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

[DanSchwartzgan]

This is a great way to view the potential Toronto deal in a way that isn't entirely negative.  Barrett and Poeltl are not BAD players. It's the contract stuff that leaves a bad taste in our mouth. Along with Poeltl's injury history of course.

The Mavs need to pick a direction.

In terms of direction, I think Dallas will want to compete in 26/27.  There isn’t a path to that magic “contender” status or the even more elusive “true contender” level.  They just need to take what they have and do the best they can with it.

It would be nice for that to include more 20-22 year olds who are promising.  But as you say Barrett and Poetl aren’t bad players.  Barrett fits in nicely with Flagg, your 2026 pick, Christie and Kyrie in terms of adding some much needed scoring punch.  Poeltl plus Lively in 26/27 allows you to get value for Gafford now.  None of that is the ideal, but absent the most optimistic versions we see (almost all of which come exclusively from FG), there isn’t an ideal to be had.  I think your effort to think about what you do with Barrett later (any my effort last night to send Poeltl to a third team) are good exercises to try to make a Toronto deal more palatable.