Trade & FA 2024-25:

[KillerLeft]

That's interesting, Smitty. Where does that come from?

[Smitty]

That's interesting, Smitty. Where does that come from?

Stein’s substack.

[JamesConway912]

That’s actually pretty big news. Dinwiddie, Lowry, DSJ are all options I’d guess.

[RGP1981]

2) The Clippers aren't trading Mann for Kleber when they're desperate to field a competitive roster.

3) That's why they're trying to get Miles Bridges for Mann, who by all accounts, is much better than Kleber.

I'm not trying to trade Kleber to LAC. It was reported that LAC could send Powell and Mann in a package for Bridges. So my hope is this:

LAC get: Miles Bridges
CHA get: Norman Powell, Kleber, maybe a lottery protected pick from Mavs?
DAL get: Terance Mann

4) You've taken away minutes from Grimes/Hardy/Klay with this trade. How do you expect them all to get any sort of time in a playoff series if Mann is supposed to be getting 20-25mpg?

DJJ, Green, Kleber, THJ, Exum, Hardy, Morris and Lawson played a total of 1,758 minutes in last season's playoffs. 1,758 minutes / 22 games played is about 80 minutes per game that can be distributed among Grimes/Klay/Mann... which should be more than enough. Then Luka and Kyrie need to play a little less than 40+ MPG, and any minutes shaved from Luka and Kyrie can go to them too. Not sure about Hardy's and Naji's minutes though, these two guys would be #9 and #10 in my rotation.

Anyway, isn't the goal to win an NBA title or two in the Kyrie-Klay window? The season is also long, it would be nice to reach the playoffs with a healthy team. If this move is not possible, that's fine. I'm just saying  it would give me lot more confidence in the team's ability to win if Nico can get Mann.

Also, if Naji works out better than expected, and Mann doesn't get his 20-25MPG because of it, then the Mavs will be able to trade Mann next year for something else... perhaps, a Tari Eason. Who knows?

[F Gump]

Thanks Gump. Do you think it’s possible that the numbers being reported for Klay and Naji are being rounded up and not exact? I find it hard to believe the Mavs would short themselves by ~$450K (assuming 1M cushion) from being able to fill a 15-man roster.

As for your Powell stretch waive post, do you actually think it’d take such a move? Doesn’t he easily fit into someone’s BAE or the many lower TPE’s 4-5M. Are you of the opinion that nobody would take him for air and he would HAVE TO be stretch waived?

No explicit annual numbers have been reported for either Naji or Klay, but the numbers I used for this year are the smallest possible if the total is correct. It usually is. If they have a diff split (or incentives) on either deal, their available money goes down.

I would not be surprised if their planning had a bigger cushion than mine, given the strictness of the hard cap. They kept $2.5m not $1m?

Re Powell, what I wrote was analysis of SW as an option, as SW comes up often as a cap tool. I agree with you they might find a taker if they looked, but they have no interest in looking, so that ends that.

[Mavs2021]

That’s actually pretty big news. Dinwiddie, Lowry, DSJ are all options I’d guess.

Especially for Lawson and Powell, cause one of them will have to go.

[SleepingHero]

Smitty said:

Image of Stein's substack

This is actually pretty big news, because as Gump keeps pointing out, the Mavs don't realistically have the space for 2 vet min contracts. 

Which begs the question how are they going to make the space?

[BPo001]

Not sure if this was posted yet.

Shams Charania: The Golden State Warriors have agreed to a deal acquiring Buddy Hield via sign-and-trade from the 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. New teammates Hield and Stephen Curry are leaders for most 3-pointers made over the last 5 NBA seasons – and now will be teammates. 6 mins ago – via Twitter ShamsCharania

[SleepingHero]

All I have to say, it is equal parts both a boring and comforting experience of a Mavs FA where they got their primary targets and succeeded in their summer plans within the first day.

[SleepingHero]

Not sure if this was posted yet.

Shams Charania: The Golden State Warriors have agreed to a deal acquiring Buddy Hield via sign-and-trade from the 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. New teammates Hield and Stephen Curry are leaders for most 3-pointers made over the last 5 NBA seasons – and now will be teammates. 6 mins ago – via Twitter ShamsCharania

They finalized the deal which is interesting. Did Shams specify what they got back?

[Mavs2021]

This is actually pretty big news, because as Gump keeps pointing out, the Mavs don't realistically have the space for 2 vet min contracts. 

Which begs the question how are they going to make the space?

S&T of Powell would allow them to go a little above the minimum, which could be more attractive for the players.

Powell + Kleber 2 for 1 deal for

Stewart
Schroeder
Portis
Williams III
Olynyk
Bagley

[F Gump]

That’s actually pretty big news. Dinwiddie, Lowry, DSJ are all options I’d guess.

There seems to be potential in all of those.

But do the Mavs have a big enough minutes slot (3rd string PG who plays in an emergency, in case of injury to Luka or Kyrie, or in garbage time) to interest any of these guys? As others have noted, you already have Exum, Hardy, and 2 way guys in that 3rd string PG mix too.

