Trade & FA 2024-25:

[F Gump]

The starting lineup looks good, but old and incredibly injury prone.  The bench looks weak, which means every injury in that starting lineup is going to be felt hard.  I give it a year before one of the main guys asks out, at which point Nico gets pennies on the dollar and the whole thing unravels.

That's why I wouldn't do a deal for KD unless PJW, Lively, and Christie are off the table -- but if that limit is workable with PHX, then maybe a KD deal starts to make sense? And I would think it almost certainly includes a KD desire (almost a demand) to land in Dallas, as part of what fuels such a deal.

If they have that framework, Mavs are trading away EVERYONE else (including 2025 FRP). But I think what remains can be really good, and has some degree of depth as well. I would pencil in Edwards and Williams, who are already here, have familiarity with the system, and have shown some promise. 

Filling those remaining 6 roster slots with minimum salary players, you are likely to get some veteran ring-chasers who are willing to take a minimum salary deal and jump on the bandwagon. It's like what MIA did when they signed Bosh, Lebron, Wade and then had to build a roster around them with almost no way to spend except minimums. In this case it's starting with AD, KD, and Kyrie which are certainly a comparable "Big Three" - but the added presence of Lively, PJW, and Christie makes this bandwagon even more attractive, I would think.

C -  Lively, ________, _________
PF - AD, ________, Edwards (minimum).
SF - KD, PJW [backs up both forwards], ________
SG - Christie, ______, _______
PG - Kyrie, Exum [$7M, backs up both guards], Williams (minimum)