02-07-2025, 11:04 AM
DS thanks for that analysis.
I don't think we can extrapolate much from the way the minutes and rotations were distributed last night. The team had almost NO players available who normally would get minutes at C or PF (only Gafford out of Gafford-Lively-AD-PJW). That skewed the look with everyone else as they tried to fill all those minutes.
I don't think Exum-SD will have the significant minutes they did last night, once AD and PJW are back eating up a combined 65-75 every night. And as you note, the Mavs are uber-deep at the SG/SF wings now (so Exum/SD won't need to play there). PJW will end up playing a lot of SF since AD will be playing PF. About the wing depth, one thing overlooked in the trades is that both Christie and Martin have been regular starters with their prior teams, which speaks a bit to their relative ability as well as their capacity to compete.
I think AD will start at PF, not C, because that's his preference and he has the relative place in the pecking order to be catered to. Obviously there will be all kinds of lineups used for the next 2 months and they will figure out what works best, but I would expect Gafford-AD-PJW will be the initial starting frontcourt.
Your idea that this summer will see them using Apron 2 as their limit rather than Apron 1 makes a lot of sense. They are already too close to Apron 1 as you note, and that doesn't include the cap hit for the #1 pick (the range from pick 15-20 is 4.65-3.65M, so it will have an impact) nor money for either Exum or SD (if they bring back either or both). I wonder if they will sign Edwards to the 15-man later this season with a NG for next year.
About next year's roster, I think Hardy is definitely gone, and used as trade filler in some way. I also think the rest of the season will determine where they go with Gaff and PJW. I think in the summer they will try to navigate extensions for both, and the success (or the price) might determine whether one or both might be seen as expendable in a trade. Both should have great trade value. OTOH, I'm not sure I like the idea of consolidating them in a trade for a big salary player such as KD, as I think having depth is important, and both are still young, so I would hope they find a way to keep them.
I don't think we can extrapolate much from the way the minutes and rotations were distributed last night. The team had almost NO players available who normally would get minutes at C or PF (only Gafford out of Gafford-Lively-AD-PJW). That skewed the look with everyone else as they tried to fill all those minutes.
I don't think Exum-SD will have the significant minutes they did last night, once AD and PJW are back eating up a combined 65-75 every night. And as you note, the Mavs are uber-deep at the SG/SF wings now (so Exum/SD won't need to play there). PJW will end up playing a lot of SF since AD will be playing PF. About the wing depth, one thing overlooked in the trades is that both Christie and Martin have been regular starters with their prior teams, which speaks a bit to their relative ability as well as their capacity to compete.
I think AD will start at PF, not C, because that's his preference and he has the relative place in the pecking order to be catered to. Obviously there will be all kinds of lineups used for the next 2 months and they will figure out what works best, but I would expect Gafford-AD-PJW will be the initial starting frontcourt.
Your idea that this summer will see them using Apron 2 as their limit rather than Apron 1 makes a lot of sense. They are already too close to Apron 1 as you note, and that doesn't include the cap hit for the #1 pick (the range from pick 15-20 is 4.65-3.65M, so it will have an impact) nor money for either Exum or SD (if they bring back either or both). I wonder if they will sign Edwards to the 15-man later this season with a NG for next year.
About next year's roster, I think Hardy is definitely gone, and used as trade filler in some way. I also think the rest of the season will determine where they go with Gaff and PJW. I think in the summer they will try to navigate extensions for both, and the success (or the price) might determine whether one or both might be seen as expendable in a trade. Both should have great trade value. OTOH, I'm not sure I like the idea of consolidating them in a trade for a big salary player such as KD, as I think having depth is important, and both are still young, so I would hope they find a way to keep them.
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