Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Dundalis]

The problem I'm having with the "add a creator" theory is that it doesn't fit what we are seeing at all.
1 All the ideas being floated of another trade for this guy or that, they didn't really solve that. The Mathurins and Hachimuras and Watsons of the world, they do NOTHING in that area.
2 I'm not sure the Mavs share our concern. If they do, there's been no whisper at all of anyone they are pursuing who changes that aspect of the Mavs roster.
3 Mavs currently have at least 4 PG types on the roster. Kyrie will definitely start. Flagg will also be on the floor as a secondary creator. They have at least 3 other PGs who can chip in, and with upside, in DeLarrea, Nemby, Sasser. And fwiw, apparently your guy Ishchenko is also listed as a PG. Where would they even fit another?
4 The overflow you see elsewhere on the roster, I don't think it is really there in terms of numbers.
PG - 4 - Kyrie, DeLarrea, Nemby, Sasser
SG - 3 - Max, Klay, Tarik
SF - 3 - PJ, Naji, Martin
PF - 3 - Flagg, Morez, Aldama
C - 2 - Gaff, Lively

I feel like if you have 4 or 5 guys on the floor that can handle the ball solidly and can pass and create, it alleviates the need of that top tier primary ball handler. The more players on the court with zero ball handling or creation, the more a top tier ball handler or two is necessary. If the aim is to end up replacing guys on the roster that cannot create with equivalent players that can, then it starts to make more sense. Think that applies to the bigs as well as the guards. The more I think about it, the more I kind of wonder if Yaxel wasn't the right pick despite his age.