Trade & FA 2024-25:

[Scott41theMavs]

They WERE far away on offense, but another heliocentric scoring guard wouldn't fix it. Good insurance against an injury, and a good thing to have to lessen the regular season work load for Luka and Kyrie, but not a solution to THAT problem. 

The solution is a guy in the top 6 of the rotation who plays big minutes, including a ton of minutes WITH Luka AND Kyrie. Last 5 minutes of the game type of minutes, so he needs to be from a different position, and needs to be competent enough on defense to be trusted in high leverage moments. Basically, the immediate solution to that problem would need to be one of the team's five best players.

Lively is going to be the center. 

The 3 MUST be a POA defender. Non-negotiable. Last season taught us that, though some are trying to forget. The Mavs are about to re-sign Jones AND have now added Grimes. They've DOUBLED DOWN on what they think works from that position. 

That leaves the 4. That's why they are into Grant. That's why I'M into grant. He would make them so much more complete as a team, and is a two-way guy who can play 30+ per in a playoff series. These guys don't grow on trees. Having said that, the Grimes path was chosen (I'm not mad, I'm thrilled) so Grant's contract makes him a long shot. 

So, I think unless you're a Kyle Kuzma fan, we're back to hoping for enough quick improvement from PJ Washington to fix that, specific problem the finals exposed. I just don't see any other getable difference makers out there who fit. Grant was it.

Isn't there an elephant in the room in what you're posting here? 

PJ was our fourth best player on a championship run. Getting a top-five-on-the-team scoring four relegates him to the bench. Bet he doesn't like that after what he did last year. The Mavs' win totals not getting any better might not like it either. My point is, if you get a guy like Grant, does that make PJ expendable? Is Grant as good as post-TDL PJ on defense? Is Grant so much better on offense than PJ that he's worth any defensive drop-off, the additional cap cost, and the potential damage to chemistry/locker room of losing a good citizen and adding a guy who is probably postal over being relegated to a sideman role again? Or could Kyrie/Morris change Grant's attitude prior to the season? I would be hesitant, tbh, to include PJ in a trade for Grant because it seems to me that there is a legitimate queasiness that PJ might be the better overall player in that deal, or at least the better player for the Mavs. Seems that Grant is better, but that sense of doubt... brrrrr. 

Another consideration - PJ's contract isn't that bad, given the CBA/salary cap changes. Would he get enough minutes off the bench to justify keeping him? If I might suggest a path to that - could we maneuver in such a way to send out Gafford and get back a guy who fits as well on a lower salary? 

TLDR - Getting Grant might very well make PJ or Gafford expendable for other team needs.