 18 months, maybe in six.

Kyrie opted out of his deal to restructure it. Who says Young isn´t willing to do 100/3 here or elsewhere, which essentially means he gets 50/25/25. Then you can trade Young and get something back to facilitate the deal. Sure if you want to find the deal now, do it. 

All I´m arguing is that the Mavs don´t really have an issue to take on Young over Porzingis. It´s that Atlanta argues that getting Young is worth more than Porzingis therefore Atlanta wants to give up less in players or get more in return. They are fighing over picks, Risacher, Kennard, Newell, Marshall, Thompson and Gafford.  

At least that is my take. 

I want Young over Porzingis, cause we desperately need guard and he is a more valuable asset than Porzingis. But what I really want is Risacher and as many picks as possible.

[KillerLeft]

That doesn't worry me enough not to do this deal.

I understand what you're saying. Maybe some of the Front Office guys know more then we do about how to massage all this, but lets' face it, you'd rather not see much of Trae in a Mavs uniform, and I'd rather see as little as possible of AD in the same uniform. .Both of us would like to rationalize our positions with an imaginary future.

Well, there's the issue right there. It seems like for you, Trae Young is on par with or maybe even superior to AD, if I'm reading you correctly. In terms of having on the Mavs, at least. 

I am so far from agreeing with that I don't think there's much use in inching closer. I'd MUCH rather just keep AD another year than be stuck with Trae Young. I don't expect everyone to agree, but that's my starting point. It would have to be a BOATLOAD of potential high picks to get me to pull the trigger on something like that. 

But again, that's because I'm ok walking away from the table to begin with. I'm pretty confident the Mavs are headed for a lottery pick even without making a trade like this, and I'm somewhat confident a good summer's worth of moves might have this thing making more sense and ready to compete. It might end up in a situation where having AD around makes sense, even. There is NO scenario in which having Trae Young on this roster makes sense, at least for me.

[Mavs2021]

Trae Young out and AD doing a personal closed door workout (to prove his fitness?) reeks of clickbait social media potential.

[Mavs2021]

Well, there's the issue right there. It seems like for you, Trae Young is on par with or maybe even superior to AD, if I'm reading you correctly. In terms of having on the Mavs, at least. 

I am so far from agreeing with that I don't think there's much use in inching closer. I'd MUCH rather just keep AD another year than be stuck with Trae Young. I don't expect everyone to agree, but that's my starting point. It would have to be a BOATLOAD of potential high picks to get me to pull the trigger on something like that. 

But again, that's because I'm ok walking away from the table to begin with. I'm pretty confident the Mavs are headed for a lottery pick even without making a trade like this, and I'm somewhat confident a good summer's worth of moves might have this thing making more sense and ready to compete. It might end up in a situation where having AD around makes sense, even. There is NO scenario in which having Trae Young on this roster makes sense, at least for me.

Yeah, but you also probably called me a negative nancy, when I pointed out the risk associated with the Porzingis trade and everybody was having a joly good laugh at the stupid Knicks. The trade that was the launching pad for the current Knicks. 

It´s alright to be positive, but sometimes you also have to look at all angles. The reality is that AD is a lazy, injury prone soon to be 33 year old that has 30 months left on his contract. He has ONE more serious injury and you have 180M DEAD salary. DEAD for three years. Then he retires from basketball.

[Winter]

Well, there's the issue right there. It seems like for you, Trae Young is on par with or maybe even superior to AD, if I'm reading you correctly. In terms of having on the Mavs, at least. 

No. Not that exactly. I'm saying that neither one of them matter. They are equally irrelevant in my mind. I don't think they'll be Mavs for long, and Flagg's timeline is way beyond their Mavericks shelf life.

[KillerLeft]

Yeah, but you also probably called me a negative nancy, when I pointed out the risk associated with the Porzingis trade and everybody was having a joly good laugh at the stupid Knicks. The trade that was the launching pad for the current Knicks. 

