MAVS NEWS:

[KillerLeft]

As far as long-term strategy goes I´d be very hesitant to let Grimes, Washington, Gafford, Lively or Marshall go. Good contracts are always tradeable. These players are all young enough to be moveable on good deals. Furthermore I feel all of them can be rotational players on a championship team. So you get them on good deals, you should keep them all. 

Unfortunately, Grimes turning down that extension offer prompted me to brace myself for him being next summer's version of DJJ, especially if the Mavs have another deep playoff run and he's a factor in it. I sure hope I'm wrong. 

I'm no cap expert, but I really feel like we're nearing a point in time when Gafford will be a luxury this team can't afford, at least without losing stuff they need even more in other areas. I'm not saying I'd do this now or at this trade deadline, but at some point before the end of his contract I think I might look to move him on terms that are favorable for my team, treating him as an asset, rather than just a savings casualty. If they're smart enough about turning some of these guys into cost controlled players with upside and maybe some draft capital, maybe they can avoid being backed into a corner. I realize that's "cart before the horse" thinking, and that maximizing this current window needs to be the primary goal, but as you say, we're not even into Luka's prime yet. 

I agree about planning for life after Kyrie, too. I'm sure I'll be fine with having him around long after you've decided he's too old, but he's obviously not totally synced with Luka's timeline the way some of the other pieces are. This is part of what's so disappointing about Hardy's lack of progress for me.