MAVS NEWS:

[Scott41theMavs]

Just seen that Holger is in Slovenia with Luka. They are working together for his youth basketball initiatives per Stein.

Dirk and Holger still being so close with Luka is what will keep the dream alive for me.

https://x.com/thesteinline/status/2091594431061168335?s=46&t=-bN4oD2OLU_Ue80HIM_CZQ

Oh? Have Masai and Schmitz mended fences well enough with Dirk?

[F Gump]

I do wonder if the Mavs will write off the 7.8 million on the Klay buyout this year or split it and it in half and do 3.9 this year and next and do they have to decide now or at the end of the year.

The discount via the buyout was reported as "roughly 9.8M" so the amount the Mavs paid would be roughly $7.6M.

The cap hit for the 7.6M-ish the Mavs paid Klay could be stretched over 3 years (not 2), or it could remain on the cap sheet for this season. The deadline for that decision is Sept 1. HOWEVER, it's not a payment decision - the payout is done over 3 years, no matter how it's accounted for on the cap.

Personally I can't see any good reason for the Mavs to push some of the cap hit into future years. Get it done while you have the room. They are sitting on over 12M in unused under-tax room as it is, with no empty roster slots to spend it on, and it's hard to see how they would be able to spend that much, even if they wanted to. Then spend an ADDITIONAL $5M of pure payroll to boot, still with no roster slots and maybe even stuck with 1 over? Hard to imagine why, and how, that extra spending room would really be of use.

[F Gump]

 
As we learned a couple of seasons ago, they won’t take themselves to just under the tax and hope to stay under it.  Using the full $12mm on someone would take us just under the tax.    

Yes Nico The Complete Idiot blithely ignored the tax line in 2025, and even did so for no good reason. In fact, the team is STILL saddled with the consequence of that completely useless trade in which he PAID a pick to add a meh player with a bloated contract that runs forever (Martin), for no benefit whatsoever, and pushed the team into paying tax when they really didn't have to.

I would hope that Masai isn't that idiotic, and that Dumont wouldn't fall for that again either (IIRC as I posted at the time of the trade, then through the summer, and as as it played out, it stood to cost the team over $100M in extra tax, from that needless act of not caring about the tax line). If you think they would do that again, yikes. 

I have to think and hope they (esp Masai) are much smarter than that, and that in a going-nowhere season like they have ahead (trying hard, hoping to be way better, but not winning a title this time), they will not consider any moves that have them paying tax. Let that repeater tax reset for now.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I would hope that Masai isn't that idiotic, and that Dumont wouldn't fall for that again either (IIRC as I posted at the time of the trade, then through the summer, and as as it played out, it stood to cost the team over $100M in extra tax, from that needless act of not caring about the tax line). If you think they would do that again, yikes. 

That was your conclusion from reading my post?  

Did you stop reading halfway through?  I went to the trouble of explaining the exact way they could use the entire $12.044mm and still be either $2mm or $1mm away from the tax line depending on the date Cisse gets cut.

[F Gump]

That was your conclusion from reading my post?  

Did you stop reading halfway through?  I went to the trouble of explaining the exact way they could use the entire $12.044mm and still be either $2mm or $1mm away from the tax line depending on the date Cisse gets cut.

Yes I read your entire post. Yes I very well understand the concept (even before reading it) that with the Klay buyout, they can now do things with room to stay under the tax line, including spend a full MLE remainder of about 12M. (I have written the same. So have many others. It's been fairly apparent from when we heard the reported 9.8M-ish discount as the number of the buyout.)

But you also appeared to be stating that because the Mavs had gone over the tax line before, with no compulsions and no good reason to do so, they might do so again, and that getting to a bit below the tax line isn't a stopper for them. (IOW, a move now that spends the MLE amount isn't necessarily a stopping point.)

Did I read that correctly? I thought I did, but you can speak for yourself. If I misunderstood, I apologize. I wasn't trying to misstate your words, but rather to respond to them. Please clarify.

But if I did understand you correctly, then I very much disagree. I really think the combo of Masai (a smarter POBO by a mile) and Dumont (who should have learned his lesson on consequences of such an action after being duped by Idiot Boy) would not entertain such things again, and the Mavs will have a healthy desire to work their payroll to keep from being taxpayers (until major necessity and major reward possibilities intersect).

[Chicagojk]

Mathurin is an intriguing prospect.  Probably polarizing.

