You’re now the Mavs’ GM. What are you going to build?

[Dahlsim]

I have a hard time seeing a trade including AD or Kyrie that makes sense for both teams while Mavs are trying to contend (or that Nico would have any interest in trading one of his guys).  

I think Kyrie will miss most of the season and will likely never be fully back to what he was.  I think AD misses 20-30 games and Lively at least 30 games.  I think we should expect more injuries in general as the medical staff has gone from a strength to a weakness.

Kyrie is an elite Robin, but never really thrived in the Batman role.  I don't expect that to change when he is 34 and returning from a significant knee injury.  AD is a really good center., too bad he will be playing a lot of minutes at the 4.  Top rookie is cool, but historically that player is generally been no more than a decent starter.  Even Lebron needed a year before he took off.  There are exceptions (Luka, Victor) but given how young Flagg is, I don't think you should expect him to be one of them.

MV, I think you were expressing your views, not what everyone does or does not think.

To rewind, the conversation started with your idea (as it appeared to read to me, anyhow) that the Mavs were headed for a failed, bad, going nowhere season  -- with the rationale that there was really no way around it because this, that, and the other WILL all go wrong. My paraphrase, of course.

You were asked if you couldn't see a better outcome that was in between but you said SINCE all of A, B, C, D etc WILL happen so as to be bad, there really isnt any path to a good successful season. It was your stance on the inevitability of all the various bad outcomes that I responded to.

Are you saying that I misread you and you actually do think there ARE possibilities that any, some, most, or even all of the various possibilities in player contributions, health, lineups, coaching choices, development etc this season could turn out positively rather than bad, and lead to a surprisingly fun season for Mavs fans? Or no?

Good offseason dead zone friendly debate.  
F Gump good job remembering the general point that far back in the thread   

MV good stuff representing the reasonably pessimistic side of the Mavs is glass empty, although I did get the impression at some point that hit the unreasonable side of betting on worst outcomes, but I think you reeled it back in toward the middle pretty well.   

The point I responded to in particular on reasonable outcomes between 0 = negative and 100 = championship ring had to do with the optionality of Mavs veterans, AD and Kyrie in particular, maintaining some trade value during the new few years that Mavs hope to be able be to some level contenders.   I suggested their are scenarios where the 2 stars could be less than 100% their prime best yet still maintain some useful level of trade value.  Relevant if the Mavs decided a trade was needed to help the franchise during the window. 

You suggested Nico would never trade them if they were still in the window.  Maybe not but my point is he could trade them or even it Nico were gone the Mavs could still have tradeable veterans at some level in the next few years if they need the flexibility to make a change.  For example if you trade an AD or a Kyrie the returning player doesn't have be purely better than the one you send out, they could be simply a better fit at the time.