MAVS NEWS:

[KillerLeft]

Stein said that the Mavs can add Exum as the 16th contract because you can have up to 21 NBA contracts until the season starts. That's true, as it pertains to roster numbers.

But he didn't directly speak to the hard cap issue. That has to be considered too.

On the hard cap, the issue is Team Salary, which is calculated every day, and when you have a hard cap, your Team Salary can never exceed that number, even in the off-season. No exceptions, ever. Certain calculations are different in Team Salary for Apron Purposes. Summer contracts (E10) are not counted before the season starts, as they are almost always just a route to a team's GL squad.

Mavs' Team Salary right now is close to A2, and there is not enough room to add any player, even at the minimum. So while the rules generally would allow them to add up to 6 more players in the off-season, until they make a payroll-clearing move, they can add no one else on an NBA deal. A contract for Exum has to wait.

Right, thanks...let me ask the question a different way. Are the "camp bodies" getting contracts that are less official, and almost setup for them not to make the team?

[F Gump]

Right, thanks...let me ask the question a different way. Are the "camp bodies" getting contracts that are less official, and almost setup for them not to make the team?

They are official, but add some extras. They include an Exhibit 9, 10, or both in the contract. Nothing is guaranteed, even if they get hurt. When ("if") waived, they'll get a bonus (as well as GL pay) to play for Mavs GL team. And in the CBA accounting, such deals explicitly are not to be included in Team Salary until the regular season.

CBA FAQ explanation is a bit dated, but offers the gist of things.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap17.htm#Q70
http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap17.htm#Q83

A player signing such a deal does not expect he will be on the 15-man NBA roster when the season begins, nor does the team signing him, although the contract makes no exclusion of the possibility.

If you want to see, you can look up an online copy of the CBA, which has a standard contract as an addendum, and the possible exhibits are part of that.

[Chicagojk]

Kyrie was doing a 24 hour stream, I guess. Luka called in.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Mavericks/s/Igu5rh2azi

[SleepingHero]

Kyrie was doing a 24 hour stream, I guess.  Luka called in.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Mavericks/s/Igu5rh2azi

Never getting over this.

[ThisIStheYear]

Based on contracts signed this offseason, I’d pay PJ under $20 million per and that would be more than his value. We’re seeing a huge correction in salaries now that there’s basically a hard cap in place.

[mvossman]

Based on contracts signed this offseason, I’d pay PJ under $20 million per and that would be more than his value.  We’re seeing a huge correction in salaries now that there’s basically a hard cap in place.

I feel like we are seeing two markets.  Guys getting extensions are getting paid.  Guys in the open market are not.  My understanding is PJ max extension starts at around 19 mil?  This seems about right, and hopefully they have already agreed to it.

[Mavs2021]

Kyrie was doing a 24 hour stream, I guess.  Luka called in.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Mavericks/s/Igu5rh2azi

How mad will the Lakers be, when we sign Luka for the MLE and LeBron for the minimum.

[Smitty]

I feel like we are seeing two markets.  Guys getting extensions are getting paid.  Guys in the open market are not.  My understanding is PJ max extension starts at around 19 mil?  This seems about right, and hopefully they have already agreed to it.

I’ll keep posting this so that everyone who’s unsure can know the max extension for PJ.

   

credit: @CBAMavs

[KillerLeft]

I’ll keep posting this so that everyone who’s unsure can know the max extension for PJ.



credit: @CBAMavs

Thanks for this. 

I know that's more than some hope for PJW, but...the final year of that contract is less than almost any starting 4 is making now. I think it might be too much to hope that he accepts less than that (but would be thrilled if he did, of course).

[F Gump]

My understanding is PJ max extension starts at around 19 mil?  This seems about right, and hopefully they have already agreed to it.

The max extension he can get in yr 1 salary is a bit under 20M (19.81) and max total over 4 yrs not including incentives is just under 89M (88.76).

I think a hard-cap conscious contract offer would be 4/80 (starting salary about 17.86).

