07-08-2026, 07:13 AM
FWIW, today is the day Valanciunas becomes guaranteed for $10mm. I bring it up because he's somewhat key to whatever Denver is planning regarding Watson and trades. Since LAC is the only rumored landing spot via S&T outside of Denver, it also potentially impacts Mathurin. My theory has been that Dallas could be involved for Mathurin because LAC has no center beyond 38 year old Brook Lopez. I would give up substantial value for Watson, but do see value in Mathurin's self-creation ability in a sixth man role.
Listening to Stein just now and he thinks Biber's deal comes out of the MLE. It can't be announced until the 6-team trade is approved by the league.
We get to a point every summer where we pine for one more deal that never comes. The idea that there might be one more this summer is largely based on the reporting about Biber having to wait for Dallas to get a "star" player they were trying to get. I guess there is also some thought we need another creator on the roster, but other than those things, do we have any evidence there is more to come? It doesn't appear that Biber got the extra $2.0mm he was reportedly hoping for (which would have taken him to the full BAE) and instead got part of the MLE. Surely Sasser wasn't the "star". It does appear Dallas prioritized preserving the TPE for something and tried to maintain space under the tax. So, we can hope. Often just something a little over the MLE is enough to get a player when the only thing out there is the MLE. That is what we have available in a S&T right now under the tax...a little more than the MLE (unless we trade match).
I continue to be amazed that we haven't really touched the core from last season losing just AJJ and our Free Agents. Kyrie, Flagg, PJ, Christie and one of Gafford/Lively are still available to start here and we still have the other center, Naji and Klay (and Martin) who were essentially the top rotation guys from the previous season. We've added our draft picks (moving up to 25 for Larry) and two real NBA players in Aldama and Sasser and a flier on Biber using basically second round capital.
Listening to Stein just now and he thinks Biber's deal comes out of the MLE. It can't be announced until the 6-team trade is approved by the league.
We get to a point every summer where we pine for one more deal that never comes. The idea that there might be one more this summer is largely based on the reporting about Biber having to wait for Dallas to get a "star" player they were trying to get. I guess there is also some thought we need another creator on the roster, but other than those things, do we have any evidence there is more to come? It doesn't appear that Biber got the extra $2.0mm he was reportedly hoping for (which would have taken him to the full BAE) and instead got part of the MLE. Surely Sasser wasn't the "star". It does appear Dallas prioritized preserving the TPE for something and tried to maintain space under the tax. So, we can hope. Often just something a little over the MLE is enough to get a player when the only thing out there is the MLE. That is what we have available in a S&T right now under the tax...a little more than the MLE (unless we trade match).
I continue to be amazed that we haven't really touched the core from last season losing just AJJ and our Free Agents. Kyrie, Flagg, PJ, Christie and one of Gafford/Lively are still available to start here and we still have the other center, Naji and Klay (and Martin) who were essentially the top rotation guys from the previous season. We've added our draft picks (moving up to 25 for Larry) and two real NBA players in Aldama and Sasser and a flier on Biber using basically second round capital.
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