[F Gump]

This is actually pretty big news, because as Gump keeps pointing out, the Mavs don't realistically have the space for 2 vet min contracts. 

Which begs the question how are they going to make the space?

In theory if they whittle down their cushion, they can do it. The 1M is not a sacred number. But 500,000 or so is relatively small, and it's a long season ....

[KillerLeft]

That’s actually pretty big news. Dinwiddie, Lowry, DSJ are all options I’d guess.

I think it's interesting where they think the roster might have a slight hole, but given what Gump has been telling us regarding a cushion and that Stein explicitly states Morris is returning, this would require more than just signing one of those guys. Seems like they'd have to move someone else out to do it. Not impossible, obviously, but it still kind of seems like a long shot to me. 

About the targets you mention...I assume that this hole they're looking at is more of a PG hole than a defensive hole, unless Grimes is really more hurt than we realize. If they sign DSJ (knowing what we know about him being wanted by other teams to actually play), I'd view that as an indication that they're worried about Grimes being able to play, personally. 

I think Dinwiddie and Lowry are both good thoughts, if this is true. I wouldn't love the idea of moving off of anyone for either, but Lowry would be my choice. He's another veteran winner and might come in handy if Luka gets injured. 

I just want to go on record as saying giving up on Green AND Hardy in the same off-season might be going too far away from the youth we were all excited about last summer. You can't play Hardy, Exum and Grimes without at least one of them being on-ball, especially with Thompson, Marshall and Washington all being in the mix. If they do this, someone isn't going to get enough time, and I have a feeling it will be Hardy. In a contract year, that means you might as well trade him now. Offers aren't going to improve at the deadline if he's not in the rotation AGAIN. 

Then again, maybe they've already determined they don't want to extend him and that's part of what this is all about. Maybe trading him is part of the point here. If so, I hope they're setting their sights higher than Dinwiddie or Lowry.

[SleepingHero]

There seems to be potential in all of those.

But do the Mavs have a big enough minutes slot (3rd string PG who plays in an emergency, in case of injury to Luka or Kyrie, or in garbage time) to interest any of these guys? As others have noted, you already have Exum, Hardy, and 2 way guys in that 3rd string PG mix too.

The guy that's going to play the 3rd string point guard role has to come in with the mindset that he will not be playing every night, or even every other night.

He will be used solely as a sponge for Luka minutes and will play behind Hardy+Exum. 

With that in mind I don't think DSJ will be interested in that, as he's still going for his big payday. 

Dinwiddie could be okay with that role, but he already sort of turned it down didn't he?

Lowry makes the most sense, both in terms of fit and role.

Would love to add that guy.

[KillerLeft]

There seems to be potential in all of those.

But do the Mavs have a big enough minutes slot (3rd string PG who plays in an emergency, in case of injury to Luka or Kyrie, or in garbage time) to interest any of these guys? As others have noted, you already have Exum, Hardy, and 2 way guys in that 3rd string PG mix too.

No, they don't have that role available.  I find this news (if that's what it is) very discomforting about Hardy's future here.

[F Gump]

No, they don't have that role available.  I find this news (if that's what it is) very discomforting about Hardy's future here.

It's possible they trade Hardy to open minutes and money for a slot? Or Exum?

[KillerLeft]

It's possible they trade Hardy to open minutes and money for a slot? Or Exum?

That's what has occurred to me, yeah. 

Let me ask you this: looking forward, financially, what are the chances they can keep both of those guys next year, especially planning ahead for a likely Kyrie negotiation? Kinda starts to make a little sense at that point, yeah, or am I overthinking?

EDIT: I know they CAN keep both (bird rights), but I mean in light of all this new CBA business. I wonder if, in their longterm (financial) planning, they've already determined they don't want to keep both of those guys.

[DanSchwartzgan]

That’s actually pretty big news. Dinwiddie, Lowry, DSJ are all options I’d guess.

I may have to amend my “we are done” statement.  If you want to marry this with the idea that Morris is returning, the most likely change isn’t Maxi or Powell, it is Exum.  He’s guaranteed now (or I haven’t seen anything that says he amended his deadline).  I would think he would be easy enough to move (maybe even getting a second back).  If we need more pure point play, and need room for a 14th and 15th minimum, that is probably the way they’d do it.

Exum could also be traded for a PG making up to about $4.5mm (we have about $1.5mm of space under the apron with 14 and a cushion).  Or, he could be traded for air (as above) and we could use an exception to bring in a PG and keep Morris as #14.

I guess my question is whether any of these guys being considered is really better than Exum.

[KillerLeft]

On the other hand...if they are all in on Grimes as a POA defender and not worried about his injuries, as some believe, that might lessen the need for Exum, somewhat. Maybe they move him (the most obvious current bench PG) in order to bring in a clear PG who isn't afraid to shoot? Same longterm financial reasoning as Hardy. His deal is up after this year, and I bet that's an extension/negotiation they'd prefer to avoid, since they clearly won't overpay him if he's not even in their playoff rotation.

I would like that better, but I also believe in Exum more than most people.

EDIT: Dan beat me to this thought. I think that if this news is real, either Exum or Hardy is gone.