(07-05-2021, 05:28 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Gotta say this: I LIKE Melli. 

Guys like that, who play hard and make an impact on ALL areas of the game, but who can be had for at or near the minimum, are harder to find than we know, I'd bet. I hope he's back. 

I made a similar argument about Burke last year, and though his season was disappointing to me, I still stand by it. Deals like that don't get in your way, and they make great throw-ins for trades when needed.

(07-05-2021, 07:38 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: Going to sign with Italy sometime today or tomorrow.

(07-05-2021, 11:51 AM)loki Wrote: I think Dallas needs to land 4 rotation players this offseason to have a real shot at winning a playoff series. Not going to be easy at all. The key may be in finding a way to turn any signings into sign and trades in order to operate over the cap. 

Luka / Brunson
?? / ??
DFS
?? / Kleber
Porzingis / ??

I still believe Mike Conley is the most sensible target due to fit and their desire to land a big name. Richardson + Burke + Terry + Green would work in a SnT for Conley at $50m/2. The Mavs should be looking for takers for Richardson and Burke as one or both would probably need to go to a third team.

Then you've theoretically got about $13m left in cap space. Enough to offer a deal to someone like Theis and turn it into a SnT for WCS at $7m per.

Next re-sign THJ, spend the MLE on Batum, and fill out the roster with minimum contracts.

Luka / Brunson
Conley / THJ
DFS
Batum / Kleber
Porzingis / Theis

(07-05-2021, 07:46 PM)mvossman Wrote: I think it is unlikely you are going to be able engineer a S&T for Conley.  I doubt he leaves regardless, but if you do pry him away I don't see a S&T that makes sense for both.

Still, a Conley/Batum offseason would be a win.  And you would still have the room.  It would look like:

Conley/Brunson
Luka/Room
DFS/Green
Batum/Maxi
KP/Powell

(07-05-2021, 08:39 PM)loki Wrote: I think Conley will go to the highest bidder since this is almost certainly his last big payday. And as much as Utah wants to keep him, they're going to struggle to offer anything near 20-25m due to the tax implications. If they are serious about keeping him they will likely need to dump Favors or make another significant move.

As far as a S&T, I think Utah would be very open to it if Conley is already gone. The main question is whether they have any interest in Richardson since he is probably necessary to match salary. Sending JRich to a third team would complicate things, but could still be workable. Maybe to Boston for the remainder of their Hayward trade exception?

They would absolutely be interested in Brunson (hope Dallas doesn't go there), and I'm sure they wouldn't mind getting back players on cheap contracts like Cauley-Stein, Green, or Terry.

(07-05-2021, 09:46 PM)mvossman Wrote: Seems like you would be dumping legit assets for air as well as involving multiple teams, all for the right to overpay THJ to be a backup shooting guard.  Also, I try to lean towards simplicity when thinking possible free agency ideas.  It is already unlikely that we outbid everyone for Conley's services, adding in the complexity of a three team deal that does not involve us giving away too many assets moves us into highly unlikely territory.

I think if we are going to hang on to KP, yet still go after a free agent "star" then I think most basic scenarios they will operate under the cap and sign the star and have a little over MLE money to sign a second quality starter (and the room to beef up the bench).  That means THJ is most likely gone.  If I were to make a prediction, it would be the following (in order of likelihood):

Sign DeRozan to 4/100 and spend rest on 3&D wing/guard (Green?)

Sign Conley to 3/72 and spend rest on a 4 (Batum?)

Sign Lowry to 2/50 and spend rest on a 4 (Batum?)

Trade Brunson/asset for Ball at 4/100 and spend rest on a 4 (Batum?)

Trade Maxi+ for Collins at Max and spend rest on a reasonable priced play maker (Jackson?)

I think DeRozan is by far the most likely, and I agree with others that would be a disaster defensively and would prefer to send KP to the Spurs and build a defense around Luka/DeRozan with cap space, but that has a lot more moving parts and I'm not convinced yet that the Mavs are ready to move him yet (especially for air).

(07-05-2021, 07:41 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Guessing, or have you seen something?

(07-05-2021, 09:46 PM)mvossman Wrote: Seems like you would be dumping legit assets for air as well as involving multiple teams, all for the right to overpay THJ to be a backup shooting guard.  Also, I try to lean towards simplicity when thinking possible free agency ideas.  It is already unlikely that we outbid everyone for Conley's services, adding in the complexity of a three team deal that does not involve us giving away too many assets moves us into highly unlikely territory.

I think if we are going to hang on to KP, yet still go after a free agent "star" then I think most basic scenarios they will operate under the cap and sign the star and have a little over MLE money to sign a second quality starter (and the room to beef up the bench).  That means THJ is most likely gone.  If I were to make a prediction, it would be the following (in order of likelihood):

Sign DeRozan to 4/100 and spend rest on 3&D wing/guard (Green?)

Sign Conley to 3/72 and spend rest on a 4 (Batum?)

Sign Lowry to 2/50 and spend rest on a 4 (Batum?)

Trade Brunson/asset for Ball at 4/100 and spend rest on a 4 (Batum?)

Trade Maxi+ for Collins at Max and spend rest on a reasonable priced play maker (Jackson?)

