Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[michaeltex]

I really hope there is not a Mavs trade before the season (besides creating one more roster spot).  The Mavs don't know what they have.  They have good players on solid contracts.  Let things play out and then you can make the trade.  I am not a big fan of Russell, but I do feel his contract he signed is great.  More importantly, while him and Kyrie do not play the same way, I do think they have some similarities.  To me, both are guards but not really ball controlling, offense running point guards.  Both are sort of scoring guards to me.  Therefore, while Russell is not as good as Kyrie, he will provide insight what this thing will look like.  Are we extremely short on creation on offense?  Can Cooper be or develop into a main creator for the team?  We should have our first answer early in the season.  May have another answer 20-25 games in.  Do they improve?    Seeing how it looks or develops, may give you an idea what the next trade will be.

I think the above highlight is the core of all the trade speculation. We see a lot of great individual talent, but (mostly due to injuries) there has been almost zero chance to evaluate how this talent works as a team. The addition of Flagg and the coaching staff turnover are also unknowns for the coming season. It will be interesting to see how the team looks around christmas.

There needs to be some roster clearing for signing Exum and I wouldn't mind seeing OMax and Hardy go to give another developing player a chance.

[KillerLeft]

I think the above highlight is the core of all the trade speculation. We see a lot of great individual talent, but (mostly due to injuries) there has been almost zero chance to evaluate how this talent works as a team. The addition of Flagg and the coaching staff turnover are also unknowns for the coming season. It will be interesting to see how the team looks around christmas.

There needs to be some roster clearing for signing Exum and I wouldn't mind seeing OMax and Hardy go to give another developing player a chance.

What an excellent point. We've talked about the unknowns of throwing Flagg into the mix plenty, but the coaching staff is quite different, and that's a good thing to keep in mind.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

When I wrote Detroit is same, I was trying to say that they didn't improve substantially. So same (or similar) as last season, no substantial improvement. Not that they are similarly injured as Philly. Sorry for not being clear

No worries, thanks for clarifying. But even though they didn't improve the roster as you say, they played the Knicks tough, and that alone should mean a lot, along with added experience going forward into this season for a team that hasn't sniffed the playoffs in years. I was born and raised in Detroit, so I follow them along as the Mavs in case you were wondering.

[michaeltex]

No worries, thanks for clarifying. But even though they didn't improve the roster as you say, they played the Knicks tough, and that alone should mean a lot, along with added experience going forward into this season for a team that hasn't sniffed the playoffs in years. I was born and raised in Detroit, so I follow them along as the Mavs in case you were wondering.

I guess you were a Bad Boys fan?

[Scott41theMavs]

I guess you were a Bad Boys fan?

I actually kind of liked the edge of that team, I suppose like how you might root for a heel in wrassling, but hated the impact it actually had on the game, especially on the '90s Knicks and how they junked up the league with their "physicality" which other teams thought they had to match. The obnoxiously low scoring in the '90s was because of dirty play and swallowed whistles, not "good defense."

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I guess you were a Bad Boys fan?

Absolutely 100%

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I actually kind of liked the edge of that team, I suppose like how you might root for a heel in wrassling, but hated the impact it actually had on the game, especially on the '90s Knicks and how they junked up the league with their "physicality" which other teams thought they had to match. The obnoxiously low scoring in the '90s was because of dirty play and swallowed whistles, not "good defense."

It only became an issue when Jordan went to the league crying about it. We can't have the greatest player of all-time getting pushed around. All those teams played physical back then  Boston, Milwaukee, Lakers, Philadelphia, etc. The league almost instantaneously changed the rules of hand checking and physical play. The Last Dance perfectly illustrated it.  Detroit use to beat Chicago like a drum knocking them out the playoffs  4 straight times before they finally broke through when age caught up to them, and Chicago improved their roster.. Yet, physicality has returned with some teams even today. It's just not as blatant.

[KillerLeft]

I think the more recent Detroit championship team was underrated. People like to say they didn't have any stars, but Chancey Billups, Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton were all REALLY good players. Stars without star PR, in my mind.

[Winter]

I think the more recent Detroit championship team was underrated. People like to say they didn't have any stars, but Chancey Billups, Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton were all REALLY good players. Stars without star PR, in my mind.

Corliss Williamson! Sixth man of the year (and now assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves). And Ben Wallace. The best 6'9" center ever. MVP and DPOY that year.

Beat Shaq\Kobe Laker team

That was a very good Detroit team.

[david75090]

"And Ben Wallace. The best 6'9" center ever. MVP and DPOY that year."


I like Ben Wallace, but I'm going to go with Bill Russell as the best 6'9" center ever.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Anybody hear anything about Mavs working on a 2 for one deal with Cleveland for Dean Wade?
I guess trying to clear a spot for Exum.

OMax/Powell for Wade might work.

Nothing concrete but read some stuff about it on another board.

This was covered one page back (page 113).  Cleveland can’t aggregate and can’t take back extra salary.  Dallas can’t take back extra salary.  So, any deal has to include a third team.  If it is a 2 for 1, at least one of the players has to go to the third team (Cleveland might keep the cheaper player as they still need to fill roster spots).

