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

[mvossman]

"If they can add a guy without giving up the pick, great. If not, I think they would rather wait. "

And if I'm the Mavs and I can't get the right value for AD, I would rather wait too. The idea that ATL can add AD and keep all their most valued assets and only give up scraps, sorry I'm not your huckleberry.

I am starting to realize that you and I are talking around each other a little on the trading AD discussions.  You are arguing from the point of view of how the FO should be operating.  They should be patient when trading him and not extend him (unless its reasonable enough that it could improve his trade value).  I am looking at this from the perspective of a fan.  I don't know what the FO is thinking.  I have to infer from the transactions they make (and to some degree rumors about them afterwards).  So when I say I hope they trade AD and cite one of the reasons is concern over them signing him to an albatross extension, your response is they don't have to extend him just because they didn't trade him.  I realize that they don't have to, but they could (they have done worse!).  As a fan, trading AD means they are not going to sign him to an albatross extension and its a strong signal that they are fully committed to building around Flagg.  Of course I hope they use good process in doing it, but as a fan I don't have any exposure to that.  When I say that they need to trade him before next season starts, I am not arguing that should be their mindset.  Its what I am hoping for as a fan because I think the alternatives are likely worse.

As for the process, they need to be patient but they also need to take into account the significant injury risk and they need to be reasonable about what his value is.  AD is not worth the NOP pick.