Building Around Cooper: A Backward-Looking Thought Experiment

[Smitty]

For next year it breaks down like this for me:

Kyrie |
Max |          Klay | AJJ
Flagg | Naji          | Martin
PJW
Gafford | Lively

UFA's that could be potential gets with the MLE:

Guards              Wings                Bigs
McCollum          LeBron             Vucevic
Simons             T. Harris          M. Robinson
Sexton             Hachimura         Landale
C. White            K. Ellis              
Grimes             Middleton*                
Dosunmo          Kuminga (TO)             
Gillespie                                                                                   
Alvarado (PO) 


RFA's that could be potential gets:
J. Ivey
P. Watson
B. Mathurin
T. Eason


Trade options with the TPE or MLE:
Josh Hart $20.9M
Monk $20.2M
Curuso $19.5M 
Nembhard $19.5M 
Dort $18.2M (TO) 
G. Allen $18.1M
Strus $16.6M 
Schroder $14.8M
Lavert $14.8M
Moody $12.5M 
Isaiah Joe $11.3M
Nesmith $11.0M
McConnell $11.0M
A. Black $10.1M

I know we've talked a lot about Naji with his fit and future price tag. Now that he's made it past the TDL, I wanted to break down what an extension could look like for him and see what others think about it.

He can get a 4-year extension, with the 1st year starting 140% above the league average salary (~$12M), with 8% max raises.

Current Contract
26-27 | Age 29: $9.4M

Max Extension
27-28 | Age 30: $16.8M
28-29 | Age 31: $18.1M
29-30 | Age 32: $19.6M
30-31 | Age 33: $21.1M

It comes out to a 4 year ~$75M deal with an average annual value of around $19M.

In fairness to Naji this isn't much more than the projected MLE. The Non-taxpayer mid-level would be around 4 years $64M with an average annual value of around $16M.

I’ve been off the Peterson #1 train for a while. His talent is undeniable but he’s 3rd for me all day. Too many question marks.

As of this moment my top 10 are:
1) Dybantsa
2) Boozer
3) Peterson
4) Wilson
5) Wagler
6) Flemings
7) Brown Jr.
8) Acuff
9) Ament
10) Mullins

Here's kind of a 'Top-7' for the second first rounder the Mavs have. Some will rise and fall, of course.

Christian Anderson | PG | Texas Tech
Morez Johnson Jr. | F/C | Michigan
Dailyn Swain | G/F | Texas
Isaiah Evans | G/F | Duke
Flory Bidunga | F/C | Kansas
Henri Veesaar | C | North Carolina
Meleek Thomas | PG | Arkansas

Above are a few things I've talked about since the TDL. And of course, my love for PJW is well noted... so I won't rehash any of that. But, given all the information, what would I do this summer? We know that the Mavs have 10 players under contract. They currently have 3 draft picks. They have the full MLE ($15M), $21M TPE, $6M TPE, and some trade options with positive value guys like Klay (expiring), Naji, PJ, Gafford. If things hold like they are today the Mavs are most likely to land pick #8 (34.1%), pick #29 (OKC), and pick #49 (PHX). What do I do?

At pick 8, using my own board, the selection is Darius Acuff Jr. 6'3 190lb Freshman PG from Arkansas, currently 19.6 years old.
At pick 29, using my own list that is in no particular order, the selection is Isaiah Evans 6'6 180lb Sophomore SG from Duke, currently 20.5 years old.
At pick 49, using that same list, the selection is Henri Veesaar 7'0 225lb Junior C from North Carolina, currently 22.2 years old. Which will be one of my 2-Ways.

Which brings me to this at the start of free agency:
Kyrie | Acuff
Max | Evans | Klay | AJJ
Flagg | Naji | Martin
PJW
Gafford | Lively |        | Veesaar*

Of my own Free Agents (Middelton, Jones, Powell, Bagley, Williams) and current 2-Ways (Nembhard, Cisse, Kelly). I can see bringing back any of Middleton, Bagley, Jones and/or converting Nembhard, Cisse.

Of the list of UFA/RFA's I have some interest in Coby White, Dosunmo, Gillespie, Mathurin, Eason. I don't think the MLE lands a lot of the guys I'd really want though.

With three roster spots open, I have a need for a 3rd PG, 3rd Big, and another 3/4 Wing. Without getting into all the trade options, I'll pick from the list above. Gillespie (MLE range), Middleton (1-yr), Bagley and bring back Nembhard and Cisse on another 2-Way. Leaving me with:

Kyrie | Acuff | Gillespie |     Nembhard*
Max | Evans | Klay | AJJ
Flagg | Naji | Martin
PJW | Middleton
Gafford | Lively | Bagley |     Cisse* | Veesaar*

I would extend Naji at 4/$64M and Max at 4/$70M. I would not extend Lively. Just wait until he hits RFA the following summer. You end up having a team full of guys around that MLE range, outside of Kyrie, who has a $42.4M PO the following year. Your positive trade value guys through the summer and the following TDL are now Klay (expiring), PJW, Gafford. You also have your $21M TPE to use instead of maybe just bringing back Middleton?

I think a lot of those guys have some position flex. Naji, Klay, Evans are G/F. Flagg, PJW, Middleton, Martin are 3/4 types depending on matchups and certain lineup combinations. I don't think it's a contender in the West next year, but I like a lot of the young guys in the start of a Flagg rebuild: 

PG: 6'3 Acuff (19)
SG: 6'5 Christie (23)
SF: 6'6 Evans (20)
PF: 6'9 Flagg (19)
C: 7'1 Lively (22)