Trade & FA 2024-25:

[Tyler]

Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto)
The Dallas Mavericks fully guaranteed the $2 million salary of guard Jaden Hardy for the 2024-25 season, league sources told @hoopshype. Hardy appeared in 73 regular season games for Dallas last season and averaged 7.3 points.

[ThisIStheYear]

Right now, if Josh is the starting 3, they’re too small at that position. He doesn’t play well as a forward (I think the 3 and 4 should pretty much be interchangeable, long, agile defenders). Josh needs to be exclusively a guard. On the other hand, if they trade him for Klay, between that and the DJJ for Marshall swap, they’re a far less athletic team. Grimes is a wildcard replacing THJ, who wasn’t really in the rotation anyhow at the end, so I’m not sure whose minutes Grimes is taking or if he’ll ever be over the persistent injuries thst have limited his effectiveness. Doesn’t look like the Mavs will get much out of this off-season. They’ll be a little better on offense if they get an offensive coordinator, but worse on defense. They’ll miss DJJ’s spectaculsr rim protection and solid POA defense. Klay will be played off the court by good teams and in the playoffs because he no longer guards. I’ve been happy with all the Mav’s moves beginning with Kyrie. Not a fan of tonight.

[LukaMVP]

Right now, if Josh is the starting 3, they’re too small at that position. He doesn’t play well as a forward (I think the 3 and 4 should pretty much be interchangeable, long, agile defenders). Josh needs to be exclusively a guard. On the other hand, if they trade him for Klay, between that and the DJJ for Marshall swap, they’re a far less athletic team. Grimes is a wildcard replacing THJ, who wasn’t really in the rotation anyhow at the end, so I’m not sure whose minutes Grimes is taking or if he’ll ever be over the persistent injuries thst have limited his effectiveness. Doesn’t look like the Mavs will get much out of this off-season. They’ll be a little better on offense if they get an offensive coordinator, but worse on defense. They’ll miss DJJ’s spectaculsr rim protection and solid POA defense. Klay will be played off the court by good teams and in the playoffs because he no longer guards. I’ve been happy with all the Mav’s moves beginning with Kyrie. Not a fan of tonight.

hope you are wrong but you're probably right. swapping DJJ for Klay as the starting SF is at best a lateral move with both ends of the court considered and Klay costs about twice the money of djj. however I believe Marshall will fill djj's role and serve us just as good, if not better. omax will only get better and he will also get some meaningful minutes next season.

[KillerLeft]

This is the way I see it, personally, at the moment:

Luka/Exum/Hardy (Hardy might beat out Exum here)
Kyrie/Grimes/Hardy
Thompson/Marshall/Grimes
Washington/Marshall/Thompson/Kleber/O-Max
Lively/Gafford/Kleber/Washington/O-Max (first two names might be flipped here)

Not enough path for Grimes to do much good, imo, but maybe they don't see him as a lock to be good the way we do.

If no Thompson, then we need to know who the next target is, but if that guy is Harris, my preference would be:

Luka/Exum/Hardy
Kyrie/Grimes/Hardy
Marshall/Grimes (or the reverse)
Washington/Harris/Marshall/Kleber/O-Max
Lively/Gafford/Kleber/Harris (or Washington)/O-Max

It could be a lot worse.

However, I bet they'd try to make Harris and Washington work as the starting forwards, which I'd kind of hate.

[BigDirk41]

I think Klay will be a Mav very soon. Hopefully he decides tomorrow so we can pivot if needed.

[BolsDamols]

Tobias Harris is the Tobias Harris of Tobias Harrises. that dude will give the minimum effort required, possibly less

[audiosway]

I think Klay will be a Mav very soon. Hopefully he decides tomorrow so we can pivot if needed.

I agree. I think he will be a Mav.

[SleepingHero]

Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn)
ESPN Sources: Free agent G Kelly Oubre Jr., has agreed on a two-year, $16.3 million deal to stay with the Philadelphia 76ers. Deal includes a player option on the 2025-2026 season for Sixers’ starting two-guard.

[mvossman]

Would have rather had DJJ than either Marshall or Klay. This feels like classic Mavs who go all in on past prime “star” (getting saved by missing) and screwing up rest of free agency.

If we miss out on Klay, Marshall doesn’t solve much in starting unit. He is not POA defender that DJJ is and he shoots less threes than Josh Green. He will not provide any more floor spacing. Grimes prolly makes the most sense to start if he can get back to what he was a year ago. He is the best POA defender left on the team, and the best floor spacer of the options.

To be honest, even if we land Klay there is a decent chance we are starting Grimes by the end of the season when we realize that putting defense next to Luka/Kyrie is more effective than offense against every NBA team except possibly Boston.

[KillerLeft]

Would have rather had DJJ than either Marshall or Klay. This feels like classic Mavs who go all in on past prime “star” (getting saved by missing) and screwing up rest of free agency.

If we miss out on Klay, Marshall doesn’t solve much in starting unit. He is not POA defender that DJJ is and he shoots less threes than Josh Green. He will not provide any more floor spacing. Grimes prolly makes the most sense to start if he can get back to what he was a year ago. He is the best POA defender left on the team, and the best floor spacer of the options.

To be honest, even if we land Klay there is a decent chance we are starting Grimes by the end of the season when we realize that putting defense next to Luka/Kyrie is more effective than offense against every NBA team except possibly Boston.

I agree with every word of this, except I hold out more hope than you that Thompson might be a positive (for a year or so).

[Scott41theMavs]

So true. Although you can tell from the gleeful tone of some that this is what they wanted to see happen. 

I'm going to laugh so hard when the next shoe drops.

