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

[F Gump]

Yes, Gump, ON PAPER, AD/Kyrie/Flagg is a formidable trio.  But one ALWAYS misses at least a third of the season. Another is coming off a major knee surgery and is in his 30s.  And the third, no matter how good he is or will be, will still be an 18yo rookie facing growing pains.  If all three were at tip-top level, sure, go for it this season. But they're not. 

And if the Mavs had all their draft capital, I'd say, sure, play it out and if this season or next doesn't work, retool around Flagg by trading your future picks. But they don't have any in abundance. So if AD inevitably gets injured,  then what? Am I advocating for the AD for PG and #3 trade? Definitely not. But there's a middle ground to finding someone younger or more dependable than AD.  Again, I LOVE the IDEA of AD, but not the pragmatic reality.

I'd much rather trade him for something that aligns with more than a 2 year window, especially if him not being here helps the Mavs afford to keep usable pieces like PJ and Gafford on movable contracts. 

So give me Flagg, Kyrie, PJ, Gafford and the something that comes back for AD instead of...

Flagg, AD, Kyrie and the two role players or mid-round 1sts that come back for PJ and Gaff. 

Plus, i think PJ and Gafford are more valuable here than what you'd conceivably get back in trades.

Do you think you are arguing with me? I am not married in the least to the idea of keeping AD -- just pushing back on a general fire sale to start over. I actually believe that AD is a bad fit on THIS roster (and have said so over and over!), and I believe the Mavs would be better served to trade him just so long as they can get fair value for him. (Unfortunately, Nico is still allowed to run things, although I'm hoping that he's either replaced or outvoted or magically gets smart.)

However, I'm definitely not in favor of a trade for the sake of a trade. I'm still waiting to see an idea in which the Mavs would get fair value for AD, where they are getting that caliber of player(s) but better fitting. And no, a trade whose value to the Mavs depends on getting way lucky in THIS generally weak draft is not value at all. When you read about the players after Flagg (and maybe Harper), even in the top 10, the analysts have HUGE question marks on every one of those guys (HUGE), and I'm not sure there's any of them who is regarded as great value and can't miss. I'm not interested in trying to get lucky on finding someone decent in this draft with the very real risk I get stuck with another OMax but this one is making 10M or maybe more.

Nor am I generally in a panic to move PJ or Gaff instead, if no plus trade of AD can be found. I can't regard either as surplus, when that depends on AD being healthy. My stance is that if they can't find the right AD trade, where they get fair value, don't get impatient and do another Nico Special.