MacMahon: Mavs to explore trade market for Davis, „plotting to pivot to the future“

[Mavs2021]

I really hope people are viewing this recent team hot streak for what it should be:

What It Shouldn't Be: The Mavs wins, even against very good teams, shouldn't fool anyone into thinking this is a true contender, as fun as that might be. That's Fool's Gold. Even if this team does hit it's stride, it's far closer to a lottery team than a squad that's going to beat OKC(psst...no one is). Buying short-term assets against the future would be disastrous. That said, enjoy the wins right now because they're very fun!!!

What It Absolutely Should Be:  This winning streak should absolutely be used as leverage in trade discussions. It's easy for other teams, when your team sucks, to say, "Your players are garbage. Your team is garbage. So just make a trade out of desperation."  Instead, the MBT can say, "Look how well these guys look. We think we're on our way now. But if you want to buy us out of our ticket to the dance, especially before Kyrie comes back, it's gonna cost you."

I think the team's success improves its bargaining position as much as AD and others' play does.

Yeah, an injured AD on a bottom 5, rudderless team is much easier to vulture off of than one that suddenly looks like it's figured things out.

But make no mistake, this team should still be selling, even if as a fan base it would hurr.

1000% this. We need a bottom eight finish to give ourselves at least a chance at a 2nd star. You can find a Derrick White. You can find a Jrue Holiday. You can find a Porzingis. You can find a Pritchard. We need a Jaylen Brown. This would be so outrageously short-sighted that it´s right in Cuban´s wheelhouse. Not willing to suffer for six months, so they can suffer for six years. Even if there is no good AD trade, no Klay trade, no Kyrie trade; you still tank the 2nd half of the season and come back with a top 8 pick next year. Then you can try to win and you probably will with a 2nd year Flagg/Nembhard, possibly another generational talent and extra guards to replace Exum, Powell´s roster spots. 

Just don´t give AD an expensive extension. Right now only PJ and Gafford have contracts beyond 2028. Mavs could have about 100M in capspace in 2028, if you factor in Lively´s extension. I´d rather have Cuban do Dry Doncic Powder 2028 then have no top 10 pick this year.