Trade & FA 2024-25:

[mvossman]

I dont where 27 mil is coming from, but here is breakdown for the next few years.

24-25 - 12,975,000
25-26 - 14,000,000
26-27 - 15,000,000
27-28-  16,025,000


Not saying its a great contract for a backup, but its doable.

I was including Gafford, which makes the total cost roughly double this.  I don't think it is sustainable to have two backup bigs making over 10 mil each on this roster.  In the past I had advocated for finding a single high quality backup big for the MLE or less that could fill both Gafford and Maxi spots (with Obi being an option).  But until I get more confidence in Lively health, I think we might be better off with holding on to Gafford and finding a cheap Maxi replacement (possibly Omax).

[Chicagojk]

From a long term budget standpoint, I don't think we want to be paying any more than 15 mil for the combined backup 4 and 5 spot.  Right now that is Gafford and Omax.  Would we be better off with Olynyk playing both roles?  Would you rather have Olynyk than Gafford next season?  Personally, I would rather spend the rest of the season seeing what we have in Omax and make a decision in the offseason.

No, I am team Gafford.  With Maxi's uneven play and now surgery, I am just not sure you can count on him.  I don't think Omax is ready for big playoff minutes.   And if PJ gets dinged that is even more concerning.

So what I am saying if I would look for a comparable salary and player to Maxi who is now healthy, Olynyk fits this role.  He also is an expiring this summer (team option) which is the same as Maxi.  So you can look for the same type of moves with contract and first this summer.   In fact, you may get more interest in Olynyk than Maxi.   Even if he is outside the main rotation, at least I know I have a skilled veteran who can play when needed.

[Chicagojk]

@esidery
The Pacers have held trade conversations with teams centered on Obi Toppin, per @FredKatz
(https://nytimes.com/athletic/6101443/202...uxury-tax/).

Toppin could end up being moved in order for Indiana to pay Myles Turner this offseason.

Indiana signed Toppin to a four-year, $60 million extension in July.

I am not really interested.   That 4 year contract at 15 million is tough to swallow for a bench player.   On the current squad I like Grimes better as a player.   they also just signed Marshall.   PJ is coming up with an extension sooner than later.  Having a backup four with a long 4 year contract is tough to swallow for me.

[F Gump]

I was pretty against a Toppin for Maxi swap just because I considered his deal to be bad salary, but considering Maxi just cannot play basketball anymore for any meaningful amount of time, I am more open to a potential swap. Don’t really see how the Pacers would be inclined to take the injured Maxi but let’s say they are, does that make the Mavs better?

Maxi doesnt fit the theoretical criteria IND is supposedly seeking, which would be to have less salary in the summer (so that they can pay Turner more).

[mvossman]

No, I am team Gafford.  With Maxi's uneven play and now surgery, I am just not sure you can count on him.  I don't think Omax is ready for big playoff minutes.   And if PJ gets dinged that is even more concerning.

So what I am saying if I would look for a comparable salary and player to Maxi who is now healthy, Olynyk fits this role.  He also is an expiring this summer (team option) which is the same as Maxi.  So you can look for the same type of moves with contract and first this summer.   In fact, you may get more interest in Olynyk than Maxi.   Even if he is outside the main rotation, at least I know I have a skilled veteran who can play when needed.

So the thought is you pay Hardy for a half season rental of Olynyk, who will probably be easier than Maxi to ditch in the offseason if you need to.  It does make some sense depending on your value of Hardy.

[KillerLeft]

I was pretty against a Toppin for Maxi swap just because I considered his deal to be bad salary, but considering Maxi just cannot play basketball anymore for any meaningful amount of time, I am more open to a potential swap. Don’t really see how the Pacers would be inclined to take the injured Maxi but let’s say they are, does that make the Mavs better?

People will call this naive of me, and they might be right because I DO have a soft spot for the kid, but I'm officially to the point after these past few weeks where I no longer wish to put another player between O-Max and those backup 4 minutes. I'm officially a believer that if he gets enough opportunities for the rest of this season the Mavs will have something there.

