MAVS hire Masai Ujiri as new team President

[Winter]

As to the post above, I've heard on podcasts that Milwaukee will be seeking multiple picks in any trade - which would eliminate Dallas I would think. But it's fun to think about.

[Chicagojk]

Like "21", I kind of wonder if Riccardi was read in or if there was a sudden change in what Dumont was communicating to him (recall the public stance was "Patrick wants to keep AD") or if that public stance was just misdirection all along.  As you say, we will probably never know.

More importantly, to carry this theory out even more (since we don't have that much else to do), what was the end-game of the decision to trade AD for flexibility.  I've assumed any new GM would take their time evaluating before making any big move.  Maybe that evaluating has been going on for months.  I'm seeing some clickbait pieces on YouTube trying to promote a Giannis to Dallas narrative.  I've largely ignored them based on my theory above.  Now I'm not so sure.

Admittedly, other teams have more assets than Dallas.  So, this is 100% dependent on Giannis refusing to extend this summer and demanding a trade to a specific location...Dallas.  But, Masai has been after him for years and apparently has a relationship.  There is also the Kidd relationship.  Cooper and Kyrie make fantastic running mates and the potential of being reunited with old friend Middleton might be an underappreciated strategic asset.  The trade of AD put us so far under the tax that we can take on the full 125% + $250k trade spread and still have room.  

There are multiple 3 player combos that work for the outgoing salary as long as PJ is involved.  It can include Gafford or Klay along with Martin.  Naji can be substituted if it is Klay instead of Gafford going with PJ.  It could also be PJ along with Gafford and Klay.  I would assume players like Gafford or Klay would likely end up on a third team with draft assets and expiring filler flowing back to Milwaukee.  Obviously the biggest outgoing asset would be out 2026 Lottery pick.  The higher the better, but how high is too high that you'd rather just have the pick?  

Trading using the 125% rule would hard cap us at the first apron.  Depending on the package, we'd almost assuredly be taxpayers again...but Dumond seems to have a pretty open checkbook.  Anyway, not the most likely thing in the world, but the conversation about Masai knowing he was coming for several months and maybe even advising on the AD trade got me to thinking....

I don't see it happening this year and it can be argued it would be the wrong direction regardless.   Next year?   As of now, even if just a rental, I think teams would beat any realistic Dallas offer.   Giannis is a weird bird.   Whether he stays in Mil or if he doesn't extend if/when he is traded, could he enter FA next season?   If so, could Dallas clear the room needed?   

Dallas hitting their pick this year opens up so many directions.   Going all in with a Giannis move is something would probably would not consider.  

Personally I think Giannis tries to direct himself to Miami and pushes others away.  We could be in a staring battle though where Miami doesn't have the best offer and Boston jumps in late and leaves Miami at the altar again.   Charlotte is a sneaky name too, but I don't think they make that big move now.

[Chicagojk]

It doesn’t take much effort. Not everyone is as charismatic as Masai and he will need to prove he can win, but it doesn’t take much.

Maybe the Luka trade made this impossible but Nico, Dumont and Kidd failed huge not even trying to talk to the fans. Show some realness and compassion. There was just none of that.

https://x.com/all_things_mavs/status/205...69088?s=61

[DanSchwartzgan]

I don't see it happening this year and it can be argued it would be the wrong direction regardless.   Next year?    

I think it will be settled this summer.  If he doesn't extend, the Bucks have to trade him.

[Chicagojk]

I think it will be settled this summer.  If he doesn't extend, the Bucks have to trade him.

I agree.  He will be traded this offseason.  If he doesn't sign his extension, that is pretty much a trade request.   Still though, Giannis is a weird bird.  Supposedly he would like to be on the East coast (closer to Greece).   So lets say he wants to go to Miami.  They probably won't have they best offer, so we could be stuck in a staring contest for a while.   For Dallas to get involved it would take their lottery pick this year and future first round picks.   Even if he said he wants to come to Dallas.   It will take most of our pick equity imo.