I think DeRozan is by far the most likely, and I agree with others that would be a disaster defensively and would prefer to send KP to the Spurs and build a defense around Luka/DeRozan with cap space, but that has a lot more moving parts and I'm not convinced yet that the Mavs are ready to move him yet (especially for air).

(07-05-2021, 10:12 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/1226081/milano-nicolo-melli-close-to-a-deal/

(07-05-2021, 09:58 PM)cjeter24 Wrote: I get why people are interested in Derozan despite me hating the idea of him on the Mavs. I will be absolutely shocked if the Mavs are in on Derozan at all. He just doesn't fit what the Mavs have been trying to build around Luka. Shooters and guys who can defend. Derozan is neither. I realize the FO has changed and things may change... But Mark is still in charge and the general theme still seems to be its all about Luka. And Derozan will not make life easier for Luka at all when they are on the floor together. 

I think the most likely is resign THJ, Richardson opts in and you go after a guard and forward via trade and MLE. 
Next likely is Richardson opts in and you exchange THJ for someone else like Conley or Powell that can shoot and playmake/defend better than THJ and you somehow make the cap work via trade. Essentially the THJ upgrade route or THJ leaves route. Perhaps you bring in Dragic as the 6th man. 
Least likely, Richardson opts out and you use all your cap space on one guy.

(07-05-2021, 10:33 PM)loki Wrote: You're only involving a 3rd team if they don't want Richardson. If Conley agrees to a deal with Dallas, it will be Utah on the phone asking for a S&T to at least get a trade exception out of it. The opportunity will be there to work something out. If the Mavs have done their homework beforehand they should have a good feel for the JRich market. If there are no takers they don't have to waste any time. I don't see that as being overly complicated.

There's also no requirement to overpay THJ in this scenario. I would advocate a 64/4 declining contract so he's a trade asset in a year or two. Much better than letting talent walk for nothing. But even if you lose him to a team like Miami, the S&T still preserves the full MLE. If they sign a player into cap space they'll have to renounce the MLE/BAE and will only have the room exception available at about $5m. I'm skeptical you can find a starter for that amount.

(07-05-2021, 10:40 PM)Mavs2021 Wrote: I´d pay to watch a 30 for 30 on the whole Redick/Melli trade unfolding. So much to pick apart there it is absolutely amazing. Who was driving this stupid trade? Cuban, Nelson, Carlisle, Bob? Did Nelson know he was getting fired and just FU trading? Did Cuban do it for the podcast rights of Redick? Why did San Antonio reject the trade for UFA Lyles? Did Melli already negotiate with Milano, at the time of the trade. Did they really think Redick could be an on-court contributor?  In a way it was a worthy ending to this dysfunctional mess.

(07-06-2021, 09:04 AM)mvossman Wrote: That was last years plan.  Did you see Mark's latest statement?  I don't have the quote handy, but other than calling KP "is what he is" he mentioned the need for a second scorer/playmaker with size.  Who fits that bill?

They have been talking since before the trade deadline that they were going to make big moves this offseason and just hired a new regime that looks specifically constructed to attract free agents.  If they go down the path you are describing, it will likely have been plan Z as they failed at every attempt to land a "star".

(07-06-2021, 10:13 AM)F Gump Wrote: The new regime is the old regime. Right? Isn't it Cuban still creating the game plan and deciding how to play the game to try to land new players? Isn't he still jabbering away about all the ways they will do this and that, like always, and trying to sell everyone on what brilliant plans they have as he talks about his plans through the media?

(07-06-2021, 10:19 AM)mvossman Wrote: I fear that it is so.  That is why I read a lot into Cuban's statements.  And my reference to the new regime is not about their decision process, its about Cuban's decision process and what the new regime represents (an attempt by Cuban to improve the ability to sign free agents).

(07-06-2021, 10:13 AM)F Gump Wrote: The new regime is the old regime. Right? Isn't it Cuban still creating the game plan and deciding how to play the game to try to land new players? Isn't he still jabbering away about all the ways they will do this and that, like always, and trying to sell everyone on what brilliant plans they have as he talks about his plans through the media?

(07-06-2021, 09:24 AM)mvossman Wrote: It's fairly obvious that Melli was simply salary matching.  They scrambled to find a replacement when the Spurs backed out.

I'm confused on why this trade is considered such a big deal/failure?  The only asset they lost was a late second round pick.  Are we going to make a big deal about that?  They obviously tried to get more value out of Johnson, but struck out on all other options.  If he had gotten healthy, Redick would have been a help to a bench unit that was getting killed regularly.  Ideally they could have gotten more out of Johnson, but I prefer the shot they took to doing nothing.

(07-06-2021, 09:04 AM)mvossman Wrote: That was last years plan.  Did you see Mark's latest statement?  I don't have the quote handy, but other than calling KP "is what he is" he mentioned the need for a second scorer/playmaker with size.  Who fits that bill?

They have been talking since before the trade deadline that they were going to make big moves this offseason and just hired a new regime that looks specifically constructed to attract free agents.  If they go down the path you are describing, it will likely have been plan Z as they failed at every attempt to land a "star".