TRADE: Tyus Jones to DAL | Branham to CHA

[Chicagojk]

You have the non-Bird exception, so you are fine with Jones as long as you don’t give him a raise larger than 120% of his previous salary.  I don’t see a world in which Jones commands more than that.

The issue, as you’ve identified, is paying Bagley.  Any team that has Lively on the depth chart will have to have a workable plan for their 3rd center.  It doesn’t have to be a high dollar piece.  If, OTOH, you plan to move on from Gafford, you are definitely going to have to invest more than the Vet Min on the primary backup.  So, the plan with Bagley is fluid depending on what happens with Gafford and how well Bagley plays (or doesn’t).

This is an important stretch for Jones.   He has had a rough year and a half.   Can he be a good backup point guard again?   Mavs need good point guard depth because you have to factor in at least 20 missed Kyrie games.  If Jones can be a good back up point guard, I actually like the depth chart of Kyrie, Jones, Nembhard.   

Probably important for Bagley too.   He needs to prove he is more than a minimum guy and closer to the range he is currently making.   I think the Mavs would have moved him if they got an asset back they deemed worthy.    He should get a lot of minutes to show what he can do.   

Even is they play well, both players could be boxed out if Dallas drafts a player that plays their position anyway.