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

[Winter]

Man, I hope your read on it is correct!

If they are going to wait several months, it's safe to assume that the next hire will be heavily vetted. If it's Riccardi, it will be because he appeared better even without the experience of a Snyder. 

I'm getting to the point where I don't mind the wait. It gives people time to look at Riccardi as he wades into the water over the TDL.

[KillerLeft]

If they are going to wait several months, it's safe to assume that the next hire will be heavily vetted. If it's Riccardi, it will be because he appeared better even without the experience of a Snyder. 

I'm getting to the point where I don't mind the wait. It gives people time to look at Riccardi as he wades into the water over the TDL.

I'm not sure I share your confidence in the conclusion offered in the first sentence above, but I hope you're right.  I don't mind waiting, either, as long as it doesn't end up being Finley or Ricardi, and as long as no major moves are made at the trade deadline. I want the guy in place before the next major move is made.

[Winter]

I'm not sure I share your confidence in the conclusion offered in the first sentence above, but I hope you're right.  I don't mind waiting, either, as long as it doesn't end up being Finley or Ricardi, and as long as no major moves are made at the trade deadline. I want the guy in place before the next major move is made.

Just out of curiosity... why not Riccardi?  Just because he was too close to the fire?

I think Dan may have posted a Youtube video where he was interviewed in a podcast. I may look that up again.

[Jmaciscool]

My take has been that if there was a true heir apparent between Riccardi and Finley then that person would have been named as the sole interim GM. That would also mean that the other guy would probably leave in the near future to look for a similar opportunity.

The fact that both were named means the organization values them in their current roles but doesn't feel either is ready for the full gig, so they name both as interim to keep both in place with neither being marked out as "ahead"of the other. Then they do their search and hire outside.

At least that's my read, but I could obviously be way off in my interpretation.

[KillerLeft]

Just out of curiosity... why not Riccardi?  Just because he was too close to the fire?

I think Dan may have posted a Youtube video where he was interviewed in a podcast. I may look that up again.

I saw that video, even before Dan posted it. I agree he seemed smart, but didn't scream "I should be in charge of an organization full of ultra competitive winners" to me. Just not enough "great man" energy for me, personally. I'd like a little more Pat Riley in my team's leader. Doesn't have to be that extreme, but can't be a polite, young pushover, imo. I think Riccardi was already in the right role, based on my read on his personality (just my opinion). Plus, and I know these reasons are significantly subjective, so I don't expect everyone to agree, but I don't think the most hardcore of the mob will offer a clean slate to anyone who was employed here when the trade happened. Finley can claim after the fact that he was against it (would be an idiot not to say that, even if it isn't true) but what did he do to prevent it? Not enough, apparently, and obviously, Ricardi actually contributed to making the trade happen, being the team's cap guy. 

But, I think the biggest issue I'd have is what I alluded to above. I might be 100% wrong about this, but based on what I've seen as a sports fan, it's going to be impossible for me to believe a Finley or Riccardi hire happens through any logic but the following: I'm sure they're having to pay Harrison to go away. That's how things work. Choosing an in-house, first time GM would signal (again, to me, at least) a desire to keep the COST of his successor under control, which in turn would keep the combined cost of both guys lower, and might even betray a desire to cheap out wherever possible, regardless of anything having to do with Harrison's golden parachute. I don't like the implications of this for the future of the team, and would find it pretty alarming.

Basically, with the limited knowledge so far about how Dumont operates, I'm hoping he uses this opportunity to prove to us all that he's serious about winning at basically any cost. There are indications that he might be, but I don't think we know that for certain yet. And, how often does your favorite team get the chance to go GM hunting? Since we're all fans of a team (and possibly a couple, living here in Dallas) that has historically been GM'd by the OWNER, this is a rare situation for us, and I want to believe they'll go get someone in whom we can sink confidence. I have zero expectation that anyone specific, like Presti, should be THE target, because free will and circumstances will play a part, but I do agree with some that a certain quality of experience should be targeted. I think the "Lindsey or better" rallying cry is a decent angle to take on this and adequately expresses my hopes.

[KillerLeft]

My take has been that if there was a true heir apparent between Riccardi and Finley then that person would have been named as the sole interim GM. That would also mean that the other guy would probably leave in the near future to look for a similar opportunity.

The fact that both were named means the organization values them in their current roles but doesn't feel either is ready for the full gig, so they name both as interim to keep both in place with neither being marked out as "ahead"of the other. Then they do their search and hire outside.

At least that's my read, but I could obviously be way off in my interpretation.

I hope you're right, and this does make some sense, thanks!

One small issue with this, from my POV, even if correct: I sure hope those two are part of deciding who the successor is. I want "the guy" to be able to throw those two guys out of the AAC like they're Jazz to his Uncle Phil. If HE wants to keep them, fine, but I hope this isn't a situation where the new guy has to be willing to work with people who are already here. That's exactly the type of situation I've seen my teams try for decades, and I'm sick of it.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

[Stein] The Chicago Bulls are more open to trading Coby White “than they’ve ever been.”

