Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[KillerLeft]

I really don’t care about rehabbing Williams.  He is just the cost of playing poker (so to speak).

I’m also not worried about the overlap in 26/27 or even 27/28.  I agree it probably exists, but I’m buying the upside of both in the years after that.

Fair, and the second point is about how I would feel if Wilson fell to 9, somehow. But for me, the assets you would have to give up, along with that awful Williams contract… it’s just too much to pay for something I’m not 100% sure will be ideal.

[cow]

I saw where Caleb Wilson hasn’t worked out for Chicago and isn’t planning to do so.

Would you:

#9, Laker’s 2029 & Gafford

For

#4 and eating Patrick Williams contract.

How much do you love Wilson/Flagg for the next decade?

Yes, please.  Two apex athletes would be awesome.

[DallasMaverick]

Fair, and the second point is about how I would feel if Wilson fell to 9, somehow. But for me, the assets you would have to give up, along with that awful Williams contract… it’s just too much to pay for something I’m not 100% sure will be ideal.

No bad contracts!!

[Dirknows]

No bad contracts!!

We don’t control our picks til 2031. Our TPE and expirings/value contracts are our best assets.

[cow]

I'll take all the bad contracts if you are attaching future firsts.

[mvossman]

Honestly, I'm not convinced that Wilson will be as impactful as the best of the ball handlers mocked to go after him, so I can relate to their thinking, if this is the case. Further, the guy Wilson reminds me of (in a bad way) is Patrick Williams, who I believe they drafted 4th, if memory serves. If that doesn't worry them a little, they're not sane. 

O-Max is a better player right now than Williams, who sucked on draft night and was drafted for measurables and potential and has literally not developed one bit since coming into the league. To this day, you'll find people here or on other message boards who think "but maybe my team could develop him - he just needs a chance." Nope, he's horrible. He's always been horrible, and he'll always be horrible. I remember liking his potential in that draft, and watching his "progression" has taught me a lesson about this stuff. When you get a high pick, you choose the guys who are good at basketball.

I'm not saying Wilson isn't, but at that range in this draft, and especially in the Mavs' situation, give me a guy who can play WITH the basketball.

That seems like a really harsh comp for Wilson.  Williams didn't do anything in college and he continued that progression in the NBA.  I share your wariness of guys with measurables and "talent" who have not been able to display it (why I'm out on Ament).  But Wilson was dominate in college.  He was one of the best players in college and outplayed the best players when he went against them.  I get that he is not an elite creator and has questionable fit with Flagg, but I definitely think he showed he is good at basketball.

[Luka77]

The spacing with Flagg and Wilson on the floor together would be terrible for several years, as neither can spread the floor for the other. It would be a very awkward pairing until both became better outside shooters.

[KillerLeft]

The spacing with Flagg and Wilson on the floor together would be terrible for several years, as neither can spread the floor for the other.  It would be a very awkward pairing until both became better outside shooters.

I think Flagg's catch and shoot game is going to be pretty damn good, given time and experience, but right now that doesn't matter because the way the team is set up he almost must have the ball in his hands. You have to fix that IMMEDIATELY, imho, but anyone added who doesn't address that needs to be able to SHOOT (to your excellent point).

[cow]

The spacing with Flagg and Wilson on the floor together would be terrible for several years, as neither can spread the floor for the other.  It would be a very awkward pairing until both became better outside shooters.

Fine be me, we probably aren't going to be competitive until Flagg's first extension.

[Luka77]

Fine be me, we probably aren't going to be competitive until Flagg's first extension.

They would be more competitive sooner with Peterson, Boozer, Acuff, and Wagler.

[cow]

They would be more competitive sooner with Peterson, Boozer, Acuff, and Wagler.

And still not contenders.  This rebuild is a marathon, not a sprint.  I also don't think we'll be able to move up high enough for Peterson or Boozer.  Wilson is pretty doubtful in that regard too.

[hakeemfaan]

Asking again..any chance we can get Carter Bryant for PJ or for Gafford? It will help Spurs much more immediately, but I'm hoping Bryant's shot improves. If so he is a legit 3D wing.

[cow]

Asking again..any chance we can get Carter Bryant for PJ or for Gafford? It will help Spurs much more immediately, but I'm hoping Bryant's shot improves. If so he is a legit 3D wing.

The Mavs could offer a lot of different options to upgrade the Spurs roster and the Spurs have a full suite of future assets as compensation.  

He's a rookie, but Carter Bryant was really bad during the finals.  I haven't paid attention to him much during the season.

It might be blasphemous and I doubt either side would be interested (potential versus injury risk), but Lively would be a great "backup" to Wemby.  I put "backup" as they'd come pretty close to splitting minutes during the regular season.

[Luka77]

I think Flagg's catch and shoot game is going to be pretty damn good, given time and experience, but right now that doesn't matter because the way the team is set up he almost must have the ball in his hands. You have to fix that IMMEDIATELY, imho, but anyone added who doesn't address that needs to be able to SHOOT (to your excellent point).