Or maybe 3/60 (starting salary 18.52) -- for reference, Gaff got 3/54.3 (starting salary 17.26).

If you're keeping score at home, they will have a huge payroll problem looming in 2026 (well over A2) with a PJW extension on the books, unless they can find a way to erase ALL the salaries of Martin, Hardy, and Omax.

[SleepingHero]

https://x.com/Mavs_FFL/status/1944161852579361167

@Mavs_FFL
Gaff finally signed the dotted line!!!!

[F Gump]

PAYROLL NOTES
1  As mentioned before, the Mavs' have a payroll problem looming in 2026 (well over A2) with a PJW extension expected to be ahead.
2 It can be solved by erasing ALL the salaries of Martin, Hardy, and Omax, but only 1 of those has to happen this summer (to get room for Exum). They can wait until next summer for the other 2, keep the extra depth, and see if it turns useful this season.
3  Erasing all of those would enable them to land under A2 while also paying their FRP and having money for a TxMLE.
4 As we have heard before, Omax seems the most likely one this summer, to get room for Exum. They have a decision coming on his year 4 option for 2025-26. It would be for 5.3M, and declining it erases his Bird rights next summer. I can't imagine they want to be obligated to that number.
5 If it happens, getting a taker for OMax is likelier after rosters have settled and some team has a space left over (with cap room or a TE to take his salary and take a chance on him). The Mavs could include cash to cover his 3M salary and be waived, but hopefully some team would want him as a keeper (and he makes barely over minimum salary).
6  A worst-case option they have in their back pocket for getting cap room for Exum would be to waive BW and then sign him back as a two-way, assuming he would agree. One pitfall on that approach is that they would risk losing him, if they did so and he got an offer from another team for a regular 15-man deal. 
... I notice that BW is not on the Mavs SL team. Could that tell us something? For example, are the Mavs avoiding any injury potential, to enable them to waive him with no cost if they need to? (If a NG player gets injured in a game or camp, his NG contract becomes guaranteed until he is healthy, unless it has an E9 or E10 clause, ie a summer or camp contract.)
7  Yes both B Will and Kai Jones are two-way eligible. The question is whether either or both would be interested in such a deal. The Mavs have one slot left. So far they have a PG and a SG/SF filling the 1st 2 slots.
8 Around the league, it seems like players of the caliber of BW and KJ are taking 2-way slots, grabbing them when offered, if they are on the bubble for getting a 15-man deal. More important to note, teams are starting to aggressively use their two-way slots as an avenue to having discount-priced 3rd stringers (since those salaries don't count on your cap), with the hard cap being an issue for many. Those 2-way signees are no longer just long shots who will mostly be in the GL, but teams are looking for players they will be able to use so they can leave their 15th slot open.

[Smitty]

PAYROLL NOTES
1  As mentioned before, the Mavs' have a payroll problem looming in 2026 (well over A2) with a PJW extension expected to be ahead.
2 It can be solved by erasing ALL the salaries of Martin, Hardy, and Omax, but only 1 of those has to happen this summer (to get room for Exum). They can wait until next summer for the other 2, keep the extra depth, and see if it turns useful this season.
3  Erasing all of those would enable them to land under A2 while also paying their FRP and having money for a TxMLE.
4 As we have heard before, Omax seems the most likely one this summer, to get room for Exum. They have a decision coming on his year 4 option for 2025-26. It would be for 5.3M, and declining it erases his Bird rights next summer. I can't imagine they want to be obligated to that number.
5 If it happens, getting a taker for OMax is likelier after rosters have settled and some team has a space left over (with cap room or a TE to take his salary and take a chance on him). The Mavs could include cash to cover his 3M salary and be waived, but hopefully some team would want him as a keeper (and he makes barely over minimum salary).
6  A worst-case option they have in their back pocket for getting cap room for Exum would be to waive BW and then sign him back as a two-way, assuming he would agree. One pitfall on that approach is that they would risk losing him, if they did so and he got an offer from another team for a regular 15-man deal. 
... I notice that BW is not on the Mavs SL team. Could that tell us something? For example, are the Mavs avoiding any injury potential, to enable them to waive him with no cost if they need to? (If a NG player gets injured in a game or camp, his NG contract becomes guaranteed until he is healthy, unless it has an E9 or E10 clause, ie a summer or camp contract.)
7  Yes both B Will and Kai Jones are two-way eligible. The question is whether either or both would be interested in such a deal. The Mavs have one slot left. So far they have a PG and a SG/SF filling the 1st 2 slots.
8  Around the league, it seems like players of the caliber of BW and KJ are taking 2-way slots, grabbing them when offered, if they are on the bubble for getting a 15-man deal. More important to note, teams are starting to aggressively use their two-way slots as an avenue to having discount-priced 3rd stringers (since those salaries don't count on your cap), with the hard cap being an issue for many. Those 2-way signees are no longer just long shots who will mostly be in the GL, but teams are looking for players they will be able to use so they can leave their 15th slot open.

