(02-11-2021, 01:37 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: 1. They failed to reach an agreement on an extension.

(02-11-2021, 01:37 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: 2. They signed a high-profile, high-dollar FA who plays his position.

(02-11-2021, 01:37 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: 3. They drafted a guy with a high pick who plays his position (I read this the same way I read the Mavs zeroing in on Green - they're hoping he will make it easier to move either THJ or Richardson). 

(02-11-2021, 01:37 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: You can bully me or others all you want, but I'm watching the situation until he has signed his name on a new Atlanta contract, personally.

(02-11-2021, 01:37 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: I do NOT think this one is so unlikely as to be deemed not discussion-worthy. You are free to disagree, of course.

(02-11-2021, 02:23 PM)omahen Wrote: Never said you can't discuss it.

(02-11-2021, 11:18 AM)RDB Wrote: If I were Donnie and he makes it past the TDL, I would have his agent on speed dial.  As soon as FA begins, I try to get him locked down to an offer and either make Atl. match or do a S&T with us.  Risky...sure.  Likely to work...won’t know until you try.  If you are going to take a shot, this is the off-season to try.

(02-11-2021, 02:26 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Awesome. I will move forward then, having happily secured your permission.

(02-11-2021, 03:15 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: My question for the board: Who else would solve this problem, allowing the Mavs to play four bigs in their 9-man rotation, and which of them are actually attainable?

(02-11-2021, 03:15 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: So here's a roster problem that I don't see many people discussing:

The Mavs currently have 4 playable, useful bigs on their roster - KP, Kleber, Powell and WCS. Lately, when wins have been so needed that nothing else matters, Carlisle has shortened his rotation to 8, basically. I do not believe he WANTS to do this. I think he WANTS to play all 4 of those bigs, but can't. 

1) I'm a believer in what @"DanSchwartzgan" was selling all off-season, about how the KP/Powell pairing was a dream on offense, but I think it's pretty clear at this point, based on Carlisle's choices and more than a few comments from KP, himself, that HE prefers NOT to be just a spacer. HE wants to set screens, play off of Luka, etc. 

2) So, that means that while Porzingis CAN be paired with Powell and WCS for stretches, it's not what the team (or at least KP) believes is in in their best interest, offensively. I think we can say this definitively, regardless of what the numbers tell us. I know some will disagree, but I think KP prefers for Kleber to stand in the corner, creating space for HIM to do his thing, as opposed to KP having to stand in the corner to allow Powell to do his thing, which is the way the team played for about the first 2/3 of last season. 

3) That means that KP, who is a MAX CONTRACT player around whom the team is being built, and who is very likely to start and end most games, believes that the team should play in such a way that the 4, whoever it is, needs to be a shooter. Hence, Kleber starting and Carlisle STILL playing stretches where KP is the only big out there, despite @"Kammrath"'s constant reminders that he probably doesn't like doing that. Recently, Carlisle has even opted to play Powell as the only big for stretches, I assume to free up Kleber to stay on the court with KP. I think they are jumping through hoops right now to make KP work, and it's not going well. 

4) Powell and WCS absolutely cannot play together on offense. It's a total nonstarter, imo, and not even worth trying to make work. 

So, it seems clear to me that either KP is going to need to be told "go stand in the corner and be quiet while we run pick and roll with Luka/Powell or Luka/WCS" or the Mavs are going to need another 4 who can shoot. That's the only way to make it through an entire game with KP playing the role he wants to play, without giving some time to the KP/DFS/Luka front court that most people here hate so much. 

I, personally, think Collins is the ideal solution, as it allows Kleber to come off of the bench for EITHER Porzingis OR Collins, and then stay on the court, fitting PERFECTLY with either Powell or WCS (whichever Carlisle likes better). But, he's not the only solution out there. I think Gallo would help quite a bit, for example, so there's merit in what @"StepBackJay" has been saying lately. 

My question for the board: Who else would solve this problem, allowing the Mavs to play four bigs in their 9-man rotation, and which of them are actually attainable?

(02-11-2021, 02:28 PM)michaeltex Wrote: Personally, I have zero confidence for the MBT making a star-level UFA signing. DAL is well down the list on preferred destinations, IMO, and the past success rate is pretty dismal. I think the success will come through trades either at the TDL or in the offseason.

