Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[ThisIStheYear]

If the Mavs have him written into to their roster, matching is fine. If not, just let him go to a training camp where he’s wanted, so he doesn’t miss his chance to play this year. I think the Mavs have other options.

[mvossman]

I guess I'm looking at it backwards as if you match, you'd think we'd carry him on the final 15.

They wouldn't have to.  They could match now and then cut him if it turns out they need the spot, but that still hits the cap.

[Moviemavguy]

This is a total random guess, but the timing of this is crappy IF the Mavs have something lined up after Drama Queen makes his decision. There are still quite a few moves on hold because of that.

But I can't see such a small amount hindering anything right? I guess if its a matter of roster spots and needing to move players it might.

[DallasMaverick]

This is a total random guess, but the timing of this is crappy IF the Mavs have something lined up after Drama Queen makes his decision.  There are still quite a few moves on hold because of that. 

But I can't see such a small amount hindering anything right?  I guess if its a matter of roster spots and needing to move players it might.

Remember last season, when we didn’t have even a minimum salary slot available?

If they aren’t committed to him, don’t commit the money.

[SleepingHero]

Thanks.

As much as I like Cisse's energy and considering our glut of big men, I'd probably let him go to greener pastures.

It'd actually be silly not to match.

His deal is 2.5 mil a year as a vet min (cheaper than any regular 10+ vet min they usually add), and only half of it is guaranteed by 10/1.

Mavs could theoretically match the deal, then waive Cisse come October if they truly wanted to with barely any penalty. They made him a restricted FA for a reason, because they knew he has talent and liked him. But it's obvious they viewed him as a 2-way level guy... This deal being half guaranteed the 1st year and non-guaranteed the 2nd year is set up like a 2-way deal in terms of flexibility without the game restriction.

I think what matters most now is match the deal, and figure it out later. I think what may ends up happening is that we waive Nemby and sign him to the last 2 way slot, and Cisse gets the last roster spot.

EDIT:

I also will add that Cisse has been active and involved with the Mavs this summer. He was at multiple summer league games, hanging around May, participating in workouts with other Mavs. That doesn't seem to me like a player that isn't in the plans. Mavs truly thought no one would offer him a deal so cheap because they can just match it. The more I think about it, the more I think it's just a formality they will match and workout the 2-ways with Nemby+Seva+Tobi.

[SleepingHero]

Remember last season, when we didn’t have even a minimum salary slot available?

If they aren’t committed to him, don’t commit the money.

His deal is flexible enough that they can waive Cisse at any point and find a minimum salary slot if needed.

[F Gump]

The question of whether to match Cisse hinges on several factors we don't know
1 Do they see Nemby as a priority to keep?
2 Do they like Cisse more than Nemby?
3 Do they have a deal cooking using the TPE? If so, how much salary are they adding? And will they need another roster slot?
4 Do they have a deal in the works that will open up another roster slot?

Based on what we actually know, without speculating on imaginary deals that we are just inventing, I think Cisse's is not a contract you match (because he's too low on the pecking order for C minutes, behind Gafford, Lively, Aldama, and perhaps also Morez and PJ). As a 2-way, he would have cost you neither roster space nor cap space, making him a convenient luxury backup as a 2-way. But they have a lot of mouths to feed, and I have a hard time seeing a real need for him in the lineup, assuming these other players are all on the team.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I’ve been doing research on how NBA buyouts impact the cap/tax/aprons.  I always assumed that if Klay took a buyout with an amount that offsets the $3.4mm vet min he would sign that Dallas would save $3.4mm. Nope.  Apparently,  there is a formula that removes the value of a rookie minimum and then cuts the remaining amount in half.  That is the credit Dallas would get - about $1.1mm in the case of Klay signing for the Vet Min somewhere.

It has bugged me that Dallas has the $20.8mm TPE, but only the ability to use $16.075mm and stay under the tax.  That amount isn’t enough to take back someone like Max Strus and stay below the tax.  But, when you add the $1.1mm buyout benefit to the $16.075mm space under the tax, you land at $17.2mm or about $500k above the Strus salary.  The same logic applies to Jovic if LeBron goes to Miami.  

Bottom line, if Dallas ends up getting someone like Strus, expect Klay to be gone.  This is also the kind of thing that matters regarding the Cisse match.  The point I made is a Cisse match takes us closer to the tax (and further away from a Strus deal under the tax).  So, if LeBron were to announce before the Monday deadline and Strus were to be traded here, I would predict Cisse would not get matched.

[Smitty]

Shams:

The Dallas Mavericks have matched the New York Knicks' two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet on restricted free agent Moussa Cisse, Yann Balikouzou and Kevin Bradbury of LIFT Sports Management tell ESPN. The 6-foot-11 center signed the Knicks sheet earlier Saturday but Dallas matches well before 48-hour Monday deadline.

[KillerLeft]

Shams:

The Dallas Mavericks have matched the New York Knicks' two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet on restricted free agent Moussa Cisse, Yann Balikouzou and Kevin Bradbury of LIFT Sports Management tell ESPN. The 6-foot-11 center signed the Knicks sheet earlier Saturday but Dallas matches well before 48-hour Monday deadline.

Woo!!!