I just don't think he is an option for the Mavs now.  Especially with all their bodies now.  I am not sure if I like him even if they did a 2-1 trade.   

I have no intel but I believe the Klay give back on salary is part negotiation for the Mavs to release him now and part to give the Mavs future flexibility.  Right now, teams are generally "ok" with their offseason and their teams.   Most fanbases this time of year are pretty happy with their teams.    With teams less likely to tank this year, you will not have 10-15 easy wins where you just need to show up.    As the year gets started, reality will set in for a lot of teams.   The added flexibility for the Mavs allows them to be more able to take on something when teams find out they don't like their teams.    Maybe nothing comes to it, but I just get the feeling the Klay move and salary give back is not a pre-cursor to another move.

[DanSchwartzgan]

But you also appeared to be stating that because the Mavs had gone over the tax line before, with no compulsions and no good reason to do so, they might do so again, and that getting to a bit below the tax line isn't a stopper for them. (IOW, a move now that spends the MLE amount isn't necessarily a stopping point.)

Did I read that correctly?

I guess I’ll have to break it down in case this is confusing for others.  I’ll use my exact words:

“As we learned a couple of seasons ago,”

A lesson “learned” is one that doesn’t have to be repeated.  They made that mistake once and hopefully “learned” their lesson.  But, in fairness, that was inferred at this point in the post.

“they won’t take themselves to just under the tax and hope to stay under it.

This feels clear to me.  They WON’T do it.  I don’t know what else to say here.  Won’t seems pretty unambiguous.  There wasn’t a qualifier.  Using the full remaining MLE amount takes them right up to the line, so they won’t put themselves in that position again since they “learned” that lesson just a couple of seasons ago.

”Using the full $12mm on someone would take us just under the tax.  But, our salary totals include the full $2mm for Cisse.  One million of that guarantees on 9/1 and the rest on 10/1.  We don’t have to decide this by 9/1 as a $1.0mm cushion would be enough.”  

It doesn’t make sense to create the exact amount of space necessary to use the MLE and then not be able to use it Dan.  So, is there a plan you can see?  I’m glad you asked.  Cutting Cisse is still in play.  Here is the exact way you can accomplish use of the MLE without getting too close to the tax line.  I think anyone reading this would see it is an instruction manual for how to use the full $12.044mm and avoid going to close to the line.

“But if the intention is to use the MLE to sign an extra player, doing so by 9/1 saves a million dollars that they really don’t need to spend.”


And, if the statement before wasn’t clear enough, I’m suggesting that while the 10/1 date works for the purposes of staying $1.0mm away from the tax line, making a decision prior to 9/1 keeps them from unnecessarily spending $1.0mm.

There is literally nothing here that can be interpreted as advocacy or suggesting I think Dallas go anywhere near the tax line. In fact, just the opposite. I was pointing out how they could use the MLE and keep the required cushion.

[david75090]

ESPN has an article about Klay joining the Heat. It pretty much says Klay is great...

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4970...ng-waivers

[DanSchwartzgan]

ESPN has an article about Klay joining the Heat. It pretty much says Klay is great...

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4970...ng-waivers

The guy who lost his starting job to Max Christie?

[KillerLeft]

The guy who lost his starting job to Max Christie?

He's harder to keep on the floor than he used to be because of his declining defensive abilities, it's true. But if I'm honest I don't think Thompson was ever utilized properly here. So unfortunate, imo. I hope he fits better with Miami and Spoelstra.

[DallasMaverick]

He's harder to keep on the floor than he used to be because of his declining defensive abilities, it's true. But if I'm honest I don't think Thompson was ever utilized properly here. So unfortunate, imo. I hope he fits better with Miami and Spoelstra.

Christian Wood also wasn’t utilized properly!

[F Gump]

“they won’t take themselves to just under the tax and hope to stay under it.

This feels clear to me.  They WON’T do it.  I don’t know what else to say here.  Won’t seems pretty unambiguous.
There wasn’t a qualifier.  Using the full remaining MLE amount takes them right up to the line, so they won’t put themselves in that position again since they “learned” that lesson just a couple of seasons ago..

Thank you for the explanation. Yes, I know what "won't" means, but what threw me off was the remainder of the sentence, with the "and", that I took to be saying "they won't ____ and (they won't) hope to stay under it." The challenges of online communication. Onward.