I'm not totally out on KP, but I can see him moving for the right piece(s). I'd like to keep Brunson for now, unless I can get an immediate starter-level contributor in return. STill not sold that JR is the answer at the 2. I like how he plays, but there are holes sometimes that need filling.

I do like Collins, but I think we would need to keep KP or get a replacement pretty quickly.

(02-11-2021, 03:27 PM)BasketballJones41 Wrote: I agree with everything you said above. For all of those reasons John Collins would be an ideal fit here. If not him I think the obvious answer is Markkanen. He’s also a restricted free agent this year and will likely cost less than Collins. He’ll probably also be a little easier to get. Another name that stands out to me is Zach Collins from Portland. Right off the bat his injury history concerns me especially when we’ve already got Porzingis. But when healthy he seems like a younger version of Maxi with more upside. So those would be the three dudes I’d be looking at the trade deadline or this off-season.

(02-11-2021, 03:28 PM)RDB Wrote: I was talking about potentially making an offer to Collins (a RFA) if he makes it to the off-season.  I agree that we don’t have a great history with UFA’s.

(02-11-2021, 02:23 PM)omahen Wrote: Collins demanded max, Atlanta didn't want to commit, yet. They don't have to, because they can always match max offer if someone offers it. This is their worst case. Atlanta has all the leverage to wait and consider if they really have to pay max. This doesn't in any way incline that Atlanta is considering if they want to keep Collins or not. This is smart asset management

That is an assumption.  We do know they did offer a reported $90 mil but if I were placing odds, I would suggest that it is more likely they were questioning his max contract worthiness or their future direction vs. that they were going to keep him hanging for another year.  If it’s a foregone conclusion, why not just sign him.


Which gives them options, nothing else. Gallo from the bench gives them an offensive boost from the bench and they had all the luxury to pay him. What else would they do with their cap space? They freaking paid Rondo 15 mil for 2 years.

It still doesn’t change the fact that they could have signed Collins.  Instead, they beefed up at his position.  If he is a cornerstone and it’s a foregone conclusion, why run the risk of alienating him or having something crazy happen like...I don’t know just spitballing...maybe him having some kind of issue with Trae.


This one was very strange. While it was obvious they desperately need secondary playmaking and a bunch of it was available (Hayes, Haliburton), they went for a big. 

Could be nothing...could be something.  It is interesting that the primary focus was on bigs.


Bully? I am just posting arguments why I think summer scenarios of Collins are a pipedream. As big as Giannis was, imho. Perhaps even bigger. Because next to all the Atlanta reasons there is still a fact, that you are basically giving up THJ and Richardson for a shot at Collins. While I love Collins, I think it would be very difficult to replace the loss of both JRich and THJ, hence it makes even less possibility for it to happen in the summer. 

Sorry KL but I don’t feel bullied.  I think you make good POSSIBLE counterpoints.  It’s just the absolute certainty that some have as to what Atlanta will do that bugs me.  And I will say it again, the Atl. boards and Soaring Down Folks don’t share the same level of certainty as you.

I firmly believe Mavs will be over the cap in the summer, as there just isn't a free agent worthwhile sacrificing both guards. Unless of course they both wouldn't want to resign. But that would be a very bad sign.

---

Never said you can't discuss it. I just say it is unlikely. Way more chance to trade for him than hope to sign him in the summer.

(02-11-2021, 03:51 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Anyone else have any ideas?

(02-11-2021, 04:07 PM)BasketballJones41 Wrote: Just a quick question for those of you that understand the cap. If we were to swing a trade for Collins or Markkanen at the deadline would we be able to re-sign them along with Hardaway and Richardson this summer?

(02-11-2021, 03:44 PM)michaeltex Wrote: I'm not saying don't do it, but I hate the 3 day waiting time for RFAs. The bidding team basically goes on hold while waiting on the current team to decide whether or not to match. DAL doesn't play that game well and usually ends up with table scraps as a result.


My impression is that any positive changes over the last 10-15 years have come through trades and the occasional draft success.

(02-11-2021, 04:09 PM)ItsGoTime Wrote: Yes

(02-11-2021, 03:45 PM)ItsGoTime Wrote: This is where the Parsons contract comes in handy. Making the max contract have a non-trade clause so it makes it even harder for ATL to match might do the trick since they seem to want to move on from him. The no-trade clause makes it a pure decision for them to keep him for the future, or let him go. If they were willing to match a max contract then sell him when available to the multiple teams willing to give him that contract, that comes off the table.