MAVS NEWS:

[Scott41theMavs]

As you note, even before the Klay buyout, they could already trade Gaff (at 17M) for Mathurin at 12M (or any number up to beyond 26.3M). The Klay buyout does keep the bigger numbers for Mathurin from taking them over the tax line. But I'm not a big fan of Mathurin in general, and way disinterested in salary levels in the 20s. 

I'm hoping we can take Mathurin out of the equation, and Gaff as well, since that deal could have been done already if they had a deal cooking.

I wanna think about the possibilities now of a lopsided salary trade for someone else. What do they need the most? Who is there that might fit, where they are taking back maybe 9M more than they send out? How about a 2-for1 of Mavs players X + Y for some player making perhaps 9-10M more than the pair? If you consider players like ZR or Aldama as possible filler for such a trade, the possibilities are considerable.

You keep saying the Mavs need Gafford because Lively is going to miss 82 games or something like that. They don't need a guy who is overpaid for what he offers at this point. If Lively plays 50 games, Gafford is already a major albatross who eats up minutes needed by Morez, Aldama, and Cisse. 

You and I agree absolutely on no Mathurin in the 20 millions. How about $17 AAV? $15? $12? At the latter two numbers, he'd have to have to stink it up royally not to be a very tradable asset if he doesn't work out, and would still be very tradable at $17 if he played at least as well as he has thus far in his career. 

Unlike Mathurin, I don't look at ZR, Aldama and our other offseason acquisitions as pieces I'm anxious to trade unless the return is very, very rich. We'd be selling low. The whole point is to raise their value considerably. I want to see what they can do for May in a Mavs uniform.  

Cjeter, who does not post on the regular board, was suggesting in the Discord that the Mavs do Gafford and Sasser for RJ Barrett on Sept. 8 when Sasser can be aggregated. I would be fine with Barrett as our SG of the future, but once again, people are missing out on the attraction of Sasser as our POA defender, a decent shooter, and our only guy right now aside from Kai, Flagg, and Naji with proven creational ability. I would want to see what he could do as a Mav before "dumping" him. And the resulting trade would denude the Mavs of much-needed PG play. 

However, if the Mavs were to do that deal, plus the long-forgotten PJ-for-Scoot deal, I would be happy.

Kyrie-Larry-Scoot
Barrett-Max-Tarik
Risacher-Naji-Martin
Flagg-Morez-Aldama
Lively-Morez-Cisse

That of course leaves the Mavs with a roster space - and with the dreaded Martin still on roster. Perhaps not a major issue as long as the team stays healthy. While that team is a wash talent-wise with the Gaff-Mathurin deal - and a lot better than a wash if Scoot amounts to anything - I would probably rather just do Gaff-for-Mathurin if the money is right (i.e. nice low salary for Ben).