If he isn't ready by the playoffs (pretty likely) then you just shorten him out of the rotation (which would probably happen to anyone they'd bring in there, anyway).

[KillerLeft]

I honestly believe that a trade is not needed. What's needed is for everyone to get healthy, and with enough time to play 20 games together and develop some chemistry on the floor in different lineup looks.

There's a chance they're not better than last year, even if they get healthy soon enough, but we DON'T KNOW, and they sure looked pretty damn good to me during that two week stretch about a month in when they were starting to gel, before the health rug got pulled out from under them. Making trades now, to me, runs the risk of guessing wrong in terms of what will/would work and what isn't/wouldn't.

Now, if there's a good BIG deal out there (Herb Jones qualifies for me and not for others, but you get my point - a talent acquisition that can't be passed up) that's a different story. But this bending over backwards for a "backup 4" is more likely than not to be a waste of resources, imo, especially when there's a guy who appears to me to be a year away from being a better player than any of the targets we've mentioned for that spot.

And another thing: If you're going to pay two dinosaur centers and play them roughly equal minutes, I don't think you CAN have a good backup 4, at least not in a way that would satisfy this board. It just doesn't seem viable from a minutes/satisfying role/cap structure standpoint. 10-15 minutes per night and less than the MLE is what you need. NONE of the names this board talks about fit that bill. Even O-Max, if he succeeds, will merit a bigger job than that soon.

If it were me, I'd have ONE high paid center, PJW and an MLE type who could play 4 and 5 behind both of them. That seems to be what the good teams do. The 4th big would be a center, but would need to be a lesser player than Gafford. I don't think that's where things are headed this season, and I'm fine with that, but we can't have it both ways.

[Mavs2021]

When is the buyout play-off deadline?

I´m not sure the Mavs will be very active trying to move Kleber´s dead contract for a back-up PF at the cost of a future asset, but attach some attractive buyout gamble it might become more interesting.

For example

Kleber + Powell + both Mavs 2025 2nd round picks for Jalen Smith and sign bought out Lonzo Ball at the minimum.

[KillerLeft]

When is the buyout play-off deadline?

I´m not sure the Mavs will be very active trying to move Kleber´s dead contract for a back-up PF at the cost of a future asset, but attach some attractive buyout gamble it might become more interesting.

For example

Kleber + Powell + both Mavs 2025 2nd round picks for Jalen Smith and sign bought out Lonzo Ball at the minimum.

I just don't think Jalen Smith fits on a team that already has Lively and Gafford. I don't think ANY center who makes more than Powell money does. I don't see it. If the LONGTERM plan is to somehow try to find a way to keep Gafford (I kind of doubt it is, but I can believe it's the plan for this year, at least) then I think letting Kleber straight up expire is more attractive than that deal, honestly. Or, moving Kleber and a pick for someone who would expire even sooner (the idea being that the incoming contract helps the books this summer, not in any meaningful way on the court down the stretch of this season).

The Mavs have tough financial situations to negotiate as early as this coming summer.

[mvossman]

People will call this naive of me, and they might be right because I DO have a soft spot for the kid, but I'm officially to the point after these past few weeks where I no longer wish to put another player between O-Max and those backup 4 minutes. I'm officially a believer that if he gets enough opportunities for the rest of this season the Mavs will have something there.

If he isn't ready by the playoffs (pretty likely) then you just shorten him out of the rotation (which would probably happen to anyone they'd bring in there, anyway).

This is where I am at.  If everyone is healthy, some combination of Luka/Naji can handle the 10 minutes a playoff game when PJ is not on the court.  If everyone is not healthy, I am skeptical we make a deep run regardless of any TDL moves we make.

[DallasMaverick]

This is where I am at.  If everyone is healthy, some combination of Luka/Naji can handle the 10 minutes a playoff game when PJ is not on the court.  If everyone is not healthy, I am skeptical we make a deep run regardless of any TDL moves we make.

Agree.