I mean, I don't remember conversations with you about this, but if you're saying you weren't into that trade, KUDOS, because 99% of us were convinced it was the steal of the century. Turns out it was the first domino to fall in the great "sunk cost" of the Luka era, sadly. 

I do remember being one of the first here to identify that KP wasn't working out, and that the team would be better by biting the bullet and dumping him. I remember a lot of pushback against that idea, but ultimately, I think it was the way to go. 

I also remember raising similar concerns to the one you're suggesting you raised there about virtually every other deal they made during the past few years. I didn't love throwing firsts out the window for Kyrie, who I didn't even want. I was wrong about the impact he'd make here, but now, without the player they were building around, don't those picks seem like a lot to have given up? Would be cool to have those, at this point. Ditto for the Gafford/PJW deals. I loved both player acquisitions at the time, but I remember being worried (and openly discussing that worry) about throwing so many picks around like candy. Those deals probably got them to the finals, but again...those guys fit on a Luka team. We're not in that world anymore. 

This is a totally different situation - the Mavs are selling, not buying.

[KillerLeft]

No. Not that exactly. I'm saying that neither one of them matter. They are equally irrelevant in my mind. I don't think they'll be Mavs for long, and Flagg's timeline is way beyond their Mavericks shelf life.

Agree with the emboldened, but not so much on the "equally irrelevant." I think there's value in taking a route to Flagg's era, sure, but I also think there's value in getting there with as much comfort as possible, and I think an effort to shorten the trip could easily lengthen it. 

They don't need to start assembling the team that will be around Flagg when he's 28 yet. They just need to assemble a team that fits with him and can support him if/when he's ready to compete, which might actually be next year. Maybe it won't be, but I have faith in him. And, it is so, so obvious that he and AD fit like a DREAM on the court. Meanwhile, he's 18. They can afford to try something, have it completely fail, and even if it does, by that time they'll have more ammo in the pick war chest again, through several means, including time. 

I just don't think there's a way to bridge the gap of pickless years in a meaningful way. It would take some GREAT picks to replace the ones they've traded away, in the event they opt to be bad. I think they have to try to be good, I really do. That means, for me, that no, AD and Trae Young are far from "equally irrelevant."

[mvossman]

Porzingis is just an expiring contract, that has numerous unfortunate illness rumours hanging over his head. He has literally zero value. He´s about as valuable as you and me. Trae Young is still a quality PG in his prime. No need to get hung up on his contract. It expires in 18 months, maybe in six.

Kyrie opted out of his deal to restructure it. Who says Young isn´t willing to do 100/3 here or elsewhere, which essentially means he gets 50/25/25. Then you can trade Young and get something back to facilitate the deal. Sure if you want to find the deal now, do it. 

All I´m arguing is that the Mavs don´t really have an issue to take on Young over Porzingis. It´s that Atlanta argues that getting Young is worth more than Porzingis therefore Atlanta wants to give up less in players or get more in return. They are fighing over picks, Risacher, Kennard, Newell, Marshall, Thompson and Gafford.  

At least that is my take. 

I want Young over Porzingis, cause we desperately need guard and he is a more valuable asset than Porzingis. But what I really want is Risacher and as many picks as possible.

I feel like you are making my point for me.  KP has no perceived value, so we should get more assets in a trade sending KP out than Trae.  I want the assets, not the headache of trying to turn Trae into those assets.

[mvossman]

Agree with the emboldened, but not so much on the "equally irrelevant." I think there's value in taking a route to Flagg's era, sure, but I also think there's value in getting there with as much comfort as possible, and I think an effort to shorten the trip could easily lengthen it. 

They don't need to start assembling the team that will be around Flagg when he's 28 yet. They just need to assemble a team that fits with him and can support him if/when he's ready to compete, which might actually be next year. Maybe it won't be, but I have faith in him. And, it is so, so obvious that he and AD fit like a DREAM on the court. Meanwhile, he's 18. They can afford to try something, have it completely fail, and even if it does, by that time they'll have more ammo in the pick war chest again, through several means, including time. 

