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

[mvossman]

Not impressed by many of the comments on here. A team will trade as much for AD as they must to get him if they want him enough. It only takes ONE team to want him. Demand defines the market.

In general, what I see from a lot of Mav's fans, is a built-in disdain for AD because he is what replaced Luka. A fan with such an emotional trigger isn't qualified to determine ADs worth (they wouldn't be anyway, but whatever).

If a team thinks AD is the final piece, they will trade accordingly.

On the flipside, DRAFT PICKS ARE RISKY.

Two drafts ago, Atlanta took Risacher with the same pick the Mavs took Flagg a year later. But many on here say Risacher is worth nothing. Well, if the #1 draft pick from 18 months ago is already worth nothing, what is a lottery pick worth next year? Yeah, exactly. Maybe less than nothing.

Now, I like high draft picks, but this garbage talk about AD not worth draft picks is dumb. AD is a known quantity that was averaging 30/13 over his last 3 games and is borderline all-defensive team when healthy.

Not impressed by this comment.

The AD draft discussion is not based on "built-in disdain".  Its based on some realities regarding AD, namely:

He is on a massive contract and teams are showing much more caution with that with this latest CBA
He will be 33 by the time playoffs start and is likely already starting his decline.
He is known as injury prone (and has been particularly so recently) which generally does not get better when approaching mid 30s.

I hope they manage to negotiate a great deal for AD, but if the best they can get is salary relief, Risacher and a quality first I would pull the trigger.  Teams don't get desperate in the offseason and I think its more likely AD lowers his value than raises it if he stays through the end of the season.