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

[SleepingHero]

For those who want to wait until the summer:



Josh Bowe
@Boweman55
the mavericks big money offseason trade/free agent acquisitions since luka's rookie season:

delon wright, 2019
josh richardson, 2020
reggie bullock, 2021
christian wood, 2022
grant williams, 2023

Reggie wasn't a bad acquisition till his 2nd year. CWood was a disaster. Grant is becoming a disaster. Wright+JRich were disasters.

The difference between those offseasons and this upcoming one? Mavs didn't have 3 FRP to trade for a big money free agent/trade. Can't really compare there.

[ItsGoTime]

I'd be curious how you all stack rank the purported F options along with pros & cons of each. I'm assuming THJ will be outgoing, so someone is going to need to replace his scoring. THJ has also been pretty durable. That matters given how many games Kyrie misses. I'll probably try to look up some advanced analytics on these guys, but I haven't compared them yet, so if anyone wants to do that, be my guest :-) This is all just eye test / gut.

Miles Bridges: Brings physicality, scoring, rebounding, defense. Was the leading scorer and rebounder on CHA two years ago. Has a little Jimmy Butler in him. 36% from three. 6' 7" 225 lbs, 25 years old.

Jerami Grant: A slasher, scorer who gets to the foul line. 40% 3pt shooter on mid volume. Switchable defender with good length. Not a rebounder. 6' 7" 210 lbs, 29 years old.

PJ Washington: Good kid, good teammate, plays the right way. Versatile defender. Low volume shooter. Might not replace THJ's scoring output, shoots 34% from three. 6' 7" 230 lbs, 25 years old.

Andrew Wiggins: Can score, rebound, handle, slash, and defend. Has been a 39% 3pt shooter, but his confidence and shot are off. 6' 7" 200 lbs, 28 years old.

Kyle Kuzma: Confident scorer on poor efficiency. Can defend and handle. Might the best rebounder and playmaker among the options. 6' 10" 220 lbs, 28 years old.

As far as on court play? Here’s my order:

Miles Bridges

Huge gap

Jerami Grant

Gap

PJ Wash, Kuz and Wiggins

Taking assumed cost to acquire into account (and keep for Bridges)?

Bridges

Gap

Grant
PJ
Wiggins
Kuz

I think the ideal straight PF for this team is Tari Eason and the best PF/C option is Beef Stew.

Edit: Also, I have to assume with Bridges being a Christian that he has truly repented of his sins. If God can forgive him, who am I to not?

[KillerLeft]

I don't have a horse in this race but there is only so much you can do in the summer when you are low on tradeable assets because you gave up multiple picks in desperation midseason trades. Not to mention the lack of capspace because they had to max/near max the deadline additions.
Could easily flip this around and think about the lack of assets. Did they lose them in the summer or in midseason trades.

This. I don’t care WHEN they do it, I just want them to skip the bad trades and save up assets until they can actually afford one of the good ones.

[SleepingHero]

Ok I'm going to shut down further Bridges talk. No reason to continue talking about the wife beater. This is for trade rumors, discussions, and targets. If you're suggesting a trade for him then that's fine.

We aren't talking about the morality of if beating your partner is ok. We all know the answer to that. Any further posts about that I'll move it to the troll cave. Moving on.

[SleepingHero]

[Moore] The Pelicans are also known to have made a serious offer for Mikal Bridges and were likewise rebuffed. Two league sources said the Nets have claimed multiple offers of five first-rounders for Mikal Bridges, but I’m pretty skeptical on that front.

"One, it might be five “firsts” with swaps and/or heavily protected picks, and if the offer was really five firsts, why share that and then continue to say they are not interested in trading Mikal Bridges?"

[vfromlmf]

My biggest problem with PJ Washington is if he's so good, why is Cody Martin starting over him? I get that PJ averages a few mpg more than Martin, but before the Rozier trade, PJ was 6th in minutes, 6th in scoring, 5th in rebounding on a bad team. If we're talking about who the best players on that team are you have Bridges, Hayward, LaMelo, B Miller, and Rozier before he was traded who are clearly better.

[MFFL]

Your thesis is that she may have done something to provoke him beating her repeatedly and choking her until she was unconscious?

"maybe getting f'ed up grounded her a bit"

Your mentality is disturbing.  I hope there are no women in your life.  You might fit in well in prison.

youzigizag is all about blaming the victim

[juanc]

I really love the idea od Kuz in Dallas. Forst of all he brings size at 6'9. He moves like a wing and also knows how to play physical. He can score the ball(I know people worry about his efficiency, but I am sure that playing alongside Luka and Kyrie would work wonders for him.
On defense, he has shown when he was a Laker that he can be really good.

[Smitty]

My order:
1. Grant, by far. Doesn't bring rebounding,  but everything else is way above anything we have. No number three guy will be perfect.
2. Wiggins, if he doesn't cost assets and if he can be paired with a PF in the summer (lets say Grant)
3. I don't have an opinion about Kuzma. Worried about his defense, but is far better positional fit than THJ providing similar offensive threat
4. PJ - not interested, because I think he will cost the pick. I don't see why Charlotte would trade him for our bad contracts and meh youngsters. He is like a fourth or fifth option on one of the worst teams in the league, so I am far from convinced he can become number three option Mavs need. I don't want them to spend 2027 on a player that is not a solution. 
5. Bridges. I don't see a feasible way for Mavs to resign him. Even if Mavs dump all those players to clear cap space, they will have to replace them. That would be many vet min guys and nothing more.

Grant would probably be at the top of my list also, if available. I haven’t put much thought into what it would take to get him because I assumed it was 2FRP’s +

Is there anything out there that suggests he might be available for just the one FRP Mavs can trade?

