MAVS NEWS:

[DanSchwartzgan]

Your prior note about how they can waive Exum was about how to get the roster room itself. But that didn't have anything to do with the cap finances. 

What you wrote here is "Dallas moves enough under the 2nd apron to cut Exum and sign Nembhard." However, I don't see how such a cap change would change their Nembhard trajectory (which logically should be aimed at late Feb) at all.

So let me respond a different way. What difference or benefit are you saying it offers the Mavs, regarding Nembhard and what they intend to do with him, if they make a move that puts them farther under the 2nd apron?

I don't think what you quoted denoted immediacy, only capability.  I guess it was sloppy to not fully add some caveat about the timing being "at the appropriate time in late February when Nembhard has used up his 50 games".  Can we stipulate that since you taught it and I assume everyone now knows it.  Or, do I have to add the qualifier every time I write about this.

BTW, I see people putting Exum in trades occasionally.  It feels more likely he stays unless he's absolutely needed in the deal (or we get an expiring player back who can be cut or we send out more players than we get back).  If the plan is to sign Nembhard to a standard contract (at the appropriate time in late February when Nembhard has used up his 50 games), we need a path to create the roster space.  Exum as our 15th man provides that.  To answer your question, the only advantage I see to jumping the gun on the 50 game timing would be to sign someone else to the two-way slot.  Blanton?  Someone who looks good in the upcoming G-League showcase?

One interesting thing about today.  Players traded today can be aggregated in a deadline trade even though the usual 60 day timeframe for aggregation won't have occurred by then.  It is a one-time use it or lose it opportunity.  It got me to looking for D'Lo trades.  I wonder if Orlando might do something straight up for D'Lo or Hardy for expiring Jett Howard.  They could use some bench creation and Dallas could stand to shed the future salary of either player.