Trade & FA 2024-25:

[SleepingHero]

Well that will largely depend on how the Kyrie extension talks are going. Kyrie has been a model citizen for the last two years. There has also not been much potential for conflict either.  If he wants something like 200/4 guaranteed, he should be on the way out. Something like Simons/Avdija with the Lakers paying the tab with two 1sts saves us a lot of headaches.

Want to know why the Mavs will give Kyrie practically any extension number he wants?




Besides, his last contract number surprised the hell out of me. Kyrie basically gave the Mavs a market price and didn’t ask for an arm and a leg when he had literally all the leverage to leave and force his way anywhere (despite barely any team having a lot of space).

That alone makes me hopeful that Kyrie isn’t trying to mess up cap numbers as long as he’s paid fair. He’s well worth his contract currently, and I’d be happy giving him another 3/120 deal that pays him until he’s 36. Heck I’d even go 3/140.

[SleepingHero]

Translation: "wherever Brad is willing to waive his no-trade to go, THAT'S the player we're interested in. Somehow, we've got to get off of this Beal contract so we can move forward."

It’s hilarious to me how blatant PHX has been in trying to move both Beal and Nurkic. Literally giant neon signs level of “GET THESE DUDES OUT OF HERE”


And it’s funnier to me that every team is telling them to eat a bag of rocks

[SleepingHero]

@NationMffl
Jalen Smith could be a “buy-low target” for the Dallas Mavericks as the deadline approaches, according to @BrettSiegelNBA.

In 15.2 MPG this season, he’s averaging:

8.2 PPG | 5.4 RPG | 46.3% FG | 32.8% 3PT

[KillerLeft]

@NationMffl
Jalen Smith could be a “buy-low target” for the Dallas Mavericks as the deadline approaches, according to @BrettSiegelNBA.

In 15.2 MPG this season, he’s averaging:

8.2 PPG | 5.4 RPG | 46.3% FG | 32.8% 3PT

Could be a rumor from one dude's speculation after noticing that Lively is out for a long time. Hard to tell in tweet form, without knowing the source of this information. 

But, if this is somehow coming from the Mavs, (huge if) then, to me, it points to the idea that they're still toying with moving Gafford. Smith is NOT coming to play any 4, before someone with a height fetish tries to bring that up. If they're interested in him, it's as a backup center who they think they can keep in a reasonably cost-controlled position moving forward, and I don't hate that idea.

[Mavs2021]

Sorry to break it to you, but if Kyrie wants 4/200, that's what he'll get. That's the NBA for you. The Mavs will happily pony up. Kyrie is one of the most talented NBA players of all time. I think he will continue to be a great player for many years. He seems to take care of his body.

Nothing to feel sorry for. I´m just a realist. There is always a potential situation where a trade becomes the best option. I´m sure Kyrie and the Mavs are working on that extension as we speak and if they were Butlers apart, we´d have heard it on the social media/agenda grapevine already.

I also think the landscape is changing for older players with the new CBA. Klay, Harden and DeRozan adjusted accordingly with minor grumblings, while Butler has thrown a full-blown tantrum as a response. PG13 hit the one max slot lottery last summer and Philly already has major regrets about it.

DeRozan signed a 74/3 deal, Harden signed a 70/2 deal, Thompson signed a 50/3 deal. Now Kyrie is still four year younger, so maybe another deal in the 40M range annually is justified, but the landscape for veterans is clearly changing. Butler is barely any better than the younger DeRozan now. DeRozan doesn´t even get 25M/year and he ain´t a daily headache.

[Mavs2021]

Could be a rumor from one dude's speculation after noticing that Lively is out for a long time. Hard to tell in tweet form, without knowing the source of this information. 

But, if this is somehow coming from the Mavs, (huge if) then, to me, it points to the idea that they're still toying with moving Gafford. Smith is NOT coming to play any 4, before someone with a height fetish tries to bring that up. If they're interested in him, it's as a backup center who they think they can keep in a reasonably cost-controlled position moving forward, and I don't hate that idea.

I´m the source.  

It has been pretty obvious for a while that Twitter insiders read team message board like this one, steal the best or worst ideas and simply post them as insider news on their social media accounts.

[mvossman]

Nothing to feel sorry for. I´m just a realist. There is always a potential situation where a trade becomes the best option. I´m sure Kyrie and the Mavs are working on that extension as we speak and if they were Butlers apart, we´d have heard it on the social media/agenda grapevine already.

I also think the landscape is changing for older players with the new CBA. Klay, Harden and DeRozan adjusted accordingly with minor grumblings, while Butler has thrown a full-blown tantrum as a response. PG13 hit the one max slot lottery last summer and Philly already has major regrets about it.

DeRozan signed a 74/3 deal, Harden signed a 70/2 deal, Thompson signed a 50/3 deal. Now Kyrie is still four year younger, so maybe another deal in the 40M range annually is justified, but the landscape for veterans is clearly changing. Butler is barely any better than the younger DeRozan now. DeRozan doesn´t even get 25M/year and he ain´t a daily headache.