Just one thing of note. Kai Jones is not two-way eligible.

[F Gump]

Just one thing of note. Kai Jones is not two-way eligible.

I have seen it both ways, but on looking closer, I think you're right. Looks like he got some very short stints in 2023-24 (a 10-day, and a separate one-day-ish ROS deal) where he was on a 15-man roster, even though he did not play. Good catch.

[loki]

PAYROLL NOTES
1  As mentioned before, the Mavs' have a payroll problem looming in 2026 (well over A2) with a PJW extension expected to be ahead.

I believe they'll also be paying the repeater tax. If they extend PJW at the max they can offer and fill out the roster with minimums plus their 1st round pick, they could be looking at a $100M tax bill.

[Chicagojk]

PAYROLL NOTES
1  As mentioned before, the Mavs' have a payroll problem looming in 2026 (well over A2) with a PJW extension expected to be ahead.
2 It can be solved by erasing ALL the salaries of Martin, Hardy, and Omax, but only 1 of those has to happen this summer (to get room for Exum). They can wait until next summer for the other 2, keep the extra depth, and see if it turns useful this season.
3  Erasing all of those would enable them to land under A2 while also paying their FRP and having money for a TxMLE.
4 As we have heard before, Omax seems the most likely one this summer, to get room for Exum. They have a decision coming on his year 4 option for 2025-26. It would be for 5.3M, and declining it erases his Bird rights next summer. I can't imagine they want to be obligated to that number.
5 If it happens, getting a taker for OMax is likelier after rosters have settled and some team has a space left over (with cap room or a TE to take his salary and take a chance on him). The Mavs could include cash to cover his 3M salary and be waived, but hopefully some team would want him as a keeper (and he makes barely over minimum salary).
6  A worst-case option they have in their back pocket for getting cap room for Exum would be to waive BW and then sign him back as a two-way, assuming he would agree. One pitfall on that approach is that they would risk losing him, if they did so and he got an offer from another team for a regular 15-man deal. 
... I notice that BW is not on the Mavs SL team. Could that tell us something? For example, are the Mavs avoiding any injury potential, to enable them to waive him with no cost if they need to? (If a NG player gets injured in a game or camp, his NG contract becomes guaranteed until he is healthy, unless it has an E9 or E10 clause, ie a summer or camp contract.)
7  Yes both B Will and Kai Jones are two-way eligible. The question is whether either or both would be interested in such a deal. The Mavs have one slot left. So far they have a PG and a SG/SF filling the 1st 2 slots.
8  Around the league, it seems like players of the caliber of BW and KJ are taking 2-way slots, grabbing them when offered, if they are on the bubble for getting a 15-man deal. More important to note, teams are starting to aggressively use their two-way slots as an avenue to having discount-priced 3rd stringers (since those salaries don't count on your cap), with the hard cap being an issue for many. Those 2-way signees are no longer just long shots who will mostly be in the GL, but teams are looking for players they will be able to use so they can leave their 15th slot open.