[Mavs2021]

Like "21", I kind of wonder if Riccardi was read in or if there was a sudden change in what Dumont was communicating to him (recall the public stance was "Patrick wants to keep AD") or if that public stance was just misdirection all along.  As you say, we will probably never know.

More importantly, to carry this theory out even more (since we don't have that much else to do), what was the end-game of the decision to trade AD for flexibility.  I've assumed any new GM would take their time evaluating before making any big move.  Maybe that evaluating has been going on for months.  I'm seeing some clickbait pieces on YouTube trying to promote a Giannis to Dallas narrative.  I've largely ignored them based on my theory above.  Now I'm not so sure.

Admittedly, other teams have more assets than Dallas.  So, this is 100% dependent on Giannis refusing to extend this summer and demanding a trade to a specific location...Dallas.  But, Masai has been after him for years and apparently has a relationship.  There is also the Kidd relationship.  Cooper and Kyrie make fantastic running mates and the potential of being reunited with old friend Middleton might be an underappreciated strategic asset.  The trade of AD put us so far under the tax that we can take on the full 125% + $250k trade spread and still have room.  

There are multiple 3 player combos that work for the outgoing salary as long as PJ is involved.  It can include Gafford or Klay along with Martin.  Naji can be substituted if it is Klay instead of Gafford going with PJ.  It could also be PJ along with Gafford and Klay.  I would assume players like Gafford or Klay would likely end up on a third team with draft assets and expiring filler flowing back to Milwaukee.  Obviously the biggest outgoing asset would be out 2026 Lottery pick.  The higher the better, but how high is too high that you'd rather just have the pick?  

Trading using the 125% rule would hard cap us at the first apron.  Depending on the package, we'd almost assuredly be taxpayers again...but Dumond seems to have a pretty open checkbook.  Anyway, not the most likely thing in the world, but the conversation about Masai knowing he was coming for several months and maybe even advising on the AD trade got me to thinking....

I don´t think he has any intention to trade the 2026 pick. It will be a two-fold strategy of win and build, which is very attractive to Ujiri and the AD trade made it all possible. 

I will argue this from a purely financial perspective.

Ayton + LaRavia + #25 for Gafford.
Cam Johnson + #26 for Washington.

That´s it.

Potential summer 2027 cap situation.

Irving 25M (new 80/3 contract)
Lively 21M (caphold)
Christie 16M (caphold)
Flagg 15M
Martin 9.3M
1st round pick 8.5M
1st round pick 3.6M
1st round pick 3.6M 
1st round pick 3.6M
2nd round pick 2.0M
=================
107.6M

That´s literally our cap situation next summer with just two simple moves. We can keep Flagg+ Irving and our whole young core. If he does not like Lively or Christie they become trade assets or you let them walk and your cap space grows to $100M. If they perform you extend them, keep Kyrie on the expiring and add to the young core going forward.

The path forward is actually a pretty simple one strategically imho, cause we LITERALLY have one bad contract and that is Caleb Martin. Everything else is expiring or can easily be moved. 

All Ujiri needs to do is back himself to do his job well and there are no obstacles inherited. He does that he has a pretty easy path to build a winner.

I´d actually consider moving the #8 pick on draft night for a win now veteran the sign of a bad GM, cause there is no rush to do it now with so much uncertainty.

1. How will Kyrie look
2. How healthy will Lively be

All these can be answered until the TDL. If the Mavs are good enough for the first half of the season to be a contender next year, then please make the all-in veteran move. Do it now to give away your one true future building block asset seems like a Nico move; to then find out Kyrie and Lively are finished physically.

[DallasMaverick]

I agree.  He will be traded this offseason.  If he doesn't sign his extension, that is pretty much a trade request.   Still though, Giannis is a weird bird.  Supposedly he would like to be on the East coast (closer to Greece).   So lets say he wants to go to Miami.  They probably won't have they best offer, so we could be stuck in a staring contest for a while.   For Dallas to get involved it would take their lottery pick this year and future first round picks.   Even if he said he wants to come to Dallas.   It will take most of our pick equity imo.

