06-24-2025, 07:11 AM
The Gafford and PJ discussions are fascinating. Both are good players or really good support players. PJ has more value but both play hard and seem like good teammates. I think in a vacum you would love to extend them at fair prices. What makes is tricky is that while both are good players, the roster fit is really challenging.
Gafford is a really good tandem center. He goes hard for 5 minutes and then goes out. Then repeat. While he has some limitations, we have to remember last year was his first playoff run. Can he get better or is he a guy who does a lot of damage in the regular season and then drops a peg in the playoffs? Also add to the fact, Lively is a clear hub moving forward. There are questions about Lively but I think the team views him as a core guy. Most people think AD is best at the 5. The mavs and AD disagree. As he gets older though, it may be clear that he is better at the 5.
PJ has the size, length and athleticism that teams want. I don't like him at SF though. He is best at PF. There is a chance he is the third best option at PF now. There has been talk about Cooper playing the 2 (not sure I agree with it now), but lets say Kidd tries this. Do you really want PJ at the three and Cooper at the 2. The ball handling seems really challenging there. Especially if you are playing a center and AD on the floor as well. While, I think I can get to 30 mintues for PJ on most nights, It probably comes with him off the bench. Not sure that is going to work for him.
On the other hand, if Mavs decide to pivot in a year and move AD, both PJ and Gafford immediately become much more valuable to the Mavs. So many moving parts and it will require some deft touch...something this front office just isn't good with. I could be wrong, but I doubt either is moved for a draft pick. I know Nico moved up for Omax, but he didn't trade a usable player. I think Nico thinks this team is good (we can agree or disagree). I just can't see him moving one for a mid 20s pick. It would have to be more.
Gafford is a really good tandem center. He goes hard for 5 minutes and then goes out. Then repeat. While he has some limitations, we have to remember last year was his first playoff run. Can he get better or is he a guy who does a lot of damage in the regular season and then drops a peg in the playoffs? Also add to the fact, Lively is a clear hub moving forward. There are questions about Lively but I think the team views him as a core guy. Most people think AD is best at the 5. The mavs and AD disagree. As he gets older though, it may be clear that he is better at the 5.
PJ has the size, length and athleticism that teams want. I don't like him at SF though. He is best at PF. There is a chance he is the third best option at PF now. There has been talk about Cooper playing the 2 (not sure I agree with it now), but lets say Kidd tries this. Do you really want PJ at the three and Cooper at the 2. The ball handling seems really challenging there. Especially if you are playing a center and AD on the floor as well. While, I think I can get to 30 mintues for PJ on most nights, It probably comes with him off the bench. Not sure that is going to work for him.
On the other hand, if Mavs decide to pivot in a year and move AD, both PJ and Gafford immediately become much more valuable to the Mavs. So many moving parts and it will require some deft touch...something this front office just isn't good with. I could be wrong, but I doubt either is moved for a draft pick. I know Nico moved up for Omax, but he didn't trade a usable player. I think Nico thinks this team is good (we can agree or disagree). I just can't see him moving one for a mid 20s pick. It would have to be more.
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