I agree it will eventually get there.  

If you want to get the ball out of Flaggs hands immediately, trade up for Peterson,  Acuff, or Wagler.

Flagg could play off Boozer immediately as well because he can shoot from outside.  It would also reduce the need for a typical primary ball handler, since both of those guys are really good passers.

[KillerLeft]

If you want to get the ball out of Flaggs hands immediately, trade up for Peterson,  Acuff, or Wagler.

Right there with you, but I'm also open to Brown, Flemings and even Burries (if some are to be believed). 

It's why I don't trade down if even ONE of those guys is still there, personally. But, I'm with you. If there are some I like MORE, I might be looking for ways of trading UP.

[Luka77]

And still not contenders.  This rebuild is a marathon, not a sprint.  I also don't think we'll be able to move up high enough for Peterson or Boozer.  Wilson is pretty doubtful in that regard too.

I agree it will take multiple years to build a title contender but the quicker you can get Flagg into the playoffs, the better it will be for his overall development.  

Moreover, why would you want to start the rebuild off with pieces that you hope to one day fit together (Flagg and Wilson) when you can start off with better-fitting pieces (ie. the better shooting prospects mentioned earlier) from day one?

Also, shooting might be the most valuable skill in the NBA today.  Prospects that can shoot should be valued higher than lesser shooters.

[cow]

I agree it will take multiple years to build a title contender but the quicker you can get Flagg into the playoffs, the better it will be for his overall development.  

Moreover, why would you want to start the rebuild off with pieces that you hope to one day fit together (Flagg and Wilson) when you can start off with better-fitting pieces (ie. the better shooting prospects mentioned earlier) from day one?

Also, shooting might be the most valuable skill in the NBA today.  Prospects that can shoot should be valued higher than lesser shooters.

Fit is matter of perspective and the nice thing about Flagg being a 2-way stud is that he should fit with any and everyone.  No disrespect to Luka or Dirk, but that's a nice change of pace.

[KillerLeft]

Fit is matter of perspective and the nice thing about Flagg being a 2-way stud is that he should fit with any and everyone.  No disrespect to Luka or Dirk, but that's a nice change of pace.

I agree that it will be easier to build a complete, two-way team around a star player who actually loves the defensive side of the ball. No argument there. I'll stop short of agreeing that it means he should fit with any and everyone. The thing about Dirk and Luka is that while their impact was felt mostly on one side of the ball, it was a MASSIVE impact, and created space for others. Even with them, players had to be chosen based on their ability to create space for them, and in Flagg's case I think that need is even more glaring. Whether he's starting plays or not, it's clear he wants to get downhill, and in order to do that he needs shooting around him. 

But again, once the offense looks like something that belongs in the NBA, and not at LA fitness, your excellent point about the other end of the floor will very quickly rise to the forefront of the conversation. I'd argue that the long, two-way types everyone is pining over right now in the draft are scratches to an itch left over from those Dirk/Luka eras and not taking into account just how differently the Mavs are positioned this time around. They could be good defensively THIS SEASON, but they won't be because even they know their offense can't hang, so what's the point of exerting all the effort?

[KillerLeft]

I'd also like to point out that while I share the growing opinion that the Mavs aren't likely to be competitive anytime soon, that opinion for me stems from their complete lack of any organized offense that plays to Flagg's strengths. If (huge, big if) they're able to add a young ball-handler who can learn how to play off of Flagg and vice versa, I can see the team getting a lot better really quickly. The right new coach could move the needle here, too.

[cow]

I agree that it will be easier to build a complete, two-way team around a star player who actually loves the defensive side of the ball. No argument there. I'll stop short of agreeing that means he should fit with any and everyone. The thing about Dirk and Luka is that while their impact was felt mostly on one side of the ball, it was a MASSIVE impact, and created space for others. Even with them, players had to be chosen based on their ability to create space for them, and in Flagg's case I think that need is even more glaring. Whether he's starting plays or not, it's clear he wants to get downhill, and in order to do that he needs shooting around him. 

But again, once the offense looks like something that belongs in the NBA, and not at LA fitness, your excellent point about the other end of the floor will very quickly rise to the forefront of the conversation. I'd argue that the long, two-way types everyone is pining over right now in the draft are scratches to an itch left over from those Dirk/Luka eras and not taking into account just how differently the Mavs are positioned this time around. They could be good defensively THIS SEASON, but they won't be because even they know their offense can't hang, so what's the point of exerting all the effort?

Kyrie will upgrade our Lifetime Fitness offense to NBA level.  And even if he weren't on the team or if we were talking about a different sport, I hate drafting based on need.  If need coincides with BPA, great.  I might relax that stance a hair if we are one piece away, but in my view, we really only have one piece and a short term rental of one of the best handles the league has ever seen.  That short term rental might reenforce your stance on wanting a PG and that's understandable, but give me BPA.  It's all a bit moot as there is very little chance of us getting into the top 5 so Boozer, Peterson and Wilson are off the board.