05-25-2023, 10:54 AM
(05-25-2023, 08:38 AM)omahen Wrote: A short recap of the article. Mavs are one of a large group of teams (9 in total counting Mavs) who are good, but not good enough. All with limited draft assets and projected to be in the tax next season. So, how do they pivot from here? All of them would want to reduce payroll while simultaneously improve their squads. Not an easy task to do at all. If you want to trade within this group, everyone will be looking for a thing they can't provide - less salary. So, are the deals within this group possible without adding a third team?
My comment regarding Mavs, also touching that 5 year plan. Mavs chose to ride with Kyrie. If they sign him for three, four or whatever years, the possibility of him remaining a good soldier for more than 1 or 2 years is very low. If (when?) that happens, his value will be negative - due to his age his value might be negative in any case. So how do you pivot, if (when?) relationship goes bad? Is there any other way but try to win in that 1 to 2 year window? I don't think so, unless you hit the jack-pot and draft a star with #10. A good player would not be enough.
Mavs cap situation doesn't look that bad, really. If Kyrie resigns for 45 mil and they add a FRP at 5 mil + 4 mil for four incomplete roster spots, they are basically at tax line. This is for 9 players (plus the pick). You don't need more players for playoff rotation. The key would be to either replace or stretch the players that don't fit without adding additional salary to what it is owed to this existing guys. THJ+Bertans+McGee are 40 mil of salary, with the pick this is 45 mil of salary. Bullock and Kleber are also expendable. A year later Bullock comes of the books and Green will have to be paid - hopefully his extension doesn't get well over 10 mil. Another decision Mavs likely need to make this summer. Either negotiate a still relatively low number or trade him. They don't want to be trapped if he completely breaks out this season, imho.
So how would my plan look like.
1. Do best possible with the pick. Either draft a player if the one you really like is there or trade him without bringing additional salary in. Use any combination of Bullock/Maxi/McGee/Bertans/THJ. Green and Hardy of the table, unless you are certain you can't reach a reasonable extension with Green.
2. Summer - trade 2027 and Bertans (also add McGee if possible) for useful players that have less salary. I don't know - Bertans to Charlotte for Martin and Jones (and whatever draft capital Mavs could get back). To Indy for Theis and Duarte. Bertans and McGee to Detroit for Stewart and Burks? Stuff like that.
3. Use the savings to bring another decent player with exception money.
IF this is true and these teams, including the Mavs, are behind the 8 ball. I hope the Mavs don't panic. It will be hard not to due to their past mistakes and style of doing things in the past. But if they are stuck, the easiest ways to change that is the folllowing:
1) hit your draft pick. Either at 10 or trade down. Expecting immediate results is the short game, but you really want to find an attractive asset who can also be a part of your future core.
2) target a distressed asset. You need to be right here because typically this player is going to carry a decent salary.
3) uncover an hidden asset. This can be a young player, a player who has not popped yet or a second round/undrafted guy.
You can do all this offseason, but it will be asking a lot of this front office.