Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[Winter]

Its less about what ATL values AD at and more so what Nico, our king, values AD at. And considering the trade he made less than 4 months ago, he values AD as a top 5 player in the league and one he wouldn't move lightly. 

So much so that I think any trade built on the idea that the Mavs are even willing to consider moving on from AD is silly. Nico isn't trading him. The embarrassment from that alone would make him step down.

If Nico is fired, then I think AD is fair game.

Yep. dead on. I can be entirely sympathetic about an AD trade, but Nico's tiny scrap of a reputation is tied to whatever success AD can muster in Dallas. 

If AD is traded now, then Nico has no credibility anywhere in the league. His reasoning for the trade was an empty lie, and his credentials as an NBA general manager, if he ever had any, would become a farce. The media has cut him some slack so far, but they would almost certainly tear him a new one if AD were traded this season.