Also, it makes no sense to trade Maxi right now. One might make the case that his value has never been lower.

Why not wait for his foot to heal, and see if he can play at a high level again? Then he’s an attractive trade target.

[Chicagojk]

I brought up Marcus Smart before. Since then I watched some earlier in the year highlights and didn't like how he was moving. Although if Dallas was looking for a good wing defender, Smart would fit that bill. You could use him in different lineup configurations.

I am not sure how a trade would go, it would probably need to be a part of a bigger trade where Memphis makes a trade for a player and the receiving team would not have any interest in Smart.

************
Bontemps: One Memphis player to watch over the next week is guard Marcus Smart. League sources told me there has been plenty of discussion about the former Defensive Player of the Year in recent weeks.

With more than 100 playoff games under his belt, Smart could be an interesting option for playoff teams, though he has played only a combined 38 games overall across the past two seasons in Memphis due to a series of injuries and is currently out with an index finger injury on his right (shooting) hand. Smart's absence has created opportunities for young players such as Rookie of the Year contender Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr.

Memphis would also potentially benefit from opening up salary next summer to both get a contract extension done with Jackson Jr. and re-sign Santi Aldama. That all makes Smart's situation one to monitor.

[SleepingHero]

@SpursReporter
It has not been announced but sources are telling me that the De’Aaron trade to the Spurs is very close to being completed— if not already done. More details to come from
@News4SA as they come in.

[DallasMaverick]

I brought up Marcus Smart before.  Since then I watched some earlier in the year highlights and didn't like how he was moving.  Although if Dallas was looking for a good wing defender, Smart would fit that bill.  You could use him in different lineup configurations.

I am not sure how a trade would go, it would probably need to be a part of a bigger trade where Memphis makes a trade for a player and the receiving team would not have any interest in Smart.

************
Bontemps: One Memphis player to watch over the next week is guard Marcus Smart. League sources told me there has been plenty of discussion about the former Defensive Player of the Year in recent weeks.

With more than 100 playoff games under his belt, Smart could be an interesting option for playoff teams, though he has played only a combined 38 games overall across the past two seasons in Memphis due to a series of injuries and is currently out with an index finger injury on his right (shooting) hand. Smart's absence has created opportunities for young players such as Rookie of the Year contender Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr.

Memphis would also potentially benefit from opening up salary next summer to both get a contract extension done with Jackson Jr. and re-sign Santi Aldama. That all makes Smart's situation one to monitor.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/...rcus-smart

$20m this year, $21m next. 

Kinda needs to be a starter, for that money.

[Chicagojk]

[Fischer] Guerschon Yabusele continues to generate interest with the Minnesota Timberwolves being the latest team to inquire about him. Philadelphia is weighing offers that feature multiple 2nd round picks. Boston, New York, and Denver are also interested in Guerschon Yabusele.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

@SpursReporter
It has not been announced but sources are telling me that the De’Aaron trade to the Spurs is very close to being completed— if not already done. More details to come from
@News4SA as they come in.

Edit: brain fart

[SleepingHero]

@DonHarris4
Source: Spurs very active and perhaps close on complicated 4 team deal that would bring D’Aaron Fox to San Antonio. Stay tuned.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

[Fischer] Guerschon Yabusele continues to generate interest with the Minnesota Timberwolves being the latest team to inquire about him. Philadelphia is weighing offers that feature multiple 2nd round picks. Boston, New York, and Denver are also interested in Guerschon Yabusele.

I like him as a Maxi replacement.  I believe he has no bird rights though so you wont be able to resign him.

[Mavs2021]

@DonHarris4
Source: Spurs very active and perhaps close on complicated 4 team deal that would bring D’Aaron Fox to San Antonio. Stay tuned.

Only guarantee is that it could involve four WC teams and somehow the East would still get worse.

[SleepingHero]

@The_StilesFiles
The Kings are positioning themselves via a multi-team deal to acquire two impact players if they depart from De’Aaron Fox. They may settle with one + picks. But the current angle is two win-now players, per source.