(02-04-2025, 11:46 AM)DallasMaverick Wrote: Chief Balancing Officer.

Trying to balance all the knee-jerk, doom-and-gloomers in the fanverse.j

(02-04-2025, 11:46 AM)DallasMaverick Wrote: Chief Balancing Officer.

Trying to balance all the knee-jerk, doom-and-gloomers in the fanverse.j

(02-04-2025, 11:54 AM)BigDirk41 Wrote: You're clearly a mouth piece for the Mavs. Keep up their good work. You, Charles Barkley, and Kendrick Perkins are on the same page.

(02-04-2025, 11:22 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: For me, this doesn't change anything, either way. I know that sounds crazy, but here's where I am with it: 

I have grown to respect Kyrie, and after being horrified by the trade to bring him in, I've come around completely. I'm glad they made that trade (less so now, but that's not his fault). He's a hell of a player, too. 

However, I don't consider Kyrie "a Maverick," at least not to an extent that makes me want to root for the team. My allegiance, at this point, is based on decades of Mavs fandom. There really isn't a "star" here I care about anymore. I love Lively and PJW, and I suppose I can grow to love some others who are here, but I now feel as I would've felt after Dirk's retirement had Luka not overlapped with him, despite Kyrie and AD being on the team. 

Further, I do not believe that Kyrie and AD are the nucleus of a championship team, so while I'll probably watch to see how all this plays out, I am expecting this not to result in a championship. It honestly doesn't matter to me whether we figure out it won't work this summer, by the next trade deadline, whatever. I'm already there in my heart.

(02-04-2025, 12:01 PM)mvossman Wrote: If he bails you have no way to replace him and this team is likely lottery bound for the foreseeable future without control of any of their first round picks.

(02-04-2025, 12:02 PM)ThisIStheYear Wrote: Here’s the silver lining. The Mavs created a little salary cap flexibility, so Nico has opportunities to continue to be the hero in the story!! LOL

In seriousness, the fan backlash has been intense on an unprecedented scale. Ownership may have thought they were saving a ton of money with this trade. But now, to save face and regain credibility, they may just have to do something else big, and by big, I mean expensive.  That would make me feel a little better.  Buy us off.

(02-04-2025, 12:01 PM)mvossman Wrote: I mean, if you have any Mavs fandom left (not sure that I do) then you have to be terrified of Kyrie leaving.  If he bails you have no way to replace him and this team is likely lottery bound for the foreseeable future without control of any of their first round picks.  I see little hope for this team both short term and long term, but Kyrie bailing would be the final nail in the coffin.

(02-04-2025, 12:06 PM)mvossman Wrote: Given how bad Nico is with negotiating, I would be terrified that he is going to make some big moves.  He has already made it clear he doesn't care about the future.  He might send out the 31 and Lakers pick and this team will have to wait 7 years before it can even attempt to rebuild.

(02-04-2025, 12:22 PM)bubbler86 Wrote: Last year he negotiated PJ and Gafford here.   One can argue they gave up too much but he put NBA Champion level team on the court.  No defending the Luka trade but he was the toast of the town 12-14 months ago.