2019-2020 Mavs Trade Discussion + Salary Chart

[Scott41theMavs]

Thinking about longer term outlook, I think we have two basic scenarios in the summer. At least for the next season, I am not counting on Powell. I think WCS, Lee, Barea and MKG will be most likely gone - even if some stay, I don't see them as more than a specialist type role player 11-15 on the roster. I also think we should find a new home for Jackson, perhaps in a trade with other players.

Option 1 is more of an organic growth and the more I think about it, the more realistic it seems.

We go with the Luka-Seth-THJ-DFS-KP starting lineup. This bunch is an absolute killer offensive unit. Threes raining from everywhere, a lot of space for drives which all can do to an extent (but none better than Luka). The real test is on the defensive side, where this unit has 2 good players (KP and DFS), one decent (THJ) and two liabilities (Seth, Luka). If this bunch can take a step or two up defensively (playoffs are a perfect test for that), they will be dangerous to anyone. Size might not be a problem as opposing teams with two strong PF/C types in the lineup will have great problems chasing our guys on the other end. However, this makes our bench very shallow. We have Brunson, Wright, Maxi and a big hole at bench SF and PF/C positions. The bench would also need a Curry type of offensive guy to provide a spark. Wright and Brunson are a bit redundant and I would look at moving Wright for a better fit. Besides that we have the MLE and two decent picks. This should be enough to cover the holes and give at least one of the rookies some consistent minutes. This is the options I see:
SG "Curry type" (for each position we can go MLE; rookie; trade): MLE: Valentine, Justin Holiday; rookie; trade Wright +pick for??? - Kennard perhaps, Fournier perhaps (only realistic if he wants out of Orlando - you can put him in the starting line-up and Curry back on bench). My priority would be a trade or MLE here, MLE perhaps more realistic.
SF "3-D guy": MLE - Harkless, Connaughton?, Jones (Mia)?; rookie; trade Osman. I think rookie would be most realistic option, as all MLE or trade options are either meh or expensive
PF "3-D guy": MLE - Šarič, Hernangomez, Ibaka?; rookie; trade Young (Chi), Johnson (Min), Bjelica. I would go for either trade or MLE here.

Our team would look something like this (I don't really care about positions 11-15):
Luka, Brunson
Seth, Valentine
THJ, #20 rookie
DFS, Young (not really sure if Wright would be interesting for them. JJ+Boban perhaps?)
KP, Maxi

Option 2: we need a "star". Current line-up is not strong enough, too meh defensively and we need big upgrades. SG, SF and PF are most critical positions. Assuming we are keen on keeping THJ, we don't really have a lot of attractive players, but we can throw in 2020 and 2025 picks. In general I would say we are most likely short to bid for a star and we can realistically target number 3 or 4 guys. based on the guys we are willing to trade, our target are most likely rebuilding teams, not contenders (they want clear player upgrades over the players they are not perfectly happy with). We can also choose a route to clear cap space and go for a 15-18 mil per season player. Actually, we can clear cap for a 15 per type of player and trade for another.

A good 3-D SF is also an all star player, so probably not really a lot of options here. Oubre actually looks like the only one, if he wants out of Phoenix. Perhaps Prince. There are some interesting free agent SG options like Fournier (assuming he opts out), Bogi, Harris, who are all tall enough to play SF. However, they are all more 3 than D. Still, they would make us better. Buddy Hield might be available, but do we really want him? Gordon looks like an obvious PF target, but I doubt we have the munition to get him.

Let's assume Wright+Curry+pick(s) would be a trade price and we could actually sign Gordon. After the trade, we are also left with a MLE. However, since we trade away our picks, we would have to rely on vet min guys to cover holes on our bench and we need to get decent bench SG, SF and PF. Valentine+Jones possible? Connaughton instead of one of them? Keep JJ at PF?

Luka, Brunson
THJ, Valentine
DFS, Jones
Gordon, JJ or #31 rookie
KP, Maxi

Looking at this basic scenarios, I have to say I prefer first scenario.

I don't understand RC this year. Powell, who is not a perimeter threat, gets all kinds of minutes. He goes down, and it has to be small ball, almost all of the time - even though we have a player who may not get some aspects of the system (and who might also have a debilitating substance abuse problem a la Dalambert) but who is actually superior to Powell in many aspects of the game. Why should we be resigned to WCS's departure? The post-Mavs careers of Javale and Nerlens suggest that there's a common thread here, and it's not a good look at all for the Mavs' coaching staff. Long and athletic are good qualities for players to have in the NBA. Powell is neither. Why does he get minutes when others with greater talent and physical ability do not?

Probably because he also values things like character, work ethic, system/role buy in and how an individual adds to or subtracts from team chemistry. Cause they actually all matter quite a lot, believe it or not.

Thing is, RC tends to emphasize those issues to a fault. When guys like Javale and Noel are bit players here and go on to better teams and contribute significantly, that suggests that the Mavs are hurting themselves with some of these attitudes and policies. We've seen a little sample of what WCS can do when given a substantial opportunity. He has expressed that he's happy to be here and might have found a home. It's up to the Mavs, and specifically RC, not to screw this up yet again.

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Why does he get minutes when others with greater talent and physical ability do not?

Powell is a top rim runner. Powell is excellent team defender and is able to switch on smaller players. Powell brings huge energy on the field. Powell is a culture guy. Everyone on the Mavs gives him that. Mavs were good with Powell in the line-up, even though KP was still shaking off rust.

I haven't exactly seen that greater talent and physical ability on WCS. He was good a couple of games and not so good in others. WCS certainly isn't such a good rim runner as Powell. His defense was ok on several occasions, I don't have complaints here. He doesn't bring so much energy as Powell. He is also not exactly a star, so I guess he must earn his minutes.

Line-ups with one big are working ok atm. Line-ups with no bigs are not, but hey, he was not available for Atlanta.

WCS ought to "earn" minutes simply based on the fact that 1) he has already shown that he can contribute surprisingly well with only a rudimentary knowledge of the system, and 2) the alternative, especially when KP is out, is a small ball that serves to lose the Mavs games. WCS isn't the best center defender in the world, but his DRPM, at least, is very high, and he certainly isn't the "extreme liability" (eye roll smiley) that Bobi is on the defensive end. If defense matters, then WCS ought to be getting minutes, and it's hard to imagine that his practice work merits the extreme doghouse treatment he has received thus far, unless he's having some major substance abuse issues as I've said elsewhere. It's hard to imagine that he's being some kind of dickosaurus in practice given his positivity in interviews and his towel-waving engagement with the team on the bench.