Trade & FA 2023-24: Paul George to Test Free Agency After No Contract Extension

[IamDougieFresh]

I tried to find footage of Dwight winning us a playoff game too, but for some reason I couldn't find it.

[KillerLeft]

All fair points, the real question at this point around Maxi is how long to you wait around to know those things that you currently don't know?

My biggest fascination is how the FO sees us in terms of contenders and how much Kyrie's current contract comes into thinking when it comes to making upgrades and the timelines around that.  The decisions around Maxi and whether or not you find alternatives is kind of at the core of all of that.  To your point, he SHOULD be our answer to our backup center problems so I would hope they at least give him a chance to get healthy for the playoffs to see how that goes but who knows.

(for the record I would MUCH rather gamble on Maxi getting healthy than go after Collins and figure everything out this summer after we learn more)

Well, you can kind of tell what their thought process is for the 4 spot, given that the Williams signing is rather overtly an attempt to acquire a younger Kleber. I think that's pretty obvious. I think if he were to get comfortable in the bigger role and Kleber were to get healthy and become even 80% of what he was in the WCF season, this thing would look a lot better, and frankly, it's looking better to me already than I expected.

[IamDougieFresh]

You guys have any targets for "The Big Trade" this offseason? 2025 + 2027 + 2031 for who?

[KillerLeft]

You guys have any targets for "The Big Trade" this offseason? 2025 + 2027 + 2031 for who?

Ask me again after the playoffs. That's what it will take to learn what the team needs, imho.

[IamDougieFresh]

Ask me again after the playoffs. That's what it will take to learn what the team needs, imho.

KL gets it.

[ThisIStheYear]

I’m coming around to Collins or another player instead of standing pat or selling

Reason 1: The West is wide open. Denver doesn’t look as hungry or dominant. The top teams (MIN, OKC) are both young and haven’t been through the grind of the playoffs. The pretender contenders (Suns, Fakers, Clippers, Warriors) all look old and washed.

Reason 2: Lively. The way he’s playing is beyond our wildest expectations for this point in the season. He’s ready, so we’re (almost) ready right now.

Reason 3:  The Mavs have the best player in the conference, and he’s in his prime. Hell yes you go for it if the opportunity presents itself, though you can’t be outright reckles.

[KillerLeft]

Reason 3:  The Mavs have the best player in the conference, and he’s in his prime. Hell yes you go for it if the opportunity presents itself, though you can’t be outright reckles.

I guess that's what it all comes down to, nay? One observer's "opportunity" is another observer's "reckless."

[mvossman]

You guys have any targets for "The Big Trade" this offseason? 2025 + 2027 + 2031 for who?

In an ideal world, we do a S&T for OG and only have to send out one first.

[mvossman]

https://twitter.com/Ben_Dowsett/status/1...9392874759

JUANC OUT

I get that you can probably do a montage of poor defense on a lot of NBA players, and you have the added situation that he is on a bad team that is not competing for anything (other than probably draft picks eventually), but that looked bad.

[KillerLeft]

I get that you can probably do a montage of poor defense on a lot of NBA players, and you have the added situation that he is on a bad team that is not competing for anything (other than probably draft picks eventually), but that looked bad.

Yes, and it's also interesting how much BIGGER Grant looks in these clips. He's longer and thicker to my eye. Plays with more physicality, too.

[Scott41theMavs]

In an ideal world, we do a S&T for OG and only have to send out one first.

YES. This was going to be my precise answer to that question. An S&T for OG should only cost one pick, and then your war chest is still pretty full.

[Scott41theMavs]

This was not that long ago. 

It's possible that he'll never be healthy again, but we don't KNOW that. 

It's possible that he's declined at this point, but we don't KNOW that. 

What the team is missing is Kleber. Seriously, if an idealized Kleber was in the rotation, and by that I mean a plus, versatile defender who can hang on the perimeter, in the post and block shots as a help side defender with a lethal catch-and-shoot game on offense, this team miiiiiight be closer to contention than we all think. 

I do not agree that Collins fills that hole. I think O-Max could, it's just a matter of WHEN. I am fine with hoping Kleber rebounds back to form while we wait for O-Max...at least until someone points me towards a better option.

I understand and sympathize with your position, both in terms of Maxi's past value and the need to avoid making a wasteful trade. The rebuttal is that the past season and a half suggest that posting that video is like posting a video of prime Dirk. 41 ain't here no more, and the old Maxi hasn't been here for a while. He's actually starting to look like Mummy Dirk on D when he plays. 

The best thing to do is to take at least a month or two, not just to heal his current injury, but to work with the trainers and docs to get him as close to perfectly healthy - and conditioned - and up to speed - as possible, and then play him a few games before the deadline to see if he bears any distant resemblance to old Maxi. If not, then they might think they need to make a move. It would depend on how "desperate" they are to go for it this year.

[KillerLeft]

I don't think there's a fascination at all.  It was simply a conversation about potential power forwards on the market and his name came up because it's not like there's a bunch out there.  Pretty much everyone said they were out.

Whoa, just saw this. You're telling me you don't think "fascination" is an appropriate term when applied to a player we've discussed almost nonstop for 4 years? What if I told you that he was overtly on the trade block for pretty much that entire time, had changed hands for way less than what was speculated to be the cost for him here, and the Mavs never really seemed that interested? 

I say again, I don't get it. Maybe that's because I'm dumb, but I'm just being honest.