FWIW, a YouTuber that pops up on my feed named Marcel Martin said that HE had heard from a SOURCE that this might have legs.  He then said there are other teams trying to get Wade, so it might not happen.  The times I’ve ever listened to him I’ve never heard him claim to have sources.  He’s mainly just regurgitating stuff that is out there already and putting an attention grabbing headline on his YouTube post and trying to get subscribers.  So, his claim of talking to a source today was a little out of the ordinary.  

I did think he was somewhat up to speed on what the structure might need to be (further lending credence that he might have actually talked with someone).  IF this were to happen, I could see it being OMax to Cleveland and Hardy to a third team for no returning salary.  If it was OMax and Powell, we’d be within 200k of the second apron and are already hard-capped.  Surely we won’t be doing that again.  Hardy a poor man’s Cam Thomas?

[mvossman]

This was covered one page back (page 113).  Cleveland can’t aggregate and can’t take back extra salary.  Dallas can’t take back extra salary.  So, any deal has to include a third team.  If it is a 2 for 1, at least one of the players has to go to the third team (Cleveland might keep the cheaper player as they still need to fill roster spots).

FWIW, a YouTuber that pops up on my feed named Marcel Martin said that HE had heard from a SOURCE that this might have legs.  He then said there are other teams trying to get Wade, so it might not happen.  The times I’ve ever listened to him I’ve never heard him claim to have sources.  He’s mainly just regurgitating stuff that is out there already and putting an attention grabbing headline on his YouTube post and trying to get subscribers.  So, his claim of talking to a source today was a little out of the ordinary.  

I did think he was somewhat up to speed on what the structure might need to be (further lending credence that he might have actually talked with someone).  IF this were to happen, I could see it being OMax to Cleveland and Hardy to a third team for no returning salary.  If it was OMax and Powell, we’d be within 200k of the second apron and are already hard-capped.  Surely we won’t be doing that again.  Hardy a poor man’s Cam Thomas?

I guess Wade could make some sense if they are trading Gafford or PJ.  Otherwise I don't get it.

[F Gump]

FWIW, Hardy-Omax for air to team 3 (or maybe OMax landing in CLE and Hardy somewhere else) does give enough cap room for DAL to take Wade from CLE, sign Exum, and end with a small cushion.

Perhaps in the equation, CLE would be sending a SRP to team 3 as a tip for the salary reduction that helps them, and DAL doesn't have to send out a pick.

Turning Hardy into Wade (an expiring contract) helps for next season payroll.

But Wade isn't really a roster fit for DAL. It's just a money move. He's a 0-and-D PF, a defensive guy who offers almost nothing on offense, and it seems to me that the last thing they need is another C/PF body, even moreso one who has no offense. The value of Wade would be to facilitate washing OMax and Hardy for an expiring contract at no cost.

[KillerLeft]

Corliss Williamson! Sixth man of the year (and now assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves). And Ben Wallace. The best 6'9" center ever. MVP and DPOY that year.

Beat Shaq\Kobe Laker team

That was a very good Detroit team.

Well, I feel silly for not mentioning Ben Wallace in the first place, because of course I should have. 

Corliss Williamson, though! Great pull! I had forgotten all about him.

[mvossman]

But Wade isn't really a roster fit for DAL. It's just a money move. He's a 0-and-D PF, a defensive guy who offers almost nothing on offense, and it seems to me that the last thing they need is another C/PF body, even moreso one who has no offense. The value of Wade would be to facilitate washing OMax and Hardy for an expiring contract at no cost.

I agree he doesn't make sense to add to this roster as is, but the 0-and-D seems harsh.  A backup defensive big that can space the floor has value.  Sadly, he is a better floor spacer than most of our forwards.

[SleepingHero]

Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass)
Jrue Holiday is a name to monitor as a potential target for the Los Angeles Lakers, per @GrantAfseth

[KillerLeft]

I agree he doesn't make sense to add to this roster as is, but the 0-and-D seems harsh.  A backup defensive big that can space the floor has value.  Sadly, he is a better floor spacer than most of our forwards.

.414 on corner 3's doesn't seem bad, actually. I went and tracked down the video Dan mentioned, and it described Wade as "a younger Maxi Kleber." I could handle that. He scored really high on D-Lebron as a wing defender last year, too.

[KillerLeft]

Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass)
Jrue Holiday is a name to monitor as a potential target for the Los Angeles Lakers, per @GrantAfseth

Goodness, what would that trade look like? LeBron has a no-trade clause, so...

[DanSchwartzgan]

I guess Wade could make some sense if they are trading Gafford or PJ.  Otherwise I don't get it.

It wouldn’t have to be an immediate trade of Gafford or PJ.  An expiring $6.6mm contract combines well with any number of guys at the TDL.  Certainly better than Hardy would.  

Obviously, Wade could be a cheaper replacement for someone headed out, but he could also be expiring salary that gets combined with something later. Either way, if you want to do a consolidation trade, it is good to have excess so that there’s still enough left after the consolidation trade.

[KillerLeft]

It wouldn’t have to be an immediate trade of Gafford or PJ.  An expiring $6.6mm contract combines well with any number of guys at the TDL.  Certainly better than Hardy would.  

Obviously, Wade could be a cheaper replacement for someone headed out, but he could also be expiring salary that gets combined with something later. Either way, if you want to do a consolidation trade, it is good to have excess so that there’s still enough left after the consolidation trade.

Even if it's just about shedding salary in the future and creating a roster spot for Exum, it's probably among the better ways to accomplish that.