(01-07-2026, 06:20 PM)mvossman Wrote: I would expect Mavs want to keep Max and pay him his market value when the time comes.
I don't see a deal being made for that NOP pick. There is too much variability in the outcome for the teams to come to agreement. NOP is thinking they could be giving away the number 1 pick and the Mavs are thinking it could end up worse than their own pick. Its similar to the Lively extension. The are too many outcomes and both sides don't want to make that big of a gamble.
I get all the Pelicans have no incentive to lose, but they also 3-29 outside of that weird five game win streak. I don´t think they get better. More a question of how much worse you think Utah, Washington, Sacramento, Brooklyn and Charlotte can get.