Doesn't mean they'll actually move him before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, but the Bulls have left the impression with rival teams inquiring about Coby White that they are more open to trading White than they've ever been.

White is earning $12.9 million this season on the final year on his modest current contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in July, which naturally complicates Chicago's ability to get back as much as it would hope for White.

[F Gump]

The report from the Athletic the other day said they would prioritize someone with experience as a lead executive, so I'm not too worried about Finley or Riccardi being promoted. If that were the plan I don't think they would wait until the offseason.

Here's the actual quote: "Finley and Riccardi are under consideration to fill the permanent job, but league sources told The Athletic that the Mavericks will value previous experience as a lead NBA executive after how poorly the final 10 months of Harrison’s tenure went." 

It certainly doesn't close the door on F/R, but it sounds like the bar they have to meet will be set incredibly high -- ie, they will have to be (or appear to be) WAY more desirable than the alternatives with a known track record, in order to be given the keys to the franchise at this juncture. 

Some subpoints are (1) the Mavs are willing to be thorough and not in a rush, and (2) since they were burned so badly by the incredibly bad skills and judgment of an inexperienced guy (Nico) who they didn't know was a total idiot until he made unthinkably idiotic moves, they want more of a "sure thing" as to what to expect and proven judgment. They are now ultra cautious regarding opening the door to other inexperienced guys who they have no way to know if they might be prone to similar absurdities.

My preference? Presti, if I am specific. But in terms of traits and skills, I want an expert in player evaluation (draft, free agency, trade values), negotiation (trades, contracts), and roster building. And also someone with the ability to work wisely with skilled people (rather than see them as a threat and get rid of them when they show valued talents). The best executive is the one who is willing to hire people SMARTER than him, so that his potential exceeds his own personal skills. I'm not sure Nico ever did ANYTHING at an expert level in any of those areas.

[From Dirk to SCREW YOU Nico]

The report from the Athletic the other day said they would prioritize someone with experience as a lead executive, so I'm not too worried about Finley or Riccardi being promoted. If that were the plan I don't think they would wait until the offseason.

..................................................................................Presti............................................................................................................?

[Dirknows]

So how are they going to navigate possible trades? Finley or Ricardi find a trade and take it to Dumont to sign off?

[mvossman]

So how are they going to navigate possible trades? Finley or Ricardi find a trade and take it to Dumont to sign off?

I'm concerned about this myself.  I get the hesitancy over one guy running the show based on recent events, but I don't think a committee is very effective in these kinds of things.  I'm afraid they get very little if anything done this TDL if they don't have a real GM in place.

[Mavs2021]

I'm concerned about this myself.  I get the hesitancy over one guy running the show based on recent events, but I don't think a committee is very effective in these kinds of things.  I'm afraid they get very little if anything done this TDL if they don't have a real GM in place.

Could be. Just give all the other GMs the individual numbers of Cuban, Finley and Ricardi. Whoever they call the least should be our new GM.

[david75090]

Wonder is Donnie is available. Always wondered how he'd do without Cuban in the way.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

[Afseth] The intel from some NBA teams is a perception that Darius Garland would like to run his own team again at some point, as opposed to being in a more complementary role next to Donovan Mitchell. The Sacramento Kings and the Minnesota Timberwolves have kept an eye on Garland’s situation.

In terms of roster movement, Garland is viewed as an attractive trade candidate around the NBA with fewer risk than some of the other high-profile guards that teams are monitoring, including Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, and Trae Young.

“Darius is the safest option on the trade market for a team seeking a point guard upgrade,” a source said. “There are teams who think he can handle more being put on his plate.”

The Sacramento Kings have kept an eye on Garland’s situation as they remain motivated to find a long-term answer at point guard following De’Aaron Fox‘s departure, sources tell DallasHoopsJournal.com. The Minneota Timberwolves are another known team motivated for point guard help to take pressure off of Anthony Edwards. However, it’d be challenging for either team to find a viable path to add Garland.

[F Gump]

So how are they going to navigate possible trades? Finley or Ricardi find a trade and take it to Dumont to sign off?

I'm concerned about this myself.  I get the hesitancy over one guy running the show based on recent events, but I don't think a committee is very effective in these kinds of things.  I'm afraid they get very little if anything done this TDL if they don't have a real GM in place.

I know you guys are probably seeing such a setup as a bad thing, but imo it would actually be a huge step forward in improving their negotiating results. 

Cuban, by participating directly in negotiations as the person leading the talks, could never get the best deal, because he could never say, "I have to ask the boss" and then come back and say "The boss needs just a little bit more." OTOH the other team could (and would) do that very thing, and would get more and more assets at the margins. Cuban was always a patsy, the whole league knew it, and would take advantage.

