MAVS NEWS:

[mvossman]

You and RTG both posted this. Inaccurately. Isn’t there some stat floating around that the Mavs are .500 with AD playing? You’re saying the group (minus Kyrie) has played 39 games together? You don’t think adding Kyrie to AD (who’s .500 when active) makes a difference? Lively is one of your favorite players. He’s a non factor? How can the group minus Kyrie be 14-25 if Lively has only played 7 games, Davis only 20, PJW 30?

In any event. I’m talking about next year. This year is over and done with as far as I’m concerned. HEALTH will always be a reason so no need to go there. If the Mavs do nothing they will have Kyrie-Max-Flagg-PJW-AD to roll out Game 1 next year. How or why does that team not fit? What do they need to do to move into a contender in your mind? The ‘26 FRP (Top-8?) is on the roster here. As well as Lively, Gafford, Naji, Klay, Nemby.

I think all 5 are starter worthy players. You can’t have an All-Star team after all. The weakest link is probably Max? I’d probably prefer moving Kyrie to more of an off guard role. That’s one of the reasons I’ve liked the Gaff+Klay or Gaff alone for Coby White. A big PG thats a very good 3PT shooter on high volume. Then Max can fill in off the bench or when there’s injuries. Maybe you draft a player like Coby also (Mikel Brown)?

I don’t think there’s an “elite creator” in the way that you mean it, available via trade. The two that would have to be that for the Mavs are Kyrie and/or Flagg. Maybe your top draft pick this year eventually, but not expecting it next season.

Adding Kyrie to AD does make a difference.  It does not turn a 500 team (and thats with AD playing every single game) into a contender.  It makes them a 4-6 seed with a decent chance of getting into the second round.

Of course there is not an elite creator available via trade.  Only a complete idiot would trade that away (see Nico).  Hopefully Flagg becomes that elite creator.  If his progression continues as we all hope it will, I think he will be ready to lead a contending team in his early to mid 20s.  I think that is the timeline this organization should be focusing on, and I think it will be past the point where AD or Kyrie are contributing significantly.  

When I though AD had some legit trade value I felt like it made sense to make this team worse for the next two years in order to be better in the Flagg prime timeline.  Now that it looks like salary dump is best return, I don't think makes enough of an impact in 4 years to make this team worse the next 2.  There is also a small chance they can rebuild some of AD trade value such that it would be worth more than salary dump now.

[KillerLeft]

Adding Kyrie to AD does make a difference.  It does not turn a 500 team (and thats with AD playing every single game) into a contender.  It makes them a 4-6 seed with a decent chance of getting into the second round.

Of course there is not an elite creator available via trade.  Only a complete idiot would trade that away (see Nico).  Hopefully Flagg becomes that elite creator.  If his progression continues as we all hope it will, I think he will be ready to lead a contending team in his early to mid 20s.  I think that is the timeline this organization should be focusing on, and I think it will be past the point where AD or Kyrie are contributing significantly.  

Would this year's Mavs pick ending up high enough to plausibly add a blue chip creator there AND Kyire to AD and Flagg move the needle for you at all? I haven't gotten into the draft much yet - does such a creator prospect exist? All of the players people are talking about seem to be 4's, which kind of seems like an unfortunate thing to have to hope the Mavs can draft, presently. Seems like what they need is next year's Dylan Harper.

[meistermatze]

not you too

Those are just names. That’s a 7-9 seed in the west. That same team minus Kyrie is 14-25.

Because they are never gonna be fucking healthy? How is that for a reason?

Sorry, but this delusion is getting on my nerves. It is what tanked our chances to get rid of this AD-nightmare. Get fucking real. The dude is broken, period. Move on, man.

[mvossman]

Would this year's Mavs pick ending up high enough to plausibly add a blue chip creator there AND Kyire to AD and Flagg move the needle for you at all? I haven't gotten into the draft much yet - does such a creator prospect exist? All of the players people are talking about seem to be 4's, which kind of seems like an unfortunate thing to have to hope the Mavs can draft, presently. Seems like what they need is next year's Dylan Harper.

It moves the needle, but the real impact of getting that right pick right is the Flagg timeline.  I will admit that one big silver lining with the AD injury is they can truly tank now.  They were in danger of winning too many games this next month while trying to show him off.

[Mavs2021]

Here let me look into the Mavs 2026/2027 future:

Teams with players 33 years or older on their roster at the start of the season:

Knicks: Clarkson, PJ Tucker
Raptors: Temple
Sixers: George, Drummond, Lowry, Gordon
Bulls: Vucevic
Bucks: Thanasis
Pacers: TJ McConnell
Hornets: M. Plumlee
Wizards: Middleton
Hawks: McCollum
Nuggets: Valanciunas, THJ
Wolves: Gobert, Ingles, Conley
Blazers: Lillard, Holiday
Lakers: LeBron
Warriors: Steph, Butler, Draymon, Horford, Peyton II, Seth Curry
Clippers: Harden, Lopez, Kawhi, Bogdanovic
Kings: DeRozan, McDermott, Westbrook
Spurs: Barnes, Olynyk, Biyombo
Rockets: Green, Durant

Now let´s look at the teams that have more than one starter at this age

Knicks: Clarkson, PJ Tucker
Raptors: Temple
Sixers: George, Drummond, Lowry, Gordon
Bulls: Vucevic
Bucks: Thanasis
Pacers: TJ McConnell
Hornets: M. Plumlee
Wizards: Middleton
Hawks: McCollum
Nuggets: Valanciunas, THJ
Wolves: Gobert, Ingles, Conley
Blazers: Lillard, Holiday
Lakers: LeBron
Warriors: Steph, Butler, Draymond, Horford, Peyton II, Seth Curry
Clippers: Harden, Lopez, Kawhi, Bogdanovic
Kings: DeRozan, McDermott, Westbrook
Spurs: Barnes, Olynyk, Biyombo
Rockets: Green, Durant

21-18
15-23
8-30

It´s not rocket science. There is a ceiling for old teams now.

