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

[mvossman]

Naji for a low 1st? Let's take a closer look.

It's easy to romanticize what a low 1st would bring us, but if MEM came calling, would I trade Naji for OMax? Or would I trade him to CHA for Josh Green? Those are the Mavs recent low 1st rounders. 

In fact, I think if you had a low 1st and it somehow became a Naji-caliber player, we would consider it a major win.

So why trade away a very useful player for a CHANCE (but no guarantee) to get a player like that? And based on past history, could very well be way worse?

I think it's a bad idea. I pass.

To be fair, it was specifically a low first in the 26 draft, a historically good draft.  That matters.  As for the Josh Green example, Maxey was picked right after him and may folks wanted to pick Bane, two players significantly better than Naji.  I like Naji, but he is about to turn 28, has one year left on his contract and is not a starting quality player.  If I can trade that for a reasonable shot at a cost controlled Maxey or Bane on Flagg's timeline I am going to pull the trigger.  Maybe we will have better luck in the draft if we have a functioning FO instead of letting a gambler make the pick because our GM left the draft room in a hissy fit.