MAVS NEWS:

[Mavs2021]

How long do you guys think the Cuban retirement home damage will last that you think 35 year old Middleton is the 3rd best player on this team let alone worth more than the minimum?

[Scott41theMavs]

How long do you guys think the Cuban retirement home damage will last that you think 35 year old Middleton is the 3rd best player on this team let alone worth more than the minimum?

LOL

[Scott41theMavs]

Bagley, Klay, PJ, and Martin out tonight. Unfortunately, Martin is one of our key tank commanders.

Active players: Max, Gafford, AJ, Tyus, Naji, Khris, Powell, BW, and whichever 2-ways are available. Unfortunately, even a tired Naji and Khris will probably be enough to beat the sub-GLeague team the Grizz will trot out there.

[Chicagojk]

Mavs probably win tonight.  Grizz have typically been a team who has overachieved, even with injuries.  That is not the case this year.   It will probably get worse as the year goes on.  

No need to worry...the next games are Thunder, road hornets, road magic, road celtics, road raptors, Road hawks.  Then they get the Grizz again.  They will be lucky to win one of those games between Grizz games.   After the Grizz game, it looks like the Mavs will not be favored for the rest of the month...with exception to  road game against New Orleans.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

AJ looks like Roddy B.

[Chicagojk]

I understand the task, but last night and so far in this game has been some of the worst mavs basketball I have seen….ever.

[Mavs03]

I understand the task, but last night and so far in this game has been some of the worst mavs basketball I have seen….ever.

Mission accomplished.  We need the Mavs to continue playing that type of basketball.  It's imperative that we get a top 7 pick at minimum.  Hopefully, we can move "up" in the lottery standings (aiming for a top 5 pick).

[Mavs2021]

Mavs loss, Detroit win. If Denver finishes OKC, it´s a perfect night. 28th pick not impossible. Pistons and Spurs are young. They´ll go for homecourt advantage.

[KillerLeft]

Mavs waiving Tyus Jones so he can sign with a contender for the playoffs. Middleton next?

[Mavs2021]

Mavs waiving Tyus Jones so he can sign with a contender for the playoffs. Middleton next?

 
I think we have this romantic idea that he wants to play for a contender, but most of the time this has very little to do with that, but more the next contract.

Mavs and agents of Jones, Middleton and Bagley surely talk, whether there is a deal to be made in the summer or not. If there is not, then it´s a no brainer to leave a lottery team. Then it becomes a no brainer to look for a contender to have something to play for and be visible for your next contract.

Mavs clearly made their decision on Tyus Jones, that even without any true PGs on the roster that he is not it. Also pretty confident that they´ll work toward retaining Bagley as a bench option and Middleton remains the one up in the air.

[ThisIStheYear]

Mavs waiving Tyus Jones so he can sign with a contender for the playoffs. Middleton next?

The Mav’s basketball decision makers continue to display a lack of general IQ. The Jones-Branham trade never made sense. Jones makes $2 million more so they were just pissing money away to begin with.  Branham is a young player who’s flashed potential, Jones is a retread. Both will be free agents, but at least Branham is restricted so you have some control over the player. At best, Jones was just a guy who could screw up the tank. This reminds me of the Exum/ Prosper move. It was small but still bafflingly stupid. God help Mav’s fans if this current crew is entrusted to make draft picks and retool the team this offseason. This is the most important offseason in franchise history. The moves made and direction taken will determine the fate of this team for the next six years. The current front office isn’t up to it.

[Winter]

The Mav’s basketball decision makers continue to display a lack of general IQ. The Jones-Branham trade never made sense. Jones makes $2 million more so they were just pissing money away to begin with.  Branham is a young player who’s flashed potential, Jones is a retread. Both will be free agents, but at least Branham is restricted so you have some control over the player. At best, Jones was just a guy who could screw up the tank. This reminds me of the Exum/ Prosper move. It was small but still bafflingly stupid. God help Mav’s fans if this current crew is entrusted to make draft picks and retool the team this offseason. This is the most important offseason in franchise history. The moves made and direction taken will determine the fate of this team for the next six years. The current front office isn’t up to it.

I'm not convinced that's true. I'm not sure the FO saw Tyus Jones as anything but a two-week filler. Maybe more if they were lucky. I think they're trying to figure out the number of Nembhards games to be played, maybe massaging some other contracts, and Branham was not an answer to anything.

None of this feels like it caught the Mavs by surprise.

[Chicagojk]

Mavs converting Nemby to a standard contract.  Will be interesting to see if they can get a non guaranteed year added to that.

I wanted to give Jones time.  Probably unfair to judge him just off a few games, but boy was he bad.  Will a contender really sign him or is this just a face saving move?   Sure, he can run an offense but provides no pressure at the rim, has forgotten how to shoot, and doesn't play defense.    In all honesty, keeping him probably helps the tank.

I am still in the camp that Nemby, despite all his faults, is the best active point guard on the roster this year.  Williams has had some really nice moments and Kidd seems to favor him at the moment, but Nemby, for me, just makes it easier for his teammates.  His lack of scoring punch is a clear negative and you feel it when he is not playing with other bucket getters, but with the right team I think he is a valuable, solid piece on a team.

[F Gump]

I'm not convinced that's true. I'm not sure the FO saw Tyus Jones as anything but a two-week filler. I think they're trying to figure out the number of Nembhards games to be played, maybe massaging some other contracts, and Branham was not an answer to anything.

None of this feels like it caught the Mavs by surprise.

About Jones himself. I'm not bothered by a few extra dollars to see if Jones was useful for next year. For an NBA team the diff was couch cushion money, maybe about $650K. Their analysis previously was that he can play, and they have needed PG help. In fact, Nico wanted him in the summer over DAR (fwiw). He signed instead with ORL (more money than DAL could offer), where he was relegated to limited minutes (which seems odd, unless they decided too late that he wasn't their answer after all), and it's informative that he sucked when he did play. 

