(12-11-2024, 01:42 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: I don't know if that gets it done, and haven't taken even a second to check your math or consider alternative paths, but...for the record, I make that deal in a heartbeat. Even better if you somehow avoid giving up O-Max, but to my mind, adding Jones would more than makeup for the drop-off from Gafford back to the Powell/Kleber combo behind Lively. I know some will disagree, but I think the Mavs come out ahead in that exchange. Herb Jones is a difference making defender.

(12-10-2024, 06:31 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: @TheDunkCentral
Bronny James would likely be included in any deal involving LeBron James, per @AnthonyIrwinLA


“Sources close to the Lakers did say that, if James asked the Lakers to trade him, they would work with him to find a deal that lands him where he'd rather be, but also brings back the kind of return that would jumpstart a rebuild. If James was traded, it's also believed Bronny James would have to be part of the deal.”

(12-11-2024, 01:57 PM)StrandedOnBeauboisHill Wrote: I would say Gafford, OMax and 2 FRPs is a pretty steep price to pay and would be fair value, I think the only way it wouldn't be enough would be if a bidding war starts which very well could happen for a player like Jones.  You could use Maxi or PJs contract instead of Gafford (although I think if you did PJ you'd have to remove OMax or add incoming salary) but knowing the Pels are looking for a center I would assume Gafford is their target based on the betting odds.

I'm with you though, I think Powell/Maxi playing minutes behind Lively would be fine, especially during the regular season.  The other thing to consider when it comes to the minutes behind Lively in a hypothetical like this is that come playoff time you may end up just going small and playing Jones at center the way the Pelicans basically are right now so just noting there's a third option to Powell and Maxi.

(12-12-2024, 04:15 PM)mvossman Wrote: We got DJJ on a vet min deal.  We sent 2nds and a THJ salary dump for Grimes.  We spent well under the MLE for Naji in the open market.  I recognize that Herb is an elite defender while those guys are just very good, but Naji and Grimes are probably better on the other end of the floor.  I'm struggling to see that Herb is worth that much more in assets over those guys.  In my mind those assets need to be reserved for the eventual Kyrie replacement.

(12-12-2024, 04:15 PM)mvossman Wrote: We got DJJ on a vet min deal.  We sent 2nds and a THJ salary dump for Grimes.  We spent well under the MLE for Naji in the open market.  I recognize that Herb is an elite defender while those guys are just very good, but Naji and Grimes are probably better on the other end of the floor.  I'm struggling to see that Herb is worth that much more in assets over those guys.  In my mind those assets need to be reserved for the eventual Kyrie replacement.

(12-13-2024, 03:49 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: For me, it's simple. Jones is a much better player than Gafford, and while Gafford is a very good player, he's playing behind a much better one right now, with difficult salary decisions looming in the near and medium-distant future. This would be exchanging one player for a better one who'd actually slot in pretty nicely as a starter, filling a need that literally every team has, while robbing from an area of the Mavs' team that's luxuriously deep. I don't have a problem having two centers who could start (love it, actually) and it's not like Gafford is "burning a hole in my pocket" if I'm in their shoes, but for me, Herb Jones would be a needle mover. Much, much better than Thybulle, DJJ or any of the others we discuss on a regular basis. He might be the best wing defender in the game already, and he's still young. 

I highly doubt this will happen (our proposed trades aren't enough to pry Jones loose, I don't think, and there's a price at some point where things start to look risky from Dallas' POV), but I'd happily do Gafford, a smaller piece and a late first for Herb Jones without blinking. I think that would be a game changer for this team. 

Plus, and I haven't really thought much about alternatives, but...they HAVE TO shed salary soon. They MUST. Without spending a ton of time examining their options, it seems likely to me that Kleber or Gafford...maybe BOTH will be gone soon. It just makes a little sense to me to get the high dollar contracts all attached to players who might deserve high-minute roles in the playoffs. I feel like that would make some of those decisions easier, but I might think otherwise after analyzing. I just don't want to see them let Daniel Gafford, an asset that they have basically elevated to his all-time high, leave in free agency for nothing, which kind of seems likely to me at this point.

(12-14-2024, 12:35 AM)myconsumerclub Wrote: Defensively we have PJ, Naji and Grimes plus our 2 centers and Maxie that is fairly stout defense guys. I think the offense these guys provide is fairly nice for what we expect from them. Ky and Luka are improved greatly on D and they score 50+ a night on average so I see no need to make moves for the sake of doing so, other than adding more plays and developing more chemistry that is the kind of moves I want to see.

Now if Kidd will just stop playing Din against teams that play better D maybe we will win more games and nobody will be talking about our need to make a trade. Hardy will be an ever improving asset and next year maybe then he will fetch more back in a trade, especially after he scores 20 points in a play off game. Let him develop his game more and we roll Omax out there next as our newest find needing to be groomed for greatness. Din is for use in emergency situations only. Remember that Exum has not even gotten back from injury so we may need to keep Hardy and DIN till he is better. O Max looks like he is going to be special as well so lets not trade him off yet. Gortman is another asset that needs developing.

I would keep our pick to grab a center like Kalkbrenner who is tall enough and hits 3 pointers at a nice clip (.429 at this point). I mean unless you can see improvement from Sharp in Frisco and I would expect to see him replace a 2 way with a chance to play for the A team later this year and maybe get some burn in the play offs if that was the case.

The 2 Ivisic brothers look interesting Tom and Von who is a better 3 point shooter for sure at .556 Zvonimir is the better shooter and shot blocker as well with over 4 a game, but Tomislav gets almost double the rebounds at 12 a game. Jus get them both the shooter can play PF and his brother can play nearer the rim to rebound and in their off time they can serve as Lukas private body guards. Tom 7'1 is ranked 45 and Zvon is at 48 so both will be available to us. A Dirk lite type might be fun to have on the team. You could shore up the teams needs at center with Tom to back up live and Zvon to make us imagine Dirk is out there again.

(12-14-2024, 01:36 PM)Mavs2021 Wrote: The more I read about the Pelicans organisation (latest injury related comments by Daniels), the more I think we should at least try to get Zion for the 2025 + 2031 1sts unprotected in the summer. It really sounds like Zion moved into a McDonald´s with Dr. Oz as his personal trainer and doctor.

(12-14-2024, 01:36 PM)Mavs2021 Wrote: The more I read about the Pelicans organisation (latest injury related comments by Daniels), the more I think we should at least try to get Zion for the 2025 + 2031 1sts unprotected in the summer. It really sounds like Zion moved into a McDonald´s with Dr. Oz as his personal trainer and doctor.

(12-14-2024, 02:50 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: I honestly wouldn’t be opposed to it, but I don’t think the Pelicans would want to trade Zion to an in -conference team.

Also, matching the contracts would be tough. And do we really want to have oft-injured Zion taking 30% of the teams cap?

(12-14-2024, 04:42 PM)Knutsen Wrote: Dennis Schröder to the Warriors, basically for two second rounders - they trade three second rounders and Melton and get one back. Would have loved him for that price, he‘s a level above Dinwiddie and Exum.

(12-14-2024, 04:42 PM)Knutsen Wrote: Dennis Schröder to the Warriors, basically for two second rounders - they trade three second rounders and Melton and get one back. Would have loved him for that price, he‘s a level above Dinwiddie and Exum.

(12-14-2024, 06:04 PM)DallasMaverick Wrote: Such a cancerous personality. 

I’m sure that contributed to the low valuation.