We even heard Cuban talk to reporters about negotiations as always going in this manner, and bemoaning the fact that other teams' execs "always have to talk to owners and they they can't pull the trigger on deals" - not realizing he was exposing his naivete' as a negotiator.

Nico got pantsed by Pelinka in this same manner. When Nico asked for the moon for Luka, Pelinka told him that his owner would need X and Y, and at other times he had to check with his owner who wanted a bit better deal, and all along Pelinka was his "friend" trying to help him, and gradually he whittled the ask for Luka down to almost nothing. OTOH Nico spoke for the Mavs as the one who controlled the bottom line - but Pelinka never spoke for the Lakers. Pelinka, of course, made his reputation as an expert negotiator (he was a top player agent, before he was a GM) while Nico's background was one of getting along with others and making them like him. Guess who won, and who got crushed?

By injecting the necessity to ask permission, to get approval, to see what the boss says, the Mavs would accidentally take a huge leap -- and even better if the guy at the top realized what he had, and had the ability to work it to his advantage. Put a used car lot manager or a timeshare sales manager on the payroll to create and navigate the negotiating process, and the gain would be massive. (Unfortunately Cuban's ego made him have to be the point man, so under Cuban they had no way to play the game.)

[mvossman]

I know you guys are probably seeing such a setup as a bad thing, but imo it would actually be a huge step forward in improving their negotiating results. 

Cuban, by participating directly in negotiations as the person leading the talks, could never get the best deal, because he could never say, "I have to ask the boss" and then come back and say "The boss needs just a little bit more." OTOH the other team could (and would) do that very thing, and would get more and more assets at the margins. Cuban was always a patsy, the whole league knew it, and would take advantage.

We even heard Cuban talk to reporters about negotiations as always going in this manner, and bemoaning the fact that other teams' execs "always have to talk to owners and they they can't pull the trigger on deals" - not realizing he was exposing his naivete' as a negotiator.

Nico got pantsed by Pelinka in this same manner. When Nico asked for the moon for Luka, Pelinka told him that his owner would need X and Y, and at other times he had to check with his owner who wanted a bit better deal, and all along Pelinka was his "friend" trying to help him, and gradually he whittled the ask for Luka down to almost nothing. OTOH Nico spoke for the Mavs as the one who controlled the bottom line - but Pelinka never spoke for the Lakers. Pelinka, of course, made his reputation as an expert negotiator (he was a top player agent, before he was a GM) while Nico's background was one of getting along with others and making them like him. Guess who won, and who got crushed?

By injecting the necessity to ask permission, to get approval, to see what the boss says, the Mavs would accidentally take a huge leap -- and even better if the guy at the top realized what he had, and had the ability to work it to his advantage. Put a used car lot manager or a timeshare sales manager on the payroll to create and navigate the negotiating process, and the gain would be massive. (Unfortunately Cuban's ego made him have to be the point man, so under Cuban they had no way to play the game.)

Its definitely a balance.  The thing is Dumont has no idea what he is doing and we don't have a single individual to own the recommendation back to Dumont.  If we have Finley and Ricardi and Cuban all pulling in different directions I don't know how that gets sorted out.  Its fine to have a better negotiating tactic, but with a committee the issue is determining what your goals are and where you draw the lines to begin with.  I guess we will see.  At this point it does not look like they are planning on bringing in a GM before the end of the season and my expectation is very little gets done until then.

[F Gump]

I'm not saying this solves the need to have an expert in values and in setting the right price. (*cough* Presti *cough*) But the added "step" that will be needed in negotiations, what I'm pointing out is that it's a GOOD development, not a bad one (and can really be used to advantage, if they figure out how it works).

[Chicagojk]

I guess I don't have an issue waiting for a GM, but it is a tad concerning. I am sure rival GM's are just praying Cuban picks up the phone. They probably would love to get to a green temp GM's who are working hard to impress their non basketball knowing owner. For me, one of the top things for the new GM is no connection to Kidd or Cuban. I don't want either to have influence on a guy who may be intimidated by them.

I really hope Dumont is speaking to a lot of people now. There are good candidate who would be available now. I wonder if they have people in mind or just want to take their time. If they have no one in mind, haven't talked to anyone officially or unofficially and are just taking their time that that would be concerning.

[Knutsen]

[Stein] The Chicago Bulls are more open to trading Coby White “than they’ve ever been.”

Doesn't mean they'll actually move him before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, but the Bulls have left the impression with rival teams inquiring about Coby White that they are more open to trading White than they've ever been.

White is earning $12.9 million this season on the final year on his modest current contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in July, which naturally complicates Chicago's ability to get back as much as it would hope for White.

White turns 26 in a couple of days - his stats in his 11 games this year look great. Do we see him as a long term running mate to Cooper who fits to what Flagg is offering skillwise?