06-06-2024, 04:30 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-06-2024, 04:42 PM by KillerLeft.)
(06-06-2024, 04:10 PM)Smitty Wrote: Again, I responded to this part of your assumption “But yes, SOMEONE this board likes is probably not going to be here next year, it’s pretty easy to see that coming.”
I felt like I made a good argument on why I disagree but maybe we were talking past each other.
I do agree with you that if they want to do more to improve the team than just resign DJJ and run it back, then of course it’s likely that the list you made of Gafford, Kleber, Green would be included in any improvement the team tried to make. They have the salary to bring back someone that would be viewed in such way.
Maybe I worded the first quote too strongly, and it was a little misleading, but it was all based on the last paragraph.
Personally, ever since Dan made his whole post like a week ago about “improving, not just running it back” I have been wondering what is in store for this off-season. We are all focused on DJJ, And while I believe that Dan was trying to subtly send the message that he might be inclined to let the dude walk, were he in charge (depending on how high the price gets), my take is that they might need to re-sign him AND add something else.
If I boil down my position, it is this:
1) I flatly do not think Hardaway is welcome on this team anymore, for whatever reason. Nor do I expect that he wants to come back, given that there does not seem to be playing time for him. Hardaway will not be a Maverick at the end of the summer. Even if they didn’t need to find money for Jones, and regardless of when is the optimal time to get max value for his contract, Hardaway is GONE. It’s pretty tough to get more obvious than that. We are almost to the territory of Christian Wood at this time last year.
2) after waiting for the other shoe to drop on DJJ all season, I have become a believer. I am completely sold on him as an integral, indispensable part of this team. I have zero issues with giving him a multi year deal at the MLE, and I have almost no qualms with the Mavericks having to do whatever they have to do to make that happen.
3) While I assume, like everyone else, that points number one and two synergize nicely, I have also considered the idea that there might be some unforeseen reason Hardaway CAN’T be moved to create enough money for DJJ. More on that in a sec.
4) In the event of point 3, It isn’t even a hesitation for me. If push comes to shove, I move Green or Gafford in favor of DJJ without even the hint of a second thought. I am not suggesting that this will likely be the case, nor do I hope it’s the case, I am simply saying that for me, Jones is at the top of that list in terms of importance. People are free to disagree here.
5) To add nuance to point number 3, if dumping Hardaway for air requires two first round picks, just as an example, I honestly believe that in that case, it might be the better choice to dump Green. I’m not saying that it’s the better choice in a vacuum, I’m just saying that there are details that could possibly push me in that direction, especially knowing that Hardaway is going into the last year of his contract. Like Gump above, I don’t expect it to be that hard to find a home for Hardaway, but we won’t know until it’s done.
6) If the Mavericks want to re-sign DJJ AND add another player capable of big playoff rotation minutes, which seems to me to be a worthwhile dream at this point, either green, Gafford, or Kleber would need to be involved (unless they hit a triple with the BAE, to Gump’s point). I have no trouble imagining that a player better than any of them might want to come here, and I feel like all three of them have at least a little bit of trade value. All I am saying is that I am open to talking about it. This next part is subjective opinion, I suppose, but if I were to rank those three in order of importance to the team, I believe I would go Kleber, Gafford and Green bringing up the rear. I have a sneaky suspicion that the team is kind of down on Green. He had kind of a weird season, in my opinion. That is not the same thing as saying I want him gone or I think he’s trash.