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

[SleepingHero]

Yep. More than a Dumb and Dumber chance, in fact.

His salary choices are all likely to be TxMLE or minimum offers, depending on the team (MLE is ~5.7M, his minimum would be ~3.6M). The Mavs' money is competitive.

It's like college recruiting at this point on CP3, I think. He will have choices, and has to be persuaded to pick your team.

The thing is, I don't think money is a deciding factor in this chase for CP3. He said it plainly enough that he wants to be close to his family. And that, for the past several years, he's missed countless of things with his kids. 

That is hard to persuade a guy out of. And I don't blame CP3 for choosing that route.

But if I was Nico, I'd sell Paul hard on the how close the Mavs are to a ring. Whether that is true or not is irrelevant. A real chance at a ring, where he plays a significant role, AND gets paid the most money realistically vs. the other suitors, all together might be enough to make CP3 pause a bit.

Still, I wouldn't want CP3 if the entire time here he is homesick wishing he chose the option closer to home.