I just don't think there's a way to bridge the gap of pickless years in a meaningful way. It would take some GREAT picks to replace the ones they've traded away, in the event they opt to be bad. I think they have to try to be good, I really do. That means, for me, that no, AD and Trae Young are far from "equally irrelevant."

Its so crazy because those picks would likely not be valuable if Nico hadn't traded away the very reason they were traded.

It's not pickless years. They have a first in every year except 27, it just won't be their own.  If they end up with Risacher plus a quality first plus their own lottery pick, I would say that would effectively bridge the gap.  I would argue that Gafford, Naji and PJ are all probably worth a first as well.  I'm a little worried about the 27, but after that I don't think their picks they traded away are going to be that valuable.  Flagg is too good.  Put reasonable pieces around him and I think they stay out of the lottery after next season at the latest.

[windjc]

I’m seeing people getting enamored with the idea of a trade for the sake of being enamored with something.

I remember when an oft-injured George fetched a future MVP and a boatload of firsts. Let’s start there if we want to find something to be enamored with.

Otherwise, I’m happy to let AD do his thing for as many games as he can play.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look at 2024 Frenchman’s highlights over last few years to see that he has a low ceiling.

[F Gump]

This is a totally different situation - the Mavs are selling, not buying.

I would hope they are going to be trading and building, not selling.

I'm not in favor of the approach of having a "sale of any and all more experienced talent" in order to end up with a mid FRP or two, and a lot of air (aka cap space). Players with talent are way hard to replace. Fit is also hard. 

Part of the problem is that the goal is a big winner with CF and another player or 2, but it doesn't happen quite like that. When you tear down your talent base, it usually takes FOREVER to find and reacquire the talent again. These teams who have been built and are now emerging, consider how long it's been since they were last contenders. And the Mavs don't have a route to HIGH picks by tanking year after year, so it's most likely a lot of Justin Anderson-Josh Green-Jalen Hardy type of stuff getting drafted to be the answer.

I have no hesitation to trade AD, but not just to get rid of him and recoup some scraps, which is what I feel like most are proposing. 

But imo there's a bigger thing that's getting offbase. I think all of this is premature, as they need to START by getting an expert GM to handle the road ahead. It's that cart-horse thing.

[RBB]

I think some of this has to do with the players.  

I think AD will never get out from the shadow of the Luka trade and his injury troubles since he got here has made it worse.  I think his agent is looking for an extension and AD would prefer to be somewhere else.  

Kyrie is totally different.  He has a very positive relationship with this fan base and I think he wants to stay.  I think he is viewed as a plus in the locker room and a great vet to work with the kids.  That being said, if somebody like Houston comes begging at the TDL, you have to pull the trigger if you are blown away by the offer.

If there is any market for Klay, he should go.  May not be a huge market for him, but a salary dump and a second would be enough.

You can make an argument that PJ, Gafford and Naji are not the ideal fits with Flagg.  Gafford needs a P&R PG to have value.  I really hope they get something done with the Pacers.  That makes a lot of sense for both sides if reasonable.  Naji might be at his peak value right now and not a perfect fit with Flagg.  This would be a really good time to move him if the get the right offer.  PJ is an offseason discussion.

There are so many potential opportunities for this organization to reset this TDL.  I really hope they are willing to make moves if the right ones are there.  I think avoiding moves because they are waiting on hiring GM or because they want to see this mythical Flagg/AD/Kyrie grouping would be a mistake.

Doesn't Klay provide still...even at 35...the one thing the Mavs need...which is 3-point shooting?  Even coming off the bench this season...he's still in the top 20 in the NBA in total made 3's.  That's what the Mavs got him for... coming off the NBA finals loss where they couldn't make a 3.