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

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

I have questions and tweaks to the idea, but if Lively is outgoing, Daniels is way more the type of return I would have to see. Thank you.

Wondering ...
1 Is Daniels really a PG who can run an offense and get the ball up the floor? If so, I'm very interested. If not, not so much.
2 Would ATL be open to trading him, and do they really need a C more than they need Daniels? If so, I'm very interested. If not, this won't get off the ground.

But I'm still quite hesitant. IMO Lively's ceiling is really high. (That's tempered a bit for me because of his tendency to get hurt easily and often.)

Tweak issues ...
DLive/OMax doesn't quite get there for me, because it will ADD to Mavs payroll due to the 2-for-1, when the Mavs need to be going the other way capwise. The cap issue has to be addressed. And including OMax, his outgoing salary doesn't really help enough to matter (his salary is barely more than the minimum salary you will use to refill his roster spot).

However, if you increase the salary outgoing alongside Lively, then it makes way more sense and becomes much more enticing to me. What would I want to see? I probably couldn't say no to Lively/Martin/Hardy/Powell for Daniels/13/22. (And if they would only offer 0 or 1 of the picks, or preferably a future 1st rather than a current one, I might still pull the trigger.)

Excellent comment, as ususal.  

IMO, yes, Dyson is a full blown PG with distribution elite enough for championship roster.  Starting him as the PG and POA defender with Christie, Flagg, PJ, and AD would be insane.  The best defensive starting 5 in the league.

I was wrong about DLive at the draft, but I've unfortunately been right about him on the Mavs.  He played only 36 games last year.  I love everything about him, but his durability.  Dyson was a 76 game starter, first team defensive, and most improved player...  awards DLive is not even eligible for.

ATL has their PG in Trae, wings galore in JJ, Risacher, and Levert.  Okongwu is more of a PF than C.

This trade makes both teams better.