Happy because I like Cisse, but even more intrigued because this just HAS to mean more moves are coming. What an interesting summer this has been!

[Tyler]

Yeah, man! Love the Moose. And you're right -- it will be interesting to see what moves come next.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Shams:

The Dallas Mavericks have matched the New York Knicks' two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet on restricted free agent Moussa Cisse, Yann Balikouzou and Kevin Bradbury of LIFT Sports Management tell ESPN. The 6-foot-11 center signed the Knicks sheet earlier Saturday but Dallas matches well before 48-hour Monday deadline.

FWIW, Bradberry and LIFT also represent PJ Washington and Max Christie.

[KillerLeft]

FWIW, Bradberry and LIFT also represent PJ Washington and Max Christie.

It's worth a lot. I was wondering when we would get our first "dot connecting through representation" post from you this summer. You've been pretty quiet on that front.

[DanSchwartzgan]

It's worth a lot. I was wondering when we would get our first "dot connecting through representation" post from you this summer. You've been pretty quiet on that front.

If I were to connect a dot, it would probably be about Klutch representing both Gafford and Lively.  If I were trying to get a big contract for Lively, I’d want Gafford elsewhere so that Dallas would be more dependent on my client.

Klutch has Garland, DJJ and Ingram…all Clipper connections assuming the Kawhi deal goes through.  I’ve been trying to connect Gafford to LAC mainly based on team need rather than agency.  Maybe there is an agency angle as well.

[KillerLeft]

If I were to connect a dot, it would probably be about Klutch representing both Gafford and Lively.  If I were trying to get a big contract for Lively, I’d want Gafford elsewhere so that Dallas would be more dependent on my client.

Klutch has Garland, DJJ and Ingram…all Clipper connections assuming the Kawhi deal goes through.  I’ve been trying to connect Gafford to LAC mainly based on team need rather than agency.  Maybe there is an agency angle as well.

I tried to look into agency information for a few of our targets a few weeks back...doesn't seem like Mathurin has a real, big time agent if memory serves.

[KillerLeft]

If I try to think of who might still want Gafford, and I narrow it down to those who might want him in a bigger role, befitting his salary, the ones that come to mind are LAC (which Dan has covered thoroughly), NOP and maybe Charlotte?

Anyone from those other two make sense? I know the Pelicans have a lot of people on the trade market at the moment. I think Trey Murphy is a little too sought after to be the prize of a Gafford trade...anything on Charlotte?

EDIT: Nevermind on NOP - forgot all about Queen (how could I?)

[Scott41theMavs]

Shams:

The Dallas Mavericks have matched the New York Knicks' two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet on restricted free agent Moussa Cisse, Yann Balikouzou and Kevin Bradbury of LIFT Sports Management tell ESPN. The 6-foot-11 center signed the Knicks sheet earlier Saturday but Dallas matches well before 48-hour Monday deadline.

They showed they wanted him. Take that, haters.

[Scott41theMavs]

If I try to think of who might still want Gafford, and I narrow it down to those who might want him in a bigger role, befitting his salary, the ones that come to mind are LAC (which Dan has covered thoroughly), NOP and maybe Charlotte?

Anyone from those other two make sense? I know the Pelicans have a lot of people on the trade market at the moment. I think Trey Murphy is a little too sought after to be the prize of a Gafford trade...anything on Charlotte?

EDIT: Nevermind on NOP - forgot all about Queen (how could I?)

I am sure they have hopes of trading Gafford somewhere - maybe not right away, but at some opportune time. That’s the big reason they would match on Cisse.

[MFFLER est 01]

Disappointment is an understatment of feelings I would've had if we didn't match this offer.

DLive isn't guranteed to stay on the floor much and when he does play I would imagine that he would be on mins restrictions.

Gaff has been shopped and you don't want to depend on him carrying your frontline position with no real backup because although Aldama is 7 feet tall he is not a Center,he plays as a 3 or 4

Great,smart,and cheap move by our FO. We figure out who gets cut later on

[Scott41theMavs]

The question of whether to match Cisse hinges on several factors we don't know
1 Do they see Nemby as a priority to keep?
2 Do they like Cisse more than Nemby?
3 Do they have a deal cooking using the TPE? If so, how much salary are they adding? And will they need another roster slot?
4 Do they have a deal in the works that will open up another roster slot?

Based on what we actually know, without speculating on imaginary deals that we are just inventing, I think Cisse's is not a contract you match (because he's too low on the pecking order for C minutes, behind Gafford, Lively, Aldama, and perhaps also Morez and PJ). As a 2-way, he would have cost you neither roster space nor cap space, making him a convenient luxury backup as a 2-way. But they have a lot of mouths to feed, and I have a hard time seeing a real need for him in the lineup, assuming these other players are all on the team.

Re: your list of centers - I think you can cross off Lively until we actually see him play, and Gafford is so available that he has been reported as a available (along with Klay) by a front office who has been very tight lipped with its moves. So you’re really talking about Morez, Aldama, and PJ. I have had Morez pencilled in as the midseason starting center for some time now personally. I don’t see Aldama as a center at all, and PJ is of course far more of a forward and only useful as a very situational small ball center. Cisse is just the guy to shore up that position, taking the majority of the minutes behind Morez in those times when Lively isn’t healthy (like at the beginning of the year).