What shoe is that? That Marshall backs out of his agreement a la VAJ?

[mvossman]

...and he WASN'T a starter until very late in the season. They've basically said "congrats on being our best option and helping us get to the Finals. Now, we think we can do better." That's well within their rights, I just hope they didn't overthink this! 

If you're suggesting Marshall will be given a chance to earn the job, maybe. But I suspect they're out there promising Thompson a starting job, and I bet that's what they'll do with the next guy (probably Harris) too. 

Dan's right about one thing: Green, at the moment, is the most PAID like a starter.

It doesn’t really matter now, but DJJ was a starter most of the season. He only came off the bench in 10 games

[KillerLeft]

It doesn’t really matter now, but DJJ was a starter most of the season. He only came off the bench in 10 games

You’re right, I forgot about that long stretch towards the beginning because I was surprised when he got the job back. That’s what’s so frustrating about this for me. I was very late to the “Jones fits here” party. Feels like I only got about 30 games to really appreciate what he was doing for the team.

[mvossman]

I agree with every word of this, except I hold out more hope than you that Thompson might be a positive (for a year or so).

I’m not saying Klay will not be a positive, I just think he makes more sense coming off the bench when one of Luka/kyrie are not on the floor.

[KillerLeft]

I’m not saying Klay will not be a positive, I just think he makes more sense coming off the bench when one of Luka/kyrie are not on the floor.

Right, I understand what you are saying. Do you really expect him to come off the bench, even towards the end of the season? I took that as kind of a tongue-in-cheek comment, but maybe you were being serious.

I think if the Mavericks reach a conclusion like what you are suggesting, it is more likely they will move him off of the team at the deadline than bring him off the bench for the rest of the three-year deal it looks like he’s going to get.

So, when I say I’m holding out more hope that he’ll be a positive I mean specifically as a starter.

[omahen]

I will be royally pissed off if Mavs made all that effort for Klay and come short. They carefully planned the move, they likely have more money than competition (unless Lakers come with some crazy SnT deal), they offered a promiment (probably starting role) on a team that was in the finals.

Then come the mediocre Lakers after whiffing on 20 players they were targeting first. If Klay decides for them, he was the wrong target since the beginning and I am really pissed about that. Because every other player Mavs will go after, will be a back-up plan for Klay and probably not too pleased about that.

[JamesConway912]

FA started at 12 AM in Europe.  The lack breaking news was so anticlimactic I actually fell asleep almost immediately lol. Just got up to the DJJ and Naji news.

This makes me circle back to what I wrote yesterday. As long as we have means to replace DJJ loosing him isn’t the end of this team’s playoff aspirations. Marshall is a good defender and shooter I am perfectly fine with going from DJJ to him if the latter wasn’t on board with a diminished role. I understand that he did good things here but we’ve seen in the finals that a PJ + DJJ starting frontcourt isn’t talented enough on offense at that level. It’s a good thing to me that they’re willing to address this spot with their biggest offseason move.

And even if Klay / T. Harris suck Marshall is a very good safety net.

[mvossman]

Right, I understand what you are saying. Do you really expect him to come off the bench, even towards the end of the season? I took that as kind of a tongue-in-cheek comment, but maybe you were being serious.

I think if the Mavericks reach a conclusion like what you are suggesting, it is more likely they will move him off of the team at the deadline than bring him off the bench for the rest of the three-year deal it looks like he’s going to get.

So, when I say I’m holding out more hope that he’ll be a positive I mean specifically as a starter.

I mean the warriors came to the same conclusion last season, and he is only getting older.  I’m struggling to see how it’s going to work without a POA defender. Maybe Lively turns in to Gobert and can make up for 3 questionable defenders. I just think the Mavs found something that really worked up until the finals and throwing it away feels like unnecessary panic move.

[KillerLeft]

FA started at 12 AM in Europe.  The lack breaking news was so anticlimactic I actually fell asleep almost immediately lol. Just got up to the DJJ and Naji news.

This makes me circle back to what I wrote yesterday. As long as we have means to replace DJJ loosing him isn’t the end of this team’s playoff aspirations. Marshall is a good defender and shooter I am perfectly fine with going from DJJ to him if the latter wasn’t on board with a diminished role. I understand that he did good things here but we’ve seen in the finals that a PJ + DJJ starting frontcourt isn’t talented enough on offense at that level. It’s a good thing to me that they’re willing to address this spot with their biggest offseason move.

And even if Klay / T. Harris suck Marshall is a very good safety net.

This is well measured and correct. 

I think the thing that is bumming some of us out is that we don’t agree with the plan A that led to this. I am mildly intrigued by the idea of Thompson in a Mavs uniform, and even brought it up a couple of weeks ago. I just never dreamed anything would take precedence over bringing back the most impactful defender on the team that went to the finals. I definitely agree that Marshall is a good get and the type of player they should be targeting in general, it’s just gonna take me a while to wrap my head around all of this.

[KillerLeft]

I mean the warriors came to the same conclusion last season, and he is only getting older.  I’m struggling to see how it’s going to work without a POA defender. Maybe Lively turns in to Gobert and can make up for 3 questionable defenders. I just think the Mavs found something that really worked up until the finals and throwing it away feels like unnecessary panic move.

I don’t disagree with any of this, man. I don’t know what to tell you, other than all of their actions seem to indicate that they are much more worried about improving the offense than you are. I even think Grimes’ appeal to them is mostly as a spacer. 

I think they want everyone to be a two-way player, and that is a good thing to want, but I agree with you that they are maybe not paying as much attention to the details of how the defenders fit together as they should be.