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

[SleepingHero]

I tried to look around and see what others are saying.  I think the most realistic deal I saw was Gafford/Hardy for Sexton/#43.  Gafford would potentially go to a third team with assets coming back to Utah (though it could also be Kessler going out and Gafford staying).  

I like the shooting touch of the Stanford center if he's still there at #43.

I think if we never had Gafford on the Mav's and heard that Washington traded him to Utah for Sexton that we'd think that was a good deal for Washington.  In other words, we tend to assign more value to him because he's ours.  He works hard and seems to be a likeable guy.  But, just like Sexton, Gafford isn't closing games in the playoffs.  If AD and Lively are healthy, there is probably a 14 minute backup center role on this team in the playoffs.  

I think it would be difficult to play Kyrie and Sexton together (but easier than playing Gafford and Lively together). To be fair, if Kyrie is healthy, the Sexton role is probably a similar 14-16 minutes (with some possibility of a little bit of overlap in the middle of each half that might take the role to 22 minutes).  But, Kyrie isn't healthy to start the season.  We need the 3 point shooting and we need the steady hand creating some perimeter offense until February.  

I think I would do a deal involving Gafford.  I see he and Sexton as among the best backups at their positions in the league.  But, I think you are not going far in the playoffs if either is your starter.  We have answers without Gafford at center.  Right now, we don't have answers without someone like Sexton.

I just don't see it.

The PG problem is a temporary problem anyways theoretically. Kyrie should return by February around the halfway point in the season. Are we really going to sell for half a season when the Mavs could theoretically cash in better later anyways?

And I also wonder just how big of an issue this is in reality anyways. Of course we can't say for certain, but if Flagg is the real deal AND he can create.

Flagg had 17.2% of all of his possessions as the PnR ball handler for Duke, his 2nd most called play type (the first being spot up at 17.8%). Of which he had a 26.8% AST rate and a 2.05 AST/TO ratio. This ranked him in the 91st percentile among all college players last season. 

Here is a chart showing Flagg's playmaking numbers compared to other wings. 



I think there is real merit to having Flagg be a primary initator at least until Kyrie comes back. Especially if Kidd wants to keep reworking the offense to be less heliocentric and more cuts/passes. Both of which Flagg can play in.