[KillerLeft]

I understand and sympathize with your position, both in terms of Maxi's past value and the need to avoid making a wasteful trade. The rebuttal is that the past season and a half suggest that posting that video is like posting a video of prime Dirk. 41 ain't here no more, and the old Maxi hasn't been here for a while. He's actually starting to look like Mummy Dirk on D when he plays. 

The best thing to do is to take at least a month or two, not just to heal his current injury, but to work with the trainers and docs to get him as close to perfectly healthy - and conditioned - and up to speed - as possible, and then play him a few games before the deadline to see if he bears any distant resemblance to old Maxi. If not, then they might think they need to make a move. It would depend on how "desperate" they are to go for it this year.

It's possible he's done, yeah. I sure hope not. 

Honestly, if Williams gets going, it won't matter so much. If BOTH get going, things will get very interesting, I think.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Whoa, just saw this. You're telling me you don't think "fascination" is an appropriate term when applied to a player we've discussed almost nonstop for 4 years? What if I told you that he was overtly on the trade block for pretty much that entire time, had changed hands for way less than what was speculated to be the cost for him here, and the Mavs never really seemed that interested? 

I say again, I don't get it. Maybe that's because I'm dumb, but I'm just being honest.

There was certainly a lot of conversation last year that I remember for sure but this is the first conversation I've had about Collins on this board since he got traded and I was referring to just this conversation.  Felt like the general consensus from everyone was that Collins on this roster may help a little but also that he isn't worth it because of the contract.  It felt (feels) like you took that as everyone saying he should be a target which is how I interpreted "fascination".

Maybe that's because I'm dumb.

---

Well, you can kind of tell what their thought process is for the 4 spot, given that the Williams signing is rather overtly an attempt to acquire a younger Kleber. I think that's pretty obvious. I think if he were to get comfortable in the bigger role and Kleber were to get healthy and become even 80% of what he was in the WCF season, this thing would look a lot better, and frankly, it's looking better to me already than I expected.

You think Williams is here to fill Maxi's role and not DFS'?

[KillerLeft]

There was certainly a lot of conversation last year that I remember for sure but this is the first conversation I've had about Collins on this board since he got traded and I was referring to just this conversation.  Felt like the general consensus from everyone was that Collins on this roster may help a little but also that he isn't worth it because of the contract.  It felt (feels) like you took that as everyone saying he should be a target which is how I interpreted "fascination".

Maybe that's because I'm dumb.

You aren't dumb, pal. 

I don't think Collins would help. I think he's overrated and just the wrong type of guy, in general.

---

You think Williams is here to fill Maxi's role and not DFS'?

Depends. If you mean DFS's role as the 4, then sure. 

Because O-Max is the future of the 4 position on this team. That's my bet, anyway. I think if we look back after about ten years of his career, it's possible he will have played more small ball 5 at that point than 3. That part is just a guess, though. He can definitely play some 3 for now, while he's young. 

He is PROTOTYPICALLY what I'd look for in a 4, however. Just a marvelous piece of the puzzle. He reminds me of Jerami Grant before he decided he needed to be a featured offensive player. Actually, O-Max might even be bigger/stronger/longer, but with the same quickness. I'm REALLY excited about his future.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

You aren't dumb, pal. 

I don't think Collins would help. I think he's overrated and just the wrong type of guy, in general.

---

Depends. If you mean DFS's role as the 4, then sure. 

Because O-Max is the future of the 4 position on this team. That's my bet, anyway. I think if we look back after about ten years of his career, it's possible he has played more small ball 5 at that point than he has played 3. That part is just a guess, though. He can definitely play some 3 for now, while he's young. 

He is PROTOTYPICALLY what I'd look for in a 4, however. Just a marvelous piece of the puzzle. He reminds me of Jerami Grant before he decided he needed to be a featured offensive player. Actually, O-Max might even be bigger/stronger/longer, but with the same quickness. I'm REALLY excited about his future.

Gotcha, I think there was definitely some overrating of Collins' in previous years (I had been guilty at times although I mostly saw him as a C Wood replacement that maybe Kidd would find more playable and not much more than that), I guess I just thought this last conversation was rating him a little more properly.  I just didn't get the vibes that anyone here saw him as a savior or anything, just a potential piece to talk about, but maybe that was just the mentality I was bringing to the convo and I missed the noise around me.


Agreed on all the OMax points.  Hope the kid pans out.

[Jason Terry]

I want to see several games in a row of Holmes as backup. Then Maxi comes back and can be added to the mix. If both of them fail we go to the buyout market and try one out. If that fails we could small ball it in the non-Lively minutes with maybe O-max as the big. Just try anything out that isn’t Powell. Then settle for Powell if all that fails. It was a breath of fresh air tonight to see him get a DNP

[KillerLeft]

I want to see several games in a row of Holmes as backup. Then Maxi comes back and can be added to the mix. If both of them fail we go to the buyout market and try one out. If that fails we could small ball it in the non-Lively minutes with maybe O-max as the big. Just try anything out that isn’t Powell. Then settle for Powell if all that fails. It was a breath of fresh air tonight to see him get a DNP

I don't think you'll get your wish, friend. 

I feel like Kidd is settling into a matchup-based decision-making process with this. That's progress for you anti-Powell guys, right?

[IamDougieFresh]

I don't think you'll get your wish, friend. 

I feel like Kidd is settling into a matchup-based decision-making process with this. That's progress for you anti-Powell guys, right?

Only if someone can explain a single scenario where Dwight matches up better. I wouldn't waste your time though. I won't be convinced.