MAVS NEWS:

[BigDirk41]

Is Cooper's injury legit or just more tanking stuff? This might cost him rookie of the year so I sure hope it's legit. That might make this nightmare season more than I can handle.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Is Cooper's injury legit or just more tanking stuff? This might cost him rookie of the year so I sure hope it's legit. That might make this nightmare season more than I can handle.

They were talking about that on Inside the NBA last night. The crew thinks Kon may have moved ahead of CF by virtue of the fact that he's set a rookie record for made 3's, and Charlotte has vastly improved and has a chance at the playoffs.


https://www.espn.com/espn/betting/story/...stry-intel

[mvossman]

I don’t know about Gaff and PJ coming back. Ideally, you could talk the Lakers into taking them into their cap space for picks. They were Luka merchants once, though I suspect Gafford is in decline and his best days are behind him.

Gafford is 27.  Its unlikely he is in decline.  He has struggled with injuries and has been exposed without a high level P&R guard.  He would have more value in a better situation, but I don't see Mavs getting significant assets for him at this point.

[WillE]

Gafford is 27.  Its unlikely he is in decline.  He has struggled with injuries and has been exposed without a high level P&R guard.  He would have more value in a better situation, but I don't see Mavs getting significant assets for him at this point.

If moving Gaff is the goal, then FO should wait until next season when he has played a few games with Kyrie to increase his value.

[Scott41theMavs]

Is Cooper's injury legit or just more tanking stuff? This might cost him rookie of the year so I sure hope it's legit. That might make this nightmare season more than I can handle.

We'd better hope it's tanking stuff. We do not need our blue-chip player to be the same sort of injury problem as Lively.

When we hire a new GM, his first assignment is to get a real training and medical staff (shut up, DallasMaverick)- preferably finding a way to get back Casey and crew. The current group is so awful that you look at our injury reports - which we would presume to be full for tanking's sake in prior years - and we have to raise an eyebrow and consider that those guys might legitimately be hurt.

[loki]

Irving/
Christie/Johnson
Marshall/Thompson/Martin
Flagg/Washington/
Lively/Gafford/

That´s already 10 players I expect to see back. They are not going to S/W Johnson, Martin or Thompson given their contractual situations. Trading them is also highly unlikely due to their performances. If they want to reasonably compete, they can´t trade any of the other pieces.

They have three more draft picks, the MLE and two TPEs. We need at least one veteran guard with some play-making ability to spare Kyrie via the TPE or MLE. We all assume there is a high probability they´ll draft at least one PG, that will be three years younger and much higher rated than 23 year old Nembhard.

Haven´t even talked about Bagley, Williams or Middleton yet. They already creating a roster spot shortage over a player that realistically should not play any significant role. Why not wait? Also if they are really looking for a new GM beyond Riccardi/Finley, what if the guy does not want Nembhard and has other ideas for the roster configuration.

It wouldn't shock me for a new GM to come in and clean house. This offseason is probably the best opportunity to make major changes if that's what he wants to do. I think PJ, Gafford, Klay, and Naji could all be on the block. Maybe Kyrie too, but a trade deadline deal is more likely there. 

I'd guess that PJ/Gafford get traded, Naji/Kyrie stay, and Klay either stays or gets waived (no stretch) so he can go back to the west coast. AJ and Nembhard could end up being roster spot casualties.

[Chicagojk]

AJ Johnson played for the G league team last night. I hope he does that often. He needs to play somewhere. Have him do both g league and nba team.

More confusing in the g league game last night, the other team had a guard named R. Nembhard jr. Looks like no relation to Ryan. Just weird seeing that name with the other team.

Mavs signed a guy to a two way. Pickings are slim as a lot of teams have picked up a few guys the last two weeks. Looks to be a left shooter.

[Chicagojk]

Looks like Middleton is staying with the Mavs for the remainder of the season. I think he has looked surprisingly good. We will see if he can stay on the court.

I really couldn’t care either way really. If he could stay healthy and look good, I would be fine with him next year. For the rest of this year? Whatever. I don’t feel a strong feeling either way. Glad they got rid of Tyus though. It was depressing seeing a tanking team with all veterans on the court.

I have liked Bagley too. Middleton may be higher on my want list for next year. A lot of time to change my opinion though.

[vfromlmf]

Middleton staying is a bigger deal that we're giving it credit for.

Dallas retains his Bird rights, which makes a potential sign & trade or a lucrative new deal in Dallas is much easier.

I'lll reiterate my Harrisson Barnes comp. Middleton can still play at a high level and would be a great rotation piece. I could easily see his starting alongside Kyrie, Flagg, Lively, and the Lottery pick, especially if they move PJW.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Middleton from the bench is a good option... As a starter is meh

[mvossman]

Middleton staying is a bigger deal that we're giving it credit for.

Dallas retains his Bird rights, which makes a potential sign