Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Mavs2021]

I just don't share some of the board's excitement over watching Kyrie play PG here (which he hasn't really done yet) as 34 year old, when it's almost surely not going to result in playoff contention. It just feels like a huge wast of time to me. No disrespect to him or his game - he'll give us some fun moments, for sure, but I'd rather they just get on with assembling the actual next real team around Flagg, if possible. 

Also, separately, I'm feeling more and more each day that he might not be here. Other than sentimentality and fan service, I just can't come with compelling reasons (for the Mavs or for HIM, frankly) to want to continue the partnership. He's a different sort of dude, so I might be wrong, but if I were him I'd be looking around for a better last chapter of my career. With so many teams out there looking for help that are more peer-appropriate for him, it's not hard to imagine him getting moved, regardless of who's saying what in the media. Just my take, but I won't be surprised if he asks for it, even, or to learn that he already has.

I think mainly Kyrie will be here, because his trade value is lower and you need some veterans to mentor the kids. Though I get the sense that the Mavs will be very active with a wrecking ball approach. The non-committal talk by Masai with regards to Washington and Gafford makes me think something like this will happen:

Bryant + #20 for Washington
Kispert + #23 for Gafford
#9 + TPE for #12 + #17 + Wiggins + Joe

Take

Johnson
Steinbach
Okorie
Anderson
Evans

Your young core becomes

Anderson/Okorie
Christie/Evans
Flagg/Bryant
Johnson/Steinbach
Lively/Cisse

...and at the start of the 2028/2029 literally every contract except the rookie deals is gone (if you want to).