Is this with or without Russell?   Can I already reserve our TXMLE for Lebron next year?   

I found it interesting that Hardy and Omax are both in Vegas and at the games.   I guess they are both under contract and young, but just found that interesting.   Maybe they are fringe guys and now they need to take advantage of every opportunity?

[mvossman]

Is this with or without Russell?

I had the same question.  If he has a resurgent season, seems like it would be hard to keep him.  That would create more room, but not enough to avoid dumping Martin.  Given how buried he is on the depth chart it really looks like we are going to have to pay an asset to get off that contract.

[KillerLeft]

I had the same question.  If he has a resurgent season, seems like it would be hard to keep him.  That would create more room, but not enough to avoid dumping Martin.  Given how buried he is on the depth chart it really looks like we are going to have to pay an asset to get off that contract.

The elephant in the room is what I've been saying for over a year. It's unreasonable to pay Davis AND Gafford AND Washington AND eventually Lively AND NOW eventually Flagg (even his rookie contract is significant, compared to Lively's), all to play center and forward. They've done a good job at getting a collection of good players on what I think are pretty good deals, but there's just too much positional/skill overlap. This is why I came into the summer expecting them to turn either Gafford, PJW or BOTH into ball-handling creation, most likely at guard (POA defense would be helpful, too). 

But, we also don't know quite how Flagg fits just yet, so I'm cool putting decisions like that off...as long as you don't get stuck with a guy you can't trade. There's potential for that with Gafford, PJW and even Davis, based on his high salary.

I think expecting to have ZERO bloat at the bottom of your roster is unrealistic, given how easy it is to be wrong about these guys ahead of time. We act like it's all only about judging their skills and talent in a predictive way, and that's difficult enough, but add in human nature (will the guy not enjoy his teammates, or lose a family member and be too depressed to work hard for two years? Just an example) and it's quite literally inevitable that parts of the plan don't work out. As long as those misses are Hardy-sized misses (though that one might be a bad example, because I think they did his contract early), I'd say you're in a better position than most teams.

[F Gump]

I believe they'll also be paying the repeater tax. If they extend PJW at the max they can offer and fill out the roster with minimums plus their 1st round pick, they could be looking at a $100M tax bill.

Yes, if they are over the tax line in 2026-27, they will be hit with repeater tax. 

But it wouldn't be THAT big of a bill, I don't think. Using your givens, it's more like 40M in total tax (which includes repeater penalty). Not a check I'd want to write, but ...

On that subject -- the fact they will almost certainly get hit with that repeater penalty in 2026-27 is another consequence of the Grimes trade. (That deal is the gift that keeps on giving!) If they hadn't done that, they would have stayed under the tax line last season, and the soonest they could incur repeater tax would have been 2028-29. 

Their extra tax and salary for Martin - for an injured player who has only been wasted salary clogging the payroll - has a good shot by itself of costing Dumont an unnecessary $75-80M or so by then. THAT is the sort of needless blunder an owner can understand and be pissed about (if he's smart enough to figure it out), enough to fire someone.

[F Gump]

Is this with or without Russell?   Can I already reserve our TXMLE for Lebron next year?   

I found it interesting that Hardy and Omax are both in Vegas and at the games.   I guess they are both under contract and young, but just found that interesting.   Maybe they are fringe guys and now they need to take advantage of every opportunity?

"Is this with or without Russell?" - Once you erase all of Martin, Hardy, and OMax from next year's payroll, there's room for Russell's 2nd year, along with FRP salary, along with TxMLE salary, and then minimums.

On Hardy and OMax, they are still Mavs until they aren't. But as I noted, OMax has a crossroads of sorts that is looming before the season starts - whether to pick up his 5.3M option for 2026-27 - and it's hard to see them doing so. Once they decline it, he's on the road to somewhere else next summer, so they might as well cut the cord now, it would seem.