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

[mvossman]

The one caveat is that they wouldn't have to avoid the tax next season, if they don't want to. Clearing the money in that hypothetical trade I posted and getting below the tax before the last day of this season, will free them of the massive repeater tax bill they're on track for as of now.

I don't know what the priority is for Dumont. None of us do. But I have to think he would like they appeal of a net difference of $200M in his pocket. But maybe he doesn't care about it at all and wants to build a "contender" at any cost going forward.

Another dumb question, how much do they need to shed at the TDL to get under the tax for this season (and avoid the repeater)?

[mvossman]

I think that's kind of the problem with Green in general. I admire his game greatly, especially during his prime, but I don't think he's really a fit with ANY big. I think he is at his best when he's played "out of position" at the 5, and it doesn't seem like he's physically up to the physicality of that mission anymore. I think guys like KD/Dirk are the perfect complement to him, and even then you're having to willingly choose to go away from rim protection in favor of otherworldly defensive instincts and offensive playmaking. He has always been a very niche presence, in my opinion, and is clearly on the downside at this point. Since he's also a bonafide crazy person who's accustomed to having his team almost completely shaped around his talents/temperament, I have never had an ounce of interest in any trade that results in him becoming a Maverick, even temporarily.

I think Horford would have been a good fit but he is 39.  Agree with no interest in Draymond on Mavs.

[Smitty]

Another dumb question, how much do they need to shed at the TDL to get under the tax for this season (and avoid the repeater)?

$16,985,418. 

Ending this season as a tax team would make them a "repeater tax team" next season. 

The Mavericks were taxpayers in 2022-23 and 2024-25. They will be taxpayers this season (2025-26)

They would become repeater taxpayers in 2026-27 (because that would make 3 of the prior 4 years over the tax line).

[F Gump]

But I have to think [Dumont] would like the appeal of a net difference of $200M in his pocket. But maybe he doesn't care about it at all and wants to build a "contender" at any cost going forward.

It's a weird situation to try to unravel the thinking behind it. If the Mavs (ie Dumont) cared about tax, they wouldn't have done the stupid Grimes-Martin trade. There was no real benefit to that deal, and in its wake I was posting last spring about the consequences in tax (with a hope it would be the impetus to fire Nico for utter incompetence, once PD figured out how deeply Nico had hit his wallet). 

But they are kinda stuck now. I think PD may have to ride it out to some degree. It's his own fault for listening to Nico the Idiot.

Here's how bad that trade is. If they hadn't let Nico do that Martin trade last year, and we just assume an empty slot or a minimum in it for next season, the tax bill for the roster as-is (with all its A2 bumping payroll) would only be about 33M. It was a monumental error of incompetence in tax planning and roster building, and a hefty price to pay for a 3rd-string player who was damaged goods to boot.

[KillerLeft]

I think Horford would have been a good fit but he is 39.  Agree with no interest in Draymond on Mavs.

Agreed. Prime Horford and prime Green would probably have been interesting, both together and used interchangeably.

[mvossman]

$16,985,418. 

Ending this season as a tax team would make them a "repeater tax team" next season. 

The Mavericks were taxpayers in 2022-23 and 2024-25. They will be taxpayers this season (2025-26)

They would become repeater taxpayers in 2026-27 (because that would make 3 of the prior 4 years over the tax line).

So Klay by himself misses it by a couple hundred thousand.  Gafford + Exum doesn't quite get their either.  Seems like getting out of repeater tax would make a lot of sense.  Will be a lot harder to shed salary in the offseason.

[KillerLeft]

So Klay by himself misses it by a couple hundred thousand.  Gafford + Exum doesn't quite get their either.  Seems like getting out of repeater tax would make a lot of sense.  Will be a lot harder to shed salary in the offseason.

Which adds a significant layer of interest to this AD argument we've been having for weeks. The prospect of such immediate and "easy" salary relief is almost enough to move someone from one side of that war to the other, frankly, but we don't KNOW that reducing salary is a goal the Mavs have. 

Ironically, for all my complaining about how cheap Cuban got, learning that the Adelsons were ready to spend hundreds of millions over the next few seasons that could and probably should be avoided...I'm not sure if that would make me feel better or worse about the new Mavs reality.

[mvossman]

It's a weird situation to try to unravel the thinking behind it. If the Mavs (ie Dumont) cared about tax, they wouldn't have done the stupid Grimes-Martin trade. There was no real benefit to that deal, and in its wake I was posting last spring about the consequences in tax (with a hope it would be the impetus to fire Nico for utter incompetence, once PD figured out how deeply Nico had hit his wallet). 

But they are kinda stuck now. I think PD may have to ride it out to some degree. It's his own fault for listening to Nico the Idiot.

Here's how bad that trade is. If they hadn't let Nico do that Martin trade last year, and we just assume an empty slot or a minimum in it for next season, the tax bill for the roster as-is (with all its A2 bumping payroll) would only be about 33M. It was a monumental error of incompetence in tax planning and roster building, and a hefty price to pay for a 3rd-string player who was damaged goods to boot.