As SH mentioned, given Kyrie happiness here and the prior readable deal he signed last time, I don’t see there being any issues with an extension. They will come to something reasonable.

[BigDirk41]

Nothing to feel sorry for. I´m just a realist. There is always a potential situation where a trade becomes the best option. I´m sure Kyrie and the Mavs are working on that extension as we speak and if they were Butlers apart, we´d have heard it on the social media/agenda grapevine already.

I also think the landscape is changing for older players with the new CBA. Klay, Harden and DeRozan adjusted accordingly with minor grumblings, while Butler has thrown a full-blown tantrum as a response. PG13 hit the one max slot lottery last summer and Philly already has major regrets about it.

DeRozan signed a 74/3 deal, Harden signed a 70/2 deal, Thompson signed a 50/3 deal. Now Kyrie is still four year younger, so maybe another deal in the 40M range annually is justified, but the landscape for veterans is clearly changing. Butler is barely any better than the younger DeRozan now. DeRozan doesn´t even get 25M/year and he ain´t a daily headache.

I don't disagree with your point about the landscape changing for veterans, but Kyrie is a much better player at this point than any of the players mentioned. He is still truly elite. I would say DeRozan is probably the closest to his production throughout his career. Harden and Klay are significantly lesser players than at their peak. That can't be said for Kyrie. Kyrie could average 30 a game if he wanted on a lesser team. I'm hoping the extension is in the 40 per year range and no worse than 45 per year, but we'll have to see. I think we are pretty damn fortunate to have a player of Kyrie's caliber that is a willing #2 and knows when he needs to be #1 in each game. I'm not sure any other player could replicate what he actually does for this team when everyone is healthy.

[F Gump]

@NationMffl
Jalen Smith could be a “buy-low target” for the Dallas Mavericks as the deadline approaches, according to @BrettSiegelNBA.

In 15.2 MPG this season, he’s averaging:

8.2 PPG | 5.4 RPG | 46.3% FG | 32.8% 3PT

A backup mediocre player
... 9th man playing only 15 mpg, 
... on a bad team
... in the 1st year of a 3 yr/$27M contract
... always has numbers that look good on paper, but teams play him sparingly
... numbers/production is meh
... nothing special on offense, not good on defense

He's a "target"? Color me skeptical.

[DallasMaverick]

I don't disagree with your point about the landscape changing for veterans, but Kyrie is a much better player at this point than any of the players mentioned. He is still truly elite. I would say DeRozan is probably the closest to his production throughout his career. Harden and Klay are significantly lesser players than at their peak. That can't be said for Kyrie. Kyrie could average 30 a game if he wanted on a lesser team. I'm hoping the extension is in the 40 per year range and no worse than 45 per year, but we'll have to see. I think we are pretty damn fortunate to have a player of Kyrie's caliber that is a willing #2 and knows when he needs to be #1 in each game. I'm not sure any other player could replicate what he actually does for this team when everyone is healthy.

Gimme a team-friendly deal for 2 more years @$25m per.

[BigDirk41]

Gimme a team-friendly deal for 2 more years @$25m per.

Haha zero chance of that, but we can all dream.

[DanSchwartzgan]

A backup mediocre player
... 9th man playing only 15 mpg, 
... on a bad team
... in the 1st year of a 3 yr/$27M contract
... always has numbers that look good on paper, but teams play him sparingly
... numbers/production is meh
... nothing special on offense, not good on defense

He's a "target"? Color me skeptical.

Feels more like ‘the other guy’ you take in a bigger deal for someone else.

[F Gump]

Feels more like ‘the other guy’ you take in a bigger deal for someone else.

Great description. And it makes me think - in today's NBA economics, with how challenging hard caps are, how good of a talent would you have to be getting in order to want to take a mediocre talent with a bloated salary as part of the price to pay?

[SleepingHero]

Suddenly the Mavs have zero center depth.

[Smitty]

Suddenly the Mavs have zero center depth.

Gafford and PJ can hold it down. Powell should be back soon.

The Maxi injury was inevitable- Kidd gets his hand forced with this one and maybe we see the rise of Omax.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4356...lationship


Benched Nurkic says he has no relationship with Coach Bud

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Suddenly the Mavs have zero center depth.

Trade Hardy for Guerschon Yabasule

[SleepingHero]

@esidery
The Raptors are open to trading Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Davion Mitchell and Chris Boucher for second-round picks, per @michaelgrange
(https://sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors...eeks-away/).

Toronto looms large as a potential facilitator in the Jimmy Butler trade as well.

[DallasMaverick]

Suddenly the Mavs have zero center depth.

Not going to make a long-term mistake to fix a short-term problem.

[Mavs2021]

@esidery
The Raptors are open to trading Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Davion Mitchell and Chris Boucher for second-round picks, per @michaelgrange
(https://sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors...eeks-away/).

Toronto looms large as a potential facilitator in the Jimmy Butler trade as well.

Davion Mitchell is a nice minimum target as a defensive specialist for spot minutes, if the Raptors waive his RFA status.