I am more bothered that he sucked in PHX, the Mavs think he is a catch, he sucks in ORL, they still think he is a catch, and only when he sucks in DAL can they figure out that he truly sucks. That doesn't say good things about the current Mav player-evaluating corps. Ugh.

About a Nemby connection. If this had anything to do with Nembhard's eligibility, the FO still is being run by roster-management dolts, because there's no mystery on how to get games for Nemby. He still has 6 NBA games left iiuc. They aren't using them. They are actually using him in GL games to work on a few things. His shot is even worse there than in DAL, and he's not very desirable if he can't make 3s. At any time they can convert him to an NBA deal if they want to. But why? He still has NBA eligibility left on his 2-way.

It's possible Nemby doesn't want to convert to an NBA 2-year deal (and if he doesn't, the Mavs have no incentive to just convert him, to pay him more this season). Or maybe his flower has wilted.

[DanSchwartzgan]

The Jones-Branham trade never made sense. Jones makes $2 million more so they were just pissing money away to begin with.  Branham is a young player who’s flashed potential, Jones is a retread. Both will be free agents, but at least Branham is restricted so you have some control over the player.

Charlotte almost immediately waived Branham.

The money part is immaterial for Dallas.  We aren’t close to the tax and it isn’t our money.  I’m not sure I see the harm of a “free” look here.

[Mavs2021]

Irving/
Christie/Johnson
Marshall/Thompson/Martin
Flagg/Washington/
Lively/Gafford/

That´s already 10 players I expect to see back. They are not going to S/W Johnson, Martin or Thompson given their contractual situations. Trading them is also highly unlikely due to their performances. If they want to reasonably compete, they can´t trade any of the other pieces.

They have three more draft picks, the MLE and two TPEs. We need at least one veteran guard with some play-making ability to spare Kyrie via the TPE or MLE. We all assume there is a high probability they´ll draft at least one PG, that will be three years younger and much higher rated than 23 year old Nembhard.

Haven´t even talked about Bagley, Williams or Middleton yet. They already creating a roster spot shortage over a player that realistically should not play any significant role. Why not wait? Also if they are really looking for a new GM beyond Riccardi/Finley, what if the guy does not want Nembhard and has other ideas for the roster configuration.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Irving/
Christie/Johnson
Marshall/Thompson/Martin
Flagg/Washington/
Lively/Gafford/

That´s already 10 players I expect to see back. They are not going to S/W Johnson, Martin or Thompson given their contractual situations. Trading them is also highly unlikely due to their performances. If they want to reasonably compete, they can´t trade any of the other pieces.

They have three more draft picks, the MLE and two TPEs. We need at least one veteran guard with some play-making ability to spare Kyrie via the TPE or MLE. We all assume there is a high probability they´ll draft at least one PG, that will be three years younger and much higher rated than 23 year old Nembhard.

Haven´t even talked about Bagley, Williams or Middleton yet. They already creating a roster spot shortage over a player that realistically should not play any significant role. Why not wait? Also if they are really looking for a new GM beyond Riccardi/Finley, what if the guy does not want Nembhard and has other ideas for the roster configuration.

I think it comes down to one of Williams or Nembhard for the third PG spot (assuming we draft a PG as you say).  Williams is UFA and Nembhard would be under team control next season.

[ThisIStheYear]

Charlotte almost immediately waived Branham.

The money part is immaterial for Dallas.  We aren’t close to the tax and it isn’t our money.  I’m not sure I see the harm of a “free” look here.

No need for a look, especially with a guy like Jones.  It’s all on film these days, he is what he is, and he’s unrestricted anyway, so just goes to the highest bidder next season.  The Mavs sure as Hell shouldn’t be bidding on anyone for more than a 1 year type deal. It’s like the Exum Prosper situation, small, maybe insignificant, but an insight into flawed player evaluation and analysis, as is just pissing away money for no reason at all. I think someone at the Mavs actually thought he was good, probably Kidd, which is a problem since the only thing that matters now is losing this year and killing it in the draft. At least the Mavs didn’t compound their mistake by holding on to him longer, and maybe I should be reassured that ownership is willing to just throw $650K away on a whim. Charlotte did some good work taking advantage of Mavs ownership to save a decent chunk of change. Hopefully, we get some good will out of it.

[ThisIStheYear]

Irving/
Christie/Johnson
Marshall/Thompson/Martin
Flagg/Washington/
Lively/Gafford/

That´s already 10 players I expect to see back. They are not going to S/W Johnson, Martin or Thompson given their contractual situations. Trading them is also highly unlikely due to their performances. If they want to reasonably compete, they can´t trade any of the other pieces.

They have three more draft picks, the MLE and two TPEs. We need at least one veteran guard with some play-making ability to spare Kyrie via the TPE or MLE. We all assume there is a high probability they´ll draft at least one PG, that will be three years younger and much higher rated than 23 year old Nembhard.

Haven´t even talked about Bagley, Williams or Middleton yet. They already creating a roster spot shortage over a player that realistically should not play any significant role. Why not wait? Also if they are really looking for a new GM beyond Riccardi/Finley, what if the guy does not want Nembhard and has other ideas for the roster configuration.

I don’t know about Gaff and PJ coming back. Ideally, you could talk the Lakers into taking them into their cap space for picks. They were Luka merchants once, though I suspect Gafford is in decline and his best days are behind him.

[Mavs2021]

So Stein reporting Nembhard got a two year deal with a team option for 2026/2027. That would imply he´s only guaranteed the rest of the year. That makes a lot more sense, if Stein didn´t get the years confused.