Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Scott41theMavs]

As the summer starts to wind down, I find that I'm still interested in the Mavs vets who have been in trade rumors, constantly. I can see clearly that the decision makers are in no rush to move off of anyone just for the sake of doing it, which has changed my thinking a little, as have other roster moves that were made.

For example, prior to the draft I thought Gafford was on his way out, and drafting Morez Johnson seemed to reinforce that, even. But, with all the shooting they've added, it's much easier for me to envision a positive role for him here in the short term.

Right now, if we look at the four vets, Gafford, PJW, Marshall and Klay Thompson, I think the ones who fit least for me are PJW and Marshall. I'm sure opinions vary on this, but that's how I see it. PJW is arguably at a lower point of value than he might be at the deadline, but I can't shake the feeling that he's just not in the right place and probably the most valuable of them all. Still, there's no burning rush to argue about that one.

I cringed a little when I saw Dan suggest he was likely to be the main bench creator earlier, not because I think he's wrong, but because I'm just not interested in going that direction. And, with his lack of utility as a shooter I'm not sure there is another role for him that makes any sense. I'm certainly not in favor of extending him, so...I'm struggling to imagine there isn't a deal out there that would motivate me to take action here. Better to trade him than let him walk, right?

I think Thompson does have a role here on this team, but similar to Marshall (probably even more so)...surely, we don't expect another contract here for him, do we?

With Thompson and Marshall in particular, I really struggle with the idea of keeping them around, just from an asset-management perspective. Smitty has made this point before, and I agree.

I'm going to be pretty confused if all four of those guys are still here on opening night, and strangely, Gafford has emerged as the one I'd be most in favor of keeping.

What if Marshall works with Dirk and gets up to being a 37% 3p shooter? 

If they don't trade anything for another creator, they will need Marshall's facilitation abilities, imho.