[SleepingHero]

@RickyBeerGuy
Since the start of the 2021-2022 season the Warriors are 36-34 when Steph Draymond and Klay play. They are 33-8 when Steph and Draymond play without Klay.

[Chicagojk]

I'd be curious how you all stack rank the purported F options along with pros & cons of each. I'm assuming THJ will be outgoing, so someone is going to need to replace his scoring. THJ has also been pretty durable. That matters given how many games Kyrie misses. I'll probably try to look up some advanced analytics on these guys, but I haven't compared them yet, so if anyone wants to do that, be my guest :-) This is all just eye test / gut.

Miles Bridges: Brings physicality, scoring, rebounding, defense. Was the leading scorer and rebounder on CHA two years ago. Has a little Jimmy Butler in him. 36% from three. 6' 7" 225 lbs, 25 years old.

Jerami Grant: A slasher, scorer who gets to the foul line. 40% 3pt shooter on mid volume. Switchable defender with good length. Not a rebounder. 6' 7" 210 lbs, 29 years old.

PJ Washington: Good kid, good teammate, plays the right way. Versatile defender. Low volume shooter. Might not replace THJ's scoring output, shoots 34% from three. 6' 7" 230 lbs, 25 years old.

Andrew Wiggins: Can score, rebound, handle, slash, and defend. Has been a 39% 3pt shooter, but his confidence and shot are off. 6' 7" 200 lbs, 28 years old.

Kyle Kuzma: Confident scorer on poor efficiency. Can defend and handle. Might the best rebounder and playmaker among the options. 6' 10" 220 lbs, 28 years old.

It may not be possible and may make us worse this year, maybe.  But if I could move Hardaway to a third team and get the assets for DFS sign me up.  I wouldn’t give up our first or OMAx/green, so that is probably not likely.

The issue with Hardaway is he is never ideal in our closing group but it going to be tough for Kidd to keep him out of closing lineups.  If I could enter this offseason with dFS, Josh, OMAx as our busy bees, we can be aggressive looking for that #3.  Maybe OMAx and Green would be included in that guy as well

[omahen]

Grant would probably be at the top of my list also, if available. I haven’t put much thought into what it would take to get him because I assumed it was 2FRP’s +

Is there anything out there that suggests he might be available for just the one FRP Mavs can trade?

No. But I don't mind waiting until summer and paying 2 FRP for him.

[Smitty]

My biggest problem with PJ Washington is if he's so good, why is Cody Martin starting over him? I get that PJ averages a few mpg more than Martin, but before the Rozier trade, PJ was 6th in minutes, 6th in scoring, 5th in rebounding on a bad team. If we're talking about who the best players on that team are you have Bridges, Hayward, LaMelo, B Miller, and Rozier before he was traded who are clearly better.

All valid points. I’m working on the assumption that the cost to acquire is Grant Williams. 

My opinion of Grant Williams is that the Mavs would be better if he simply never played another minute.

PJW by default is an upgrade at worst and can provide a legitimate difference on the court at best.

[KillerLeft]

All valid points. I’m working on the assumption that the cost to acquire is Grant Williams. 

My opinion of Grant Williams is that the Mavs would be better if he simply never played another minute.

PJW by default is an upgrade at worst and can provide a legitimate difference on the court at best.

PJW versus Williams was a debate here all summer… it would be amazing to get a do over for the Mavs on that. Just amazing.

[ItsGoTime]

Patience for the sake of a better deal around the corner is also not a good plan. If we are to get Grant in the offseason with 2 FRPs, upgrading the team and hopefully getting out of playin range using 1 pick now is a good strategy too.

[Smitty]

PJW versus Williams was a debate here all summer… it would be amazing to get a do over for the Mavs on that. Just amazing.

You and I lead the charge on PJW in the summer. I was even making Maxi comparisons a few years ago. 

Now, I’m not sure he’s quite Maxi (at his best) and I must admit I didn’t expect Gwill to be so bad but I would love to see what he’d look like next to Luka and Kai. He’s a 3 level scorer and a decent defender.

[omahen]

All valid points. I’m working on the assumption that the cost to acquire is Grant Williams. 

Why would Charlotte even consider that? Same position, same age, similar contract (GW contract a bit lower annualy but a year longer), GW having far worse season.

[ItsGoTime]

My biggest problem with PJ Washington is if he's so good, why is Cody Martin starting over him? I get that PJ averages a few mpg more than Martin, but before the Rozier trade, PJ was 6th in minutes, 6th in scoring, 5th in rebounding on a bad team. If we're talking about who the best players on that team are you have Bridges, Hayward, LaMelo, B Miller, and Rozier before he was traded who are clearly better.

PJ and Bridges play the same position, it’s not Martin playing in front of PJ, it’s Bridges. Hope you can see that is easily the right choice.

[Smitty]

Why would Charlotte even consider that? Same position, same age, similar contract (GW contract a bit lower annualy but a year longer), GW having far worse season.

They were rumored to have interest in Williams this summer. Maybe they still believe in him. 

Like the other poster pointed out about PJW status on the hornets. A change of scenery for both could be best for everyone.

[surfpuckmd]

No. But I don't mind waiting until summer and paying 2 FRP for him.

He may be the best fit on this roster and your proposal might be our best option.  Offensively, he's ideal next to Luka, Kyrie and Lively.  The issue is that now that he's on bad teams, he doesn't play defense.  He has the frame and the athleticism though to be a good defender again.  It's a gamble but I think that might be the best move possible.  I'd be willing to pay the two first round picks this coming summer as long as the outgoing salary his Holmes and Kleber or Holmes and Grant Williams.  

We would just need to gradually upgrade our role players over time.