MAVS NEWS:

[DanSchwartzgan]

I am ok going with the AD timeline and Cooper timeline for now.  Although we will need to see quick progress as AD as your best player.    I am also not in favor of chasing the AD can lead your team to a championship down a cliff. So no short sited moves that will impact your future.   If this team does not look good enough, we may need to change directions this summer.

I don't think there is any chance AD is moved this year.  Probably the only chance is if Nico is fired and this year does not go as planned and something happens in the summer.  Probably low chance though.   If they were to look for a deal, one of the limiting factors is most of the teams who are interested in the Bucks and Giannis would be the trade partners for AD.   I don't see any of those teams exiting that wait in order to secure AD.

You make a good point about AD being behind Giannis.  That one probably comes to a head this summer as he will either sign an extension with the Bucks or they will need to trade him.  Maybe someone who had set themselves up to trade for Giannis would be interested in two years of AD as a consolation prize.  

I see three possible paths:

1.  AD is really good and the team gels as the season progresses and Kyrie returns.  As a result, we have a decent playoff run.

2.  AD produces good numbers, but the team just doesn’t work.  It takes some pressure off of Flagg in his Rookie year, but it becomes clear there is no reason to wait two more years to start to build around Flagg.

3.  AD is hurt a lot and we end up in the lottery again.

I realize this is projected to be a good draft, I think 1 and 2 above are better outcomes than 3.  They provide an AD who might have some positive trade value.  I think the third option probably puts you in the back half of the lottery and an albatross AD contract for the next two seasons.  So, I want AD to succeed here, just not so much that Nico wants to add years.  I hope that ends up being someone else’s decision to make.