05-04-2026, 10:38 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-04-2026, 10:51 AM by myconsumerclub.)
Who we have now to pick from next season: This is assuming we win the services of free agents some we may not want to keep but for scoring purposes this is who we have to choose from by PPG scored not that we want them all.
NOTE: Bagley is the only real keeper among free agents if you take into consideration guys who best fit on the Cooper timeline and guys who can hit the 3. So the MAV's currently, potentially, have the following players to contribute to winning games next season should they sign all the available free agents they wish to keep:
Cooper 21 ppg,
Kyrie, out for the season
Naji, 15.2 ppg
PJ, 14.2 ppg
Williams 13 ppg
Max, 12.3 ppg
Klay, 11.7 ppg
Bagley, 11 ppg
Middleton 10 ppg
Gafford, 9.5 ppg
Poulakidas, 8.8 ppg
Ryan 6.6 ppg
Tyler Smith 4.7 ppg
Cisse 4.5 ppg
Lively 4.3 ppg
AJ 3.9 ppg
Martin 3.9 ppg
We have 9 potential players returning that scored in double figures.
Many want to let Middleton and Williams leave for bigger offers than we want to pay them. Maybe nobody decides to take them. Maybe they start the season out of the league. I am unsure what will take place with them.
If we add 3 draft picks and maybe add a new undrafted rookie to the 2 ways that gives us 21 guys to build the team with.
Will Williams and Middleton remain?
If not that is still 19 and of course that includes all 3 of our 2 way guys are still here and 2 have contracts already.
So we still have to replace one of the 2 way guys if we find someone in the undrafted ranks to add on that the MBT likes.
Maybe we want to reward Cisse with a contract or does he accept a place on the 2 ways?
Plus we have 16 guys counting all the draft picks so we need to cut someone to get down to 15 which means in my book we need to either trade AJ or Martin or not sign Bagley and I see no sane GM refusing to sign Bagley given his production and stats for us last season.
Bagley offers us help at a position of great need and leads the team in 3 point fg%.
He can play PF as well as C so he solves a lot problems and Cooper can play at SF some to put out a bigger lineup for certain matchups.
If we consider the following players keepers and we have no Williams or Middleton who say find teams to sign with elsewhere.
Cooper
Kyrie
Naji
PJ
MAX
Klay
Gafford
John 2 way signed for 679k
Ryan
Tyler 2 way signed for 679k
Cisse 2 way may get offered a deal on the regular roster
Lively
Martin is under a large contract
AJ lowest contract we can cut to free up roster spot
Now you add in
Pick 1
Pick 2
Pick 3
1 undrafted rookie
If rookies play on summer league team we will have
Cooper doubtful we risk him
Ryan
John
Tyler
Cisse
plus 3 draft picks and any undrafted guys we ask to play. That could be a very good team.
Come regular season camp we will have some tough choices to make.
Lets say this is what we have to make the team not counting trades and free agency:
5 Lively, Gafford, Cisse, pick
4 Cooper PJ Bagley
3 Naji pick PJ Cooper
2 Max Klay Martin pick#1
1 Kyrie pick#1 Ryan
Two ways: John, Tyler, and one as yet undrafted rookie
Who is on the trade off list? Gafford? Lively,? PJ? NAJI?
Will they go into the season with everyone or trade one or more early on?
Who is the primary target for a free agency signing that is not restricted?
Are there any restricted guys we would make an offer for that we could realistically sign away from some team?
Will they trade because they see something they want or because they want to trade a player off so bad that we are happy to take on another shorter contract and maybe even take back salary to acquire a trade target?
Will the new GM want to trade off lots of guys to clear room for the team to add on who he wants?
If the MAV's wait to bring in a GM much longer who is going to pick the draft picks?
Will he even have a say?
NOTE: Bagley is the only real keeper among free agents if you take into consideration guys who best fit on the Cooper timeline and guys who can hit the 3. So the MAV's currently, potentially, have the following players to contribute to winning games next season should they sign all the available free agents they wish to keep:
Cooper 21 ppg,
Kyrie, out for the season
Naji, 15.2 ppg
PJ, 14.2 ppg
Williams 13 ppg
Max, 12.3 ppg
Klay, 11.7 ppg
Bagley, 11 ppg
Middleton 10 ppg
Gafford, 9.5 ppg
Poulakidas, 8.8 ppg
Ryan 6.6 ppg
Tyler Smith 4.7 ppg
Cisse 4.5 ppg
Lively 4.3 ppg
AJ 3.9 ppg
Martin 3.9 ppg
We have 9 potential players returning that scored in double figures.
Many want to let Middleton and Williams leave for bigger offers than we want to pay them. Maybe nobody decides to take them. Maybe they start the season out of the league. I am unsure what will take place with them.
If we add 3 draft picks and maybe add a new undrafted rookie to the 2 ways that gives us 21 guys to build the team with.
Will Williams and Middleton remain?
If not that is still 19 and of course that includes all 3 of our 2 way guys are still here and 2 have contracts already.
So we still have to replace one of the 2 way guys if we find someone in the undrafted ranks to add on that the MBT likes.
Maybe we want to reward Cisse with a contract or does he accept a place on the 2 ways?
Plus we have 16 guys counting all the draft picks so we need to cut someone to get down to 15 which means in my book we need to either trade AJ or Martin or not sign Bagley and I see no sane GM refusing to sign Bagley given his production and stats for us last season.
Bagley offers us help at a position of great need and leads the team in 3 point fg%.
He can play PF as well as C so he solves a lot problems and Cooper can play at SF some to put out a bigger lineup for certain matchups.
If we consider the following players keepers and we have no Williams or Middleton who say find teams to sign with elsewhere.
Cooper
Kyrie
Naji
PJ
MAX
Klay
Gafford
John 2 way signed for 679k
Ryan
Tyler 2 way signed for 679k
Cisse 2 way may get offered a deal on the regular roster
Lively
Martin is under a large contract
AJ lowest contract we can cut to free up roster spot
Now you add in
Pick 1
Pick 2
Pick 3
1 undrafted rookie
If rookies play on summer league team we will have
Cooper doubtful we risk him
Ryan
John
Tyler
Cisse
plus 3 draft picks and any undrafted guys we ask to play. That could be a very good team.
Come regular season camp we will have some tough choices to make.
Lets say this is what we have to make the team not counting trades and free agency:
5 Lively, Gafford, Cisse, pick
4 Cooper PJ Bagley
3 Naji pick PJ Cooper
2 Max Klay Martin pick#1
1 Kyrie pick#1 Ryan
Two ways: John, Tyler, and one as yet undrafted rookie
Who is on the trade off list? Gafford? Lively,? PJ? NAJI?
Will they go into the season with everyone or trade one or more early on?
Who is the primary target for a free agency signing that is not restricted?
Are there any restricted guys we would make an offer for that we could realistically sign away from some team?
Will they trade because they see something they want or because they want to trade a player off so bad that we are happy to take on another shorter contract and maybe even take back salary to acquire a trade target?
Will the new GM want to trade off lots of guys to clear room for the team to add on who he wants?
If the MAV's wait to bring in a GM much longer who is going to pick the draft picks?
Will he even have a say?
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