I just don't see the fit with Dallas.  

It would strip Dallas of a lot of its depth.

Giannis' timeline doesn't work too well with Cooper's, and would leave the Mavs' cupboard even more bare when Giannis declines or leaves.

It would pressure the Mavs to win now, i.e. neglect younger development projects (including Cooper).

[dirkfansince1998]

Is Gafford on his current contract more valuable than Ayton? Certainly a better fit on a Luka lead team but it should be possible to find similar production+fit for half of what Gafford makes.

[Chicagojk]

I am a Gafford fan, but I don't think he has much value in trade right now.   The Mavs could not get a 26 first for him him supposedly at the deadline.  Not a surprise as most teams were not moving 26 picks.   After being pretty reliable, he has been dinged up quite a bit over the past year and a half.  I would really like to see that change so we can see the old Gaff again.   Having more creation and shooting will also help him.   Him strengths are rim running, offensive boards and nice touch inside the paint.   I think he can re-up his value but entering a new extension I think teams will want to see it on the floor before giving up anything of value.

[Tyler]

I hear ya. But if there's one team that would trade a 26 first for Gafford, it's probably LA to help Luka.

[FireNicoHarrison]

It doesn’t take much effort.  Not everyone is as charismatic as Masai and he will need to prove he can win, but it doesn’t take much.

Maybe the Luka trade made this impossible but Nico, Dumont and Kidd failed huge not even trying to talk to the fans.  Show some realness and compassion.  There was just none of that.

https://x.com/all_things_mavs/status/205...69088?s=61

Good start Masai. Good start.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

If we could get a 1st for Gafford, PJ Washington, or Naji Marshall, they wouldn't still be on the Mavs

[SkenfromLMF]

Rick Smitz as new GM lol Mike Schmitz

[Mavs2021]

Givony and Schmitz were the guys behind Draftexpress. Guy has basically been a professional scout for 15 years.

[Scott41theMavs]

Rick Smitz as new GM lol Mike Schmitz

???

[Tyler]

Interesting.

Dalton Trigg
@dalton_trigg
Schmitz was the co-owner of Draft Express back in the day. Has a great eye for talent + he’s been an assistant GM for the last 4 years in Portland learning the ropes. I can see the vision here.

https://x.com/dalton_trigg/status/2052836931050901782

[Tyler]

https://www.nba.com/mavs/news/global-sco...-mavericks

Sounds like he has solid ties to Masai in the scouting world.

"Along the way, Schmitz earned a reputation as a keen evaluator internationally. He has strong ties to Africa, which is fast becoming one of the top feeder systems for NBA, thanks to years of work with Basketball Without Borders and by forward-thinking leaders like the Mavericks’ Masai Ujiri, who was named president and alternate governor on Monday.

Schmitz will work in conjunction with Ujiri.

Schmitz's strong commitment to the African continent extends beyond the basketball court. He has traveled to Nigeria with the Smart Sport Foundation, actively supporting its mission to provide opportunities to young athletes and coaches through resources, training and developmental programs.

He has been an assistant coach to the Ugandan national team, which has risen up the rankings on the continent."

[Chicagojk]

wow that is a surprise.  Huge fan of Schmitz back in the day.  Sort of started doing the grunt work for Givony expanded the role.    They were my favorite draft guys.  They were everywhere and was looking at prospects years before they came to the draft.  So they had a lot of history with the prospects.   

Haven't really seen him the last few years since he has worked with Portland (The Yang thing was weird--both the draft and fining).  No idea if he will be a good gm and do wonder if Ricardi and Finley are both out...it would seem so.   I feel bad for Ricardi if so.   I liked listening to him and him and schmitz are similar type of grind guys.   Still though Masai needs his guys.   Back a few months ago wasn't it reported that Ricardi is a Kidd guy??

[Scott41theMavs]

Love everything we're seeing from Ujiri thus far. Of course his first big test will come Sunday night, when we see how high of a pick he was able to negotiate from Silver.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Rick Smitz as new GM lol Mike Schmitz

Never heard of him...