Nico probably sold that Grimes trade as the final piece to a contender.  Who knows if the tax implications were even communicated at all.  

I wonder how much Dumont's perspective has changed.  Given his willingness to listen to offers on AD it seems like he is at least considering a rebuild.  It will be very interesting to see what his tax appetite is going to be.  I am guessing it will be low, but I really have no idea.

[KillerLeft]

Nico probably sold that Grimes trade as the final piece to a contender.  Who knows if the tax implications were even communicated at all.  

This is my guess, too.

[DallasMaverick]

Nico probably sold that Grimes trade as the final piece to a contender.  Who knows if the tax implications were even communicated at all.  

I wonder how much Dumont's perspective has changed.  Given his willingness to listen to offers on AD it seems like he is at least considering a rebuild.  It will be very interesting to see what his tax appetite is going to be.  I am guessing it will be low, but I really have no idea.

Cuban's attitude always seemed to be "I'm willing to pay tax for a really good contending team.  But not for a mediocre one."

Which leads to the question: Is this a bad team? Or a good team with a bunch of injuries? Or just a middle-of-the-road team?

[Chicagojk]

Has there been any mention of DLO?  He is nailed to the bench.  I have trouble thinking anyone would want to trade for him.   Did something happen?

Or is Kidd making a point that your time in Dallas is done.   You can either opt in this summer but  you are not getting any play time or you can look for a new opportunity (probably making less money) to show you can still be a rotation player.

[Smitty]

So Klay by himself misses it by a couple hundred thousand.  Gafford + Exum doesn't quite get their either.  Seems like getting out of repeater tax would make a lot of sense.  Will be a lot harder to shed salary in the offseason.

That's why I felt the need to post the financial impact of the hypothetical trade(s) I posted yesterday. It's not just a judgement of the deal(s) at face value. It's about $200M net difference, versus doing nothing.

Of course there are other ways to reduce payroll. Sending out Martin, Hardy, or DLO would all be our preference in any trade that may happen. But when doing a deep dive on the financial picture that this team is facing, it becomes even more evident that they'll likely do SOMETHING this TDL to reduce payroll for next season.

Just a week ago, I held the opinion that it wasn't a big deal, and that the A2 threshold was the only real concern, as long as Dumont was willing to pay up. It's not as easy to say it with my chest knowing the dollars and cents now.

[KillerLeft]

Cuban's attitude always seemed to be "I'm willing to pay tax for a really good contending team.  But not for a mediocre one."

His mindset had three stages, to me:

1) first decade plus a year or three: "I'll do anything or spend anything to make this franchise work."

2) post 2011: "I'm willing to pay tax for a really good contending team.  But not for a mediocre one."

3) my guess is soon after #2, like sooner than we realized: "I hate the way these CBA negotiations are heading every time, and my businesses aren't doing super well. Meanwhile, more and more real billionaires are buying teams, along with private equity groups who are pooling money from several sources. I can't hang with them. We're going to be one of the 'smart' teams who never pays tax."

He hadn't paid tax for YEARS before selling the team, if memory serves. I don't believe he was willing (or maybe even able) to do it ever again. He dances around this a little, but an adjacent point is made literally every single time he speaks publicly about his reasons for selling the team.

[F Gump]

$16,985,418. 

Ending this season as a tax team would make them a "repeater tax team" next season. 

The Mavericks were taxpayers in 2022-23 and 2024-25. They will be taxpayers this season (2025-26)

They would become repeater taxpayers in 2026-27 (because that would make 3 of the prior 4 years over the tax line).

Not sure if these are your numbers, but Spotrac shows the Mavs at 201,669,202 actual salary, which leaves an even smaller number to shed than 16,985,418 to get under the tax line.  (You may have been accounting for the cost to refill the emptied slot(s) to satisfy roster minimums).

Using that number, here's an intriguing (to me) salary-clearing trade idea. Would you? If so, what in assets (cash, picks) would you be willing to pay to do it)?

Simple trade concept:
Mavs send Martin, Russell, and (a "tip" for the help)
BKN sends (air)(only enough to technically make the trade possible)

It does put the Mavs under the tax line, with enough room to convert Nemby when the time comes. Probably also have enough room left to convert Cisse into the other emptied slot. But if no other moves, DAL is a taxpaying team again next season.

I would do that deal all day long, if the price being paid isn't too exorbitant. But what is worth it? How would Dumont answer that? It's all outgoing, it costs something in assets, with nothing of value incoming except a massive decrease in taxes being paid.

[Smitty]

Not sure if these are your numbers, but Spotrac shows the Mavs at 201,669,202 actual salary, which leaves an even smaller number to shed than 16,985,418 to get under the tax line.  (You may have been accounting for the cost to refill the emptied slot(s) to satisfy roster minimums).

Using that number, here's an intriguing (to me) salary-clearing trade idea. Would you? If so, what in assets (cash, picks) would you be willing to pay to do it)?