[Smitty]

@TheDunkCentral
Kyrie Irving is expected to return after the All-Star break, per @DALHoopsJournal


“While the Mavericks have not publicly communicated a return timetable for Irving, sources tell http://DallasHoopsJournal.com there has been no indication he will be shut down for the season. Instead, the prevailing expectation is that Irving’s return would more realistically come after the NBA All-Star break as it stands, rather than before it.”

[FireNicoHarrison]

Again...why???

[michaeltex]

Some guy, Will Eudy, wrote this on "Lake Show Life"...

Doncic just hasn't looked like the kind of game-breaking talent that can take over games and will LA to victories all by himself on a nightly basis. The stats look nice, but they don't always match up with the eye test. The truth is that Luka needs more teammates that can mask his inconsistent defensive output and sometimes questionable shot selection if this team is to succeed.

We're seeing more and more why the Mavs may have just been on to something when they decided to move on from Doncic. He's still a high-end talent when he's at his best, but the problem is that his success is highly dependent on his surrounding environment, especially at this stage of his career.

We can't forget that Luka may only be 26 years old, but he's been playing professional basketball for over a decade at this point. That's a lot of wear and tear on his body, so it shouldn't be that much of a surprise that he's not looking nearly as quick or athletic as he did four or five years ago.

This doesn't mean Luka is washed, but it does make the situation more complicated than anyone wants to admit. The Lakers aren’t built to cover for his flaws right now, and until that changes, big scoring nights might just keep feeling hollow. Talent alone isn’t going to save this season.

Wonder if the LALs are open to a trade? 

[F Gump]

@TheDunkCentral
Kyrie Irving is expected to return after the All-Star break, per @DALHoopsJournal


“While the Mavericks have not publicly communicated a return timetable for Irving, sources tell http://DallasHoopsJournal.com there has been no indication he will be shut down for the season. Instead, the prevailing expectation is that Irving’s return would more realistically come after the NBA All-Star break as it stands, rather than before it.”

Just pure speculation. The only news here is "we haven't heard anything" and then a guess based on the speculation of others (the "prevailing expectation"). Kyrie's "return" may not be this season at all, if the Mavs want to prioritize their tanking.

[Chicagojk]

Cooper article on the Ringer.

https://www.theringer.com/2026/01/14/nba...f-the-year

[mvossman]

Cooper article on the Ringer.

https://www.theringer.com/2026/01/14/nba...f-the-year

Good article, but annoying they are using Cuban quotes for team direction.

[Chicagojk]

Good article, but annoying they are using Cuban quotes for team direction.

Ha.  I was wondering which of the quotes he gave to McMahon.  Mcmahon said he had three sources.   On one hand I find it a little unsettling, he got three people talking when they know he was going to go public with this.  Maybe that was the point though.   I prefer stealth dealing rather than one who leaks like a sinking boat.

[KillerLeft]

Good article, but annoying they are using Cuban quotes for team direction.

I guess, but I agree completely with the quotes. 

"Right now, our challenges are shot creation and spacing. Both are fixable." 
I wish someone would've been "annoying" enough to identify those challenges before this season.

[Chicagojk]

I guess, but I agree completely with the quotes. 

"Right now, our challenges are shot creation and spacing. Both are fixable." 
I wish someone would've been "annoying" enough to identify those challenges before this season.

I really hope they can get off Klay this trade deadline for an expiring.   That will help clear things up short term.   

Then this summer depending on the draft pick, whoever is kept and players available or trade they have good solid players on solid contracts who they can use to get a better fitting parts.   PJ, Marshall, Gafford.   Then you have AD.   This is why a GM ready day 1 is going to be imperative.

[mvossman]

I guess, but I agree completely with the quotes. 

"Right now, our challenges are shot creation and spacing. Both are fixable." 
I wish someone would've been "annoying" enough to identify those challenges before this season.

The quotes are fine but it just feels like a cluster.  We have a new owner who got talked into the worst NBA trade of recent times, two interim GMs and an old owner who still has minority ownership who was pushed out of decisions and now maybe back involved and apparently speaking for the team?  I just wish they hired a GM before hugely important decisions needed to be made.

[cow]

The quotes are fine but it just feels like a cluster.  We have a new owner who got talked into the worst NBA trade of recent times, two interim GMs and an old owner who still has minority ownership who was pushed out of decisions and now maybe back involved and apparently speaking for the team?  I just wish they hired a GM before hugely important decisions needed to be made.

I'm hoping the wait to hire a GM is so they have a larger pool in the offseason.