Shams: Nico to be fired today!

[mvossman]

I'd do Harris, Ivey and Holland with some unprotected firsts.  We also send back Caleb Martin and Hardy using trade exceptions

The Ringer (I mention mostly because its an outside unbiased source) had those three plus Stewart for AD and Klay.  No picks.  All of the other trades had picks, so I guess they value the young guys.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

Another way to look at this is using AD in a deal that helps teams fit better:

Mavs receive Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, GS' 2026 and 2028 unprotected 1sts, a future 1st from the Bucks in probably 2027 (it will be low because it will swapped multiple times first)

Warriors receive AD

Bucks receive Jimmy Butler and Gafford

The Mavs and Warriors angle works because Butler and AD have the exact same salary. As for assets, AD fits what the Warriors need more than Butler.

The Bucks need wing scoring.
I think Turner would thrive in Dallas and a center combo of him and Lively would be great.

Yes, the Mavs would be eating Kuzma, but they would get a younger big man and three firsts, including GS' 2028, which could be very nice.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Is Jaden Ivey still highly regarded? I haven’t really kept up with him since he came into the league.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Things like aprons, desire to keep from paying tax, and lack of such exceptions would likely be in the way of such wishes.

Detroit has their Mid Level and BAE.  They are 18mm under the tax according to Spotrac.  I originally had this as Martin/Exum in the MLE, but for some crazy reason the Spotrac trade checker accepted Hardy (who obviously doesn't fit in the BAE or in the MLE with Martin).  They would be hard capped at the first apron in a Martin/Exum deal (or Martin/Powell), but wouldn't be very close to it...again according to Spotrac's numbers.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Is Jaden Ivey still highly regarded? I haven’t really kept up with him since he came into the league.

Is Davis?

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Is Jaden Ivey still highly regarded? I haven’t really kept up with him since he came into the league.

He was playing well before he broke his leg just before the AS break last year, and missed the rest of the season. And he's currently out after having knee surgery. Expected back sometime in early December. Can't get a read on him because of that.

[KillerLeft]

Is Davis?

Of course! 

I think people are really out of control with the Davis negativity. I get it, because his time here has been disappointing, especially in the wake of how he got here. But, I would be very surprised if his value wasn’t higher than Kyrie’s was when the Mavericks traded for him. He would still be very high on my list of the best centers in the league.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Keep calm... Dump Davis is stupid. We have time.

Let him recover, play well some games and trade him high...

[DanSchwartzgan]

Of course! 

I think people are really out of control with the Davis negativity. I get it, because his time here has been disappointing, especially in the wake of how he got here. But, I would be very surprised if his value wasn’t higher than Kyrie’s was when the Mavericks traded for him. He would still be very high on my list of the best centers in the league.

First, your bold "out of control" negativity statement doesn't match up with your not so bold prediction.  What we gave for Kyrie was basically a single unprotected distant pick.  Dinwiddie was expiring filler and DFS was basically a 5th starter/MLE type.  The single pick was the only thing that mattered.  I've seen people quoting tweets about 5+ picks.  I even saw someone say 8.  That may prove to be the prediction that is out of control optimistic.

I get that people don't keep up with what other posters say, but I was the one talking about the need to have a strategy to maximize AD's value (and how that might conflict with a Tank is that is indeed happening) well before Nico was fired.  AD is potentially valuable, but not if you rush it.  I've seen national writers and podcasters struggle to come up with a market for AD let alone a terrific return.  I'm preparing myself to be disappointed and looking up the term "sunk cost" to make sure I'm using it correctly when the time comes.  What AD's theoretical value is and what someone who actually has to put him in a lineup will pay appear to be two different things to me...especially if everyone knows there is a mandate to trade him.

Scattershooting:  I saw where some executive survey had Matt Riccardi as the highest rated Asst. GM in the league (I believe I heard that on Take dat wit you).   Part of me wonders if that is our next GM.  If I knew I was going to do that in a few months, the exact thing I would have done is appoint him and the long-time former player Finley as co-interim.  Then, when it felt right, I'd name Riccardi as the guy.  The good news there would be continuity within the front office and with the CEO and coach.  That would also be the bad news.  I'd highly recommend the podcast I linked.  He's been part of some big trades.  His humility and collaborative personality seem to be the exact opposite of Nico's.

More Scattershooting:  It won't be SGA and it won't be five picks and two swaps, but if we deal AD, I want a current young player with upside who fits the Flagg timeline.  It doesn't have to be a PG.  Just someone who we look at and think "I can see that being really good" five years from now.  I don't care about the number of picks.  I care about the quality of picks.  Hopefully we as fans understand the difference by now.

#3:  One of the techniques of an undercover tank is holding out injured players longer than necessary when they return from injury.  Part of me thinks PD ordering AD be held out is just sending a message that we don't have to hurry him now that Nico's gone.  After all, we are no longer interested in proving Nico's vision.  But, a little sliver of me wonders if this is another minor clue that we might be tanking (or at least willing to go there depending on how things fall).  Personally, I'd all for sending AD to Luka Boot Camp for two weeks before letting him back on the court.  Let the losses mount.