One small side point that you might want to add to your thinking:
While the g'tee dates on Cisse serve to lessen the cap hit cost of waiving him at certain points, I think those dates are probably meaningless, because Cisse would have a very good chance to be claimed on waivers if he was cut. A waiver claim would only commit the claiming team to a one-year minimum, and they couldn't save any money by letting him clear waivers and then signing him. The relevance is that it would erase the entire cap hit from Mavs cap.

That possible cap hit was never going to be all that much anyhow, as you note, so this wouldn't change the viability of anything, but it might help us to consider that those g'tee dates are possibly irrelevant to the Mavs.

[david75090]

The guy who lost his starting job to Max Christie?

The grass is greener on the other side, or whatever.

[DanSchwartzgan]

The grass is greener on the other side, or whatever.

Kind of like when Hardy was traded to LAL.

Speaking of Hardy, there is reporting today that LAL and ATL are talking again about Kuminga.  Hardy would be the outgoing and I think the most  Kuminga could get in such a deal is a little over $12mm.  LA can do such a deal and stay under the first apron, but Atlanta would go into the tax if they take back Hardy.  The reporting says either LA pays a good pick for Atlanta to go into the tax or they have to find a third party for Hardy.

Interesting that Kuminga’s money has dropped down to this level.  It makes the idea of Mathurin taking $12mm seem that much more realistic if the Kuminga reporting is to be believed.

[DanSchwartzgan]

He's harder to keep on the floor than he used to be because of his declining defensive abilities, it's true. But if I'm honest I don't think Thompson was ever utilized properly here. So unfortunate, imo. I hope he fits better with Miami and Spoelstra.

I’m not sure I agree.  When we signed Klay, I predicted he wouldn’t close games and would eventually lose his starting spot.  It played out about as I expected.  I’m not sure how Klay would have been utilized differently given the roster we had.  Now, if you are saying he might have been more valuable with a better roster around him…I’m good with that.

[KillerLeft]

I’m not sure I agree.  When we signed Klay, I predicted he wouldn’t close games and would eventually lose his starting spot.  It played out about as I expected.  I’m not sure how Klay would have been utilized differently given the roster we had.  Now, if you are saying he might have been more valuable with a better roster around him…I’m good with that.

I don’t know if my point is dependent on the quality of the roster around him, though I agree that would’ve helped a great deal. What I’m talking about has nothing to do with who started or closed, I just didn’t particularly find the offensive system run here the last couple of years to be organized or all that interested in capitalizing on specific players’ skills.

Honestly, it seemed like what the coach was going for was to empower everyone on the roster to attack closeouts… Thompson, Washington, etc. There just wasn’t a lot of intent to get specific people specific opportunities to my eye.

I feel like there’s a good chance Sooelstra will do better with him.

[myconsumerclub]

I like what we have now.

That mle $$ can be used later on. Injuries being what they are and because of their absolutely unpredictable nature you can bet the mavs can spend extra assets during this season because someone somewhere will be out for a while and teams will react to give up valuable draft assets in trades to fill those new holes that an injury created and maybe by the TDL a team will become much more willing to overpay so they can get a guy that helps to fill a newly created area of need that recently developed when some star player went down.

Teams in win now mode are like that and Gafford is a guy that I think we could cash in for a lot more if we waited to do a deal around the TDL. People in win now mode will be far more willing to overpay for a quality big man then but every team thinks they hit gold in the draft now, so they are much less likely to over pay for a big now.

Buy Low Sell High guys.

[Scott41theMavs]

I don’t know if my point is dependent on the quality of the roster around him, though I agree that would’ve helped a great deal. What I’m talking about has nothing to do with who started or closed, I just didn’t particularly find the offensive system run here the last couple of years to be organized or all that interested in capitalizing on specific players’ skills.

Honestly, it seemed like what the coach was going for was to empower everyone on the roster to attack closeouts… Thompson, Washington, etc. There just wasn’t a lot of intent to get specific people specific opportunities to my eye.

I feel like there’s a good chance Sooelstra will do better with him.

I also feel like there's a good chance that May will do better with our returning players (and the new ones) on the offensive side of the ball than Kidd did.

[SleepingHero]

@NationMffl
The Dallas Mavericks have parted ways with VP of strategy and analytics Andrew Baker and director of pro player personnel Makhtar Ndiaye, per @TheSteinLine

[david75090]

@NationMffl
The Dallas Mavericks have parted ways with VP of strategy and analytics Andrew Baker and director of pro player personnel Makhtar Ndiaye, per @TheSteinLine

Never heard of either one of those guys.