Simple trade concept:
Mavs send Martin, Russell, and (a "tip" for the help)
BKN sends (air)(only enough to technically make the trade possible)

It does put the Mavs under the tax line, with enough room to convert Nemby when the time comes. Probably also have enough room left to convert Cisse into the other emptied slot. But if no other moves, DAL is a taxpaying team again next season.

I would do that deal all day long, if the price being paid isn't too exorbitant. But what is worth it? How would Dumont answer that? It's all outgoing, it costs something in assets, with nothing of value incoming except a massive decrease in taxes being paid.

I think you're missing McGee and Omax in your numbers, which brings it to $204,748,448. Spotrac shows them being $16,985,418 over. So, Martin + Russell don't get you there in this?

[F Gump]

Has there been any mention of DLO?  He is nailed to the bench.  I have trouble thinking anyone would want to trade for him.   Did something happen?

Or is Kidd making a point that your time in Dallas is done.   You can either opt in this summer but  you are not getting any play time or you can look for a new opportunity (probably making less money) to show you can still be a rotation player.

I think that may be part of it. 

It also may be that he is soon to be outbound as filler in a TDL move already in the works, and they don't want to mess it up with an injury between now and then. Or he is a POTENTIAL trade filler, if they can find a deal where he fits. 

Also, I still wonder if his option, not having been exercised yet for next year, simply goes away if they choose to waive him (with no payout on it) before it is exercised. NBA contract allows for either possibility, subject only to how the option is worded.

[Smitty]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/rap...long-term/

"How about Davis, the 10-time all-star with the Dallas Mavericks?

The Raptors have certainly had conversations about what it would mean to try to trade for the soon-to-be 33-year-old, but instance timing matters: Acquiring Davis is the definition of a win-now move, given the big man’s injury history. A three-year extension he is said to be looking for — and which the Mavericks are loathe to give since they are centering their future plans on 19-year-old Cooper Flagg — would keep him on the books until his age-37 season in 2029-30. The deal could be worth up to $275 million. But even if it was a shorter deal for less than the maximum he is eligible for, it is still a significant risk for any acquiring team. Even if Davis was available for a steep discount, the timing doesn’t seem right for the current Raptors club."

[F Gump]

I think you're missing McGee and Omax in your numbers, which brings it to $204,748,448. Spotrac shows them being $16,985,418 over. So, Martin + Russell don't get you there in this?

Bummer. My bad. 

Once you increase the needed outgoing, it gets clunkier, because BKN only has a limited amount of cap room to work with. 

Their easiest payroll solution, going all the way back to the summer, has been to get rid of Martin and Hardy contracts. We hoped to see that move. Nothing happened. 

That's still the solution imo, but it takes a really good GM to figure out how to make that happen.

My personal mindset on salary-dumping deals. If they wanted to shed salary in a deal with a good talent outgoing (for example, AD, Klay, Gaff, Naji), I would want them to demand the inclusion of one of those 3 bad contracts (Martin, Hardy, DAR) as a condition for doing business. There's no roster-building value in getting under the tax line by keeping the scrubs and being stripped bare of all the talent.

[mvossman]

His mindset had three stages, to me:

1) first decade plus a year or three: "I'll do anything or spend anything to make this franchise work."

2) post 2011: "I'm willing to pay tax for a really good contending team.  But not for a mediocre one."

3) my guess is soon after #2, like sooner than we realized: "I hate the way these CBA negotiations are heading every time, and my businesses aren't doing super well. Meanwhile, more and more real billionaires are buying teams, along with private equity groups who are pooling money from several sources. I can't hang with them. We're going to be one of the 'smart' teams who never pays tax."

He hadn't paid tax for YEARS before selling the team, if memory serves. I don't believe he was willing (or maybe even able) to do it ever again. He dances around this a little, but an adjacent point is made literally every single time he speaks publicly about his reasons for selling the team.

Cuban paid a fairly big tax bill in 23, but I think the potential tax bill is the biggest reason he let Brunson walk (and the incompetence of not extending him the year prior).

[mvossman]

Not sure if these are your numbers, but Spotrac shows the Mavs at 201,669,202 actual salary, which leaves an even smaller number to shed than 16,985,418 to get under the tax line.  (You may have been accounting for the cost to refill the emptied slot(s) to satisfy roster minimums).

Using that number, here's an intriguing (to me) salary-clearing trade idea. Would you? If so, what in assets (cash, picks) would you be willing to pay to do it)?

Simple trade concept:
Mavs send Martin, Russell, and (a "tip" for the help)
BKN sends (air)(only enough to technically make the trade possible)

It does put the Mavs under the tax line, with enough room to convert Nemby when the time comes. Probably also have enough room left to convert Cisse into the other emptied slot. But if no other moves, DAL is a taxpaying team again next season.

I would do that deal all day long, if the price being paid isn't too exorbitant. But what is worth it? How would Dumont answer that? It's all outgoing, it costs something in assets, with nothing of value incoming except a massive decrease in taxes being paid.

If I am BKN that tip would be a (late) first round pick or at least a swap.  I'm not taking on bad contracts for seconds, especially when I know Mavs are trying to get out of the tax.