Trade & FA 2024-25:

[dirkfansince1998]

I hate beating up on Maxi but the reality is he's missed 84 games the last two years and only getting older. He missed 9 of the 22 games in the playoffs. He can't be counted on anymore.

I don't want him traded but I do want the Mavs to have a real plan there. Maybe Naji and Omax can handle the backup 4 spot when he misses time. Maybe they look at someone like Morris and move Maxi to a specialty role as a 5-out center that doesn't play every night. I think the latest report points to the latter.

Finding a Maxi replacement should be a priority for all the reasons you mentioned. But as long as they don't have one you cannot give him up for another guard/wing. Mavs need to have some kind of 5-out/switch all option on the roster. Maybe PJ can do it in stretches. Maybe OMax takes the next step and the Mavs can get away with him playing some center minutes.
The playoffs showed that in certain matchups Gafford isn't playable. He actually exceeded my expectations but when Maxi was available he played less than 20 minutes per game for a reason (only 15mpg in the finals). I would assume that longterm Lively is going to play starter minutes but I don't think he is a switch all big. Just a better and more mobile version of Gafford playing drop defense.

Only issue is that every single team in the league is looking for younger and more durable versions of Maxi. All the cheap options have major flaws. There is a long list of shooting bigs that cannot defend. Even more versatile defenders that cannot shoot. But the combination of both is rare.