[mvossman]

First, your bold "out of control" negativity statement doesn't match up with your not so bold prediction.  What we gave for Kyrie was basically a single unprotected distant pick.  Dinwiddie was expiring filler and DFS was basically a 5th starter/MLE type.  The single pick was the only thing that mattered.  I've seen people quoting tweets about 5+ picks.  I even saw someone say 8.  That may prove to be the prediction that is out of control optimistic.

I think you are underselling DFS value.  If Mavs put him on open market back then, he would have easily fetched a first.

The folks quoting AD being worth 4-5 picks were sarcastic and from what I read it was universally agreed on this board that was never going to happen.  I didn't see anyone seriously suggest he is worth 8.  There are more posters saying he is negative value than suggesting he is worth anywhere near 5+ picks.

[mvossman]

Scattershooting:  I saw where some executive survey had Matt Riccardi as the highest rated Asst. GM in the league (I believe I heard that on Take dat wit you).   Part of me wonders if that is our next GM.  If I knew I was going to do that in a few months, the exact thing I would have done is appoint him and the long-time former player Finley as co-interim.  Then, when it felt right, I'd name Riccardi as the guy.  The good news there would be continuity within the front office and with the CEO and coach.  That would also be the bad news.  I'd highly recommend the podcast I linked.  He's been part of some big trades.  His humility and collaborative personality seem to be the exact opposite of Nico's.

Isn't Riccardi the one tied to Kidd.  For that reason alone I hope they don't go that route.

[KillerLeft]

First, your bold "out of control" negativity statement doesn't match up with your not so bold prediction. 

I can see how that would come across poorly in this context, sorry. I didn't mean that as a rebuttal to you, personally (a difficult thing to glean, given that it was the very first sentence in a post replying to you, personally). I'm just reading nothing but "Davis sucks" stuff around here lately, and I really don't think that's the reality of where we are, that's all. I apologize for not being more careful.

[Scott41theMavs]

Isn't Riccardi the one tied to Kidd.  For that reason alone I hope they don't go that route.

I'm starting to squirm that they haven't announced Lindsay as the new GM yet. Not a Riccardi fan.

[KillerLeft]

I'm starting to squirm that they haven't announced Lindsay as the new GM yet. Not a Riccardi fan.

I think figuring this out might take a while, my guy. 

Then again, when the rumors of an imminent Harrison departure started floating, I was thinking Christmas, maybe. So...

[KillerLeft]

I could be wrong, but while Ricardi was impressive in that interview, my takeaway is that he's a fine Keith Grant replacement, not a GM.

I'd be pretty underwhelmed with that choice, but I'd go into it with an open mind. He's obviously smart, but there's zero chance he wasn't involved in figuring out the Luka thing, given that he's obviously the team's cap guy. Maybe he did voice concerns, idk, but he didn't talk them out of it, if so. If we're to believe the Dennis Lindsey hype around here (not sure if I do, to be clear), then he probably would've talked them out of it.

I think whether we want to admit it or not, Harrison did have a certain gravitas around the league that was pretty helpful, and I'd prefer to choose another guy with some of those same qualities, but sane.

I'll leave you all with this fine Sopranos clip to illustrate my point (sorry for the language if some find it offensive):
https://youtu.be/7kFcNj2H3z0?si=pPqweZVGecT3wptU

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

Has it been pointed out that in one email exchange with a fellow GM, Nico placed Jrue Holliday on the same tier as Jokic?

Furthering that discussion, there are some who at best, feel Nico was xenophobic against Europeans, or, at worst, racist against white players.

Think about it: the Mavs went from being one of the most diverse teams in the league to Nico trading the last two Euros (Luka and Maxi) in the same deal.

One struggles to find a reason why Nico would somehow put AD on the same tier as Luka, and then his justification suddenly appears.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Too easy shoot at the fall guy now...

[Jmaciscool]

Has it been pointed out that in one email exchange with a fellow GM, Nico placed Jrue Holliday on the same tier as Jokic?

Furthering that discussion, there are some who at best, feel Nico was xenophobic against Europeans, or, at worst, racist against white players.

Think about it: the Mavs went from being one of the most diverse teams in the league to Nico trading the last two Euros (Luka and Maxi) in the same deal.

One struggles to find a reason why Nico would somehow put AD on the same tier as Luka, and then his justification suddenly appears.

Was he undervaluing Jokic or overvaluing Jrue? Haven't seen the email exchange you're referring to, so I have no idea, but it sounds like it may be possible he was just REALLY overvaluing Jrue by putting him in the same tier as Jokic. Either way it's not good talent evaluation since they clearly aren't in the same tier, but I don't know if it constitutes xenophobia.

To me it seems like his main bias was favoring players he had past relationships with over those he didn't know as well, and it seems like most of those came from his time at Nike which would be limited to (mostly) American athletes. He worked with them while they were in their primes signing shoe deals and I would wager that was how he thought of them (in their primes) even if they were starting to slide out of that.

In the end it obviously was not a good fit regardless of why he did the things he did, and I'm glad he's gone.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

Was he undervaluing Jokic or overvaluing Jrue? Haven't seen the email exchange you're referring to,  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006b2sGZXBk&t=312s