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

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I don't think Risacher (meh) and taking the smallest bad salary is nearly enough to pry away AD. 

Add a couple picks (at least one with some real potential to matter). Add a real talent. Add more bad Mav salary. That might get it closer.

As is, that isn't much more than "if you just take AD off our hands, you can have him" territory.

I can no longer tell if this is a bit.

We are definitely in please take him off our hands territory.

[mvossman]

I don't think Risacher (meh) and taking the smallest bad salary is nearly enough to pry away AD. 

Add a couple picks (at least one with some real potential to matter). Add a real talent. Add more bad Mav salary. That might get it closer.

As is, that isn't much more than "if you just take AD off our hands, you can have him" territory.

It is more than that, but there is no point rehashing that again.  Based on your trade proposals, you are likely going to be very disappointed in anything they actually do, but its looking more and more likely they are not going to do anything.  That seems to be your preference anyways, but I'm sure you will be disappointed in the GM choice (it won't be Presti) and will be disappointed in whatever that guy does to get out of cap hell in the offseason.

[Dirknows]

Deadlines make deals.

Yeah, just cuz there were a lot of fireworks today doesn't mean the final hour still won't be chaotic as always.

[Smitty]

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards.

[Dirknows]

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards.

You would have thought the deadline is today with how many massive deals have gone down so far.

[F Gump]

It is more than that, but there is no point rehashing that again.  Based on your trade proposals, you are likely going to be very disappointed in anything they actually do, but its looking more and more likely they are not going to do anything.  That seems to be your preference anyways, but I'm sure you will be disappointed in the GM choice (it won't be Presti) and will be disappointed in whatever that guy does to get out of cap hell in the offseason.

"It is more than that" -- LOL nah, it isn't. If you took the time to weigh it, then you see in it the Mavs get NOTHING more for AD than a player I consider meh (who has really shown zip so far) and getting rid of their smallest bad contract. That's what a "take him off our hands" deal looks like. 

"Based on your trade proposals, you are likely going to be very disappointed in anything they actually do" -- Again you have (and I suspect you will continue to) misstate what I have been saying. If they do nothing, that is the essence of what I have figured they would end up doing with AD. My AD trade talk point has always been about what a trade might look like that will get the Mavs to say yes. I think they will be expecting to get ___ [a certain high level of value] for AD (and that they will keep him, otherwise). If they settle for less, the proper description is that I will be "surprised."

"I'm sure you will be disappointed in the GM choice (it won't be Presti)" -- You also don't follow my point there, either, even though I have taken the time to elaborate to you directly before.  If you are saying you figure they will settle for some third rate newbie, yes I will be disappointed. But am I alone? You won't be disappointed in that? 

My point re Presti has been: they NEED to aim directly for and pursue the very best, for someone elite, and not settle for some low-rent project like Cuban always tried when a key position opened up. See Johnson, Avery, and Harrison, Nico. Do I want them to just go ahead and land Presti? Yes. Is he unavailable? We don't know that, to say that's a stupid idea. While you want to be dismissive and derisive of even the idea, GM's/POBO's do switch teams, even when they have had great success (in fact, sometimes BECAUSE they have had that). I can name names. Some are household names, and the moves surprised everyone. Will I be disappointed otherwise? Let's see what happens. 

I expect no less than a proven expert to navigate the choppy waters ahead that lead us into the Flagg Era. To beat Presti, they need to get Presti or someone EVEN BETTER. I would start with Presti as the most obvious answer. If not him, show me a track record and explain why he can out-do the Presti-level guys. I took a lot of flak for not being all that impressed with a shoe salesman when the Mavs needed a proven EXPERT the last time around (in player evaluation, negotiation, and roster-building), and cheaped out instead on a project with NO experience in those areas that needed someone elite. How did THAT work out for us? 

I see these moves being made this week, and some GMs are doing impressive work that no one would have thought possible in light of what they have to work with. I want THAT TYPE OF GUY to be doing things at the reins of the Mavs. But until Presti is ruled out, I wouldn't want to shrink away from that pursuit.

[Jakeospikez]

36 1/2 year old Harden gets Garland & a 2nd yet a lot of people think soon to be 33 year old AD's value is expirings with value further going into negative next season if he's not salary dumped this instant.

[JamesConway912]

36 1/2 year old Harden gets Garland & a 2nd yet a lot of people think soon to be 33 year old AD's value is expirings with value further going into negative next season if he's not salary dumped this instant.

Games played by Harden the last three seasons

72
79
44 of 49 this season

Case closed

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

36 1/2 year old Harden gets Garland & a 2nd yet a lot of people think soon to be 33 year old AD's value is expirings with value further going into negative next season if he's not salary dumped this instant.

Is there something in the water in Texas?  

No one wants AD because he is ALWAYS HURT.  What part of this is difficult to understand? Ja Morant is 26. No one wants him either. Zion is 25. He barely has a market. It's because they are not dependable.

[Jakeospikez]

https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Ant...tory/13305

Mavs tanked last year for Flagg and are ethically tanking this year for obvious reasons. Believe what you want, but pretty certain any chance the Mavs have to tell AD to take the night or even weeks off, they'll do it. If he is still on the roster next season and gets major injuries again, then I'll believe he's actually cooked.

[Mavs2021]

36 1/2 year old Harden gets Garland & a 2nd yet a lot of people think soon to be 33 year old AD's value is expirings with value further going into negative next season if he's not salary dumped this instant.

119 games missed in 17 years = 4.7 games missed per season
266 games missed in 14 years = 19 games missed per season

318 of 367 played last five years
279 of 367 played last five years 

Harden makes 40M. Davis makes 60M. Clippers did not want to give Harden an extension either.

I said one of the main things that was going to happen with the new harsh CBA rules would be the reluctance of teams to pay old players ridiculous legacy salaries.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I said one of the main things that was going to happen with the new harsh CBA rules would be the reluctance of teams to pay old players ridiculous legacy salaries.

Yep.  No one wants to pay max money to bums that are always hurt.

[windjc]

Is there something in the water in Texas?  

No one wants AD because he is ALWAYS HURT.  What part of this is difficult to understand?  Ja Morant is 26.  No one wants him either.  Zion is 25.  He barely has a market.  It's because they are not dependable.

He isn’t always hurt. Stop lying.

[mvossman]

https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Ant...tory/13305

Mavs tanked last year for Flagg and are ethically tanking this year for obvious reasons. Believe what you want, but pretty certain any chance the Mavs have to tell AD to take the night or even weeks off, they'll do it. If he is still on the roster next season and gets major injuries again, then I'll believe he's actually cooked.

Mavs tanked last year?  I saw no hint of that.  In fact it seems like Nico was rushing guys back early from injury in a desperate move to show he was right about the trade.  A behavior he continued to display early this season and got him fired.

[mvossman]

He isn’t always hurt. Stop lying.

He has been since he got here.  He has had 8 opportunities to play more than 5 games in a row since he got here and has failed every time.  That is a very disturbing pattern for a big man about to turn 33.

[Mavs2021]

Also Garland is 26 years old averaging 18/2/7. That´s roughly the same numbers as Quickley or Nembhard. So if I said the Mavs are trading AD straight up for either of these two guys, what would be the reaction of the "AD has elite value" people? They´d say that is a crap return.

[JamesConway912]

The Gafford injury essentially just ended the last possible trade avenue of significance:

- Gafff stays due to injury
- Marshall is untouchable (lol)
- AD has no market
- Klay / Hardy / Martin are all making too much to be considered value contracts

I could still see them dump unwanted salaries to save money but that will most likely come with a hefty price tag attached in terms of outgoing draft capital.

The years without 1st round picks havent even started and they are essentially stuck with this squad now. What a mess.

[Smitty]

The Gafford injury essentially just ended the last possible trade avenue of significance:

Not really, the tanking Pacers would love a Mathurin for Gafford trade. Or the tanking Bulls with a White for Gafford deal.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

They need to get lucky in the lottery again. With the crap team and crap ownership and crap draft pick situation, I am about close to done.

[Mavs2021]

If Giannis moves to Minnesota, you have to likely keep AD, until LeBron lands in Cleveland. The chances that he talks the owner into AD are significant. If you cannot get Mobley straight up, you can probably extract max future value. Jarrett Allen, Dennis Schroeder, their 2026 1st round pick, their 2030 and 2032 1st round picks.