IZTOK DIAGNOSES DECLINE OF MAVS OFFENSE

[mvossman]

I don't think Cuban wants to pay the tax ever again, but to be clear, I wouldn't expect him to do so next year anyway. 

What I think a good outcome might look like is to either re-sign DFS and Brunson (both of whom are unquestionably on the short list of players helping the team effectively) to continue playing here or to use them to some effect that could potentially benefit the team. 

Since we know the tax line is a likely deterrent, it seems like some of the deadweight will have to be dumped in order to make the above paragraph possible.

To me, if DFS and Brunson are gone next year while KP, Powell, Bullock and THJ remain, that will be a bad outcome. If one or more of those players are artfully removed in such a way that DFS/Brunson can be re-signed, traded or sign-and-traded for quality additions, I might recoup some hope.

We are currently projected to be 19 mil over the cap (6.5 mil under the tax line) without either DFS or Brunson on the payroll.  We can let Moses walk for another 2 mil.  We could let Frank walk for another 2, but who wants to do that?  I figure Brunson/DFS will be roughly 25-30 mil range to re-sign.  That means we need to shed roughly 20 mil in order to retain both under the tax.  Its hard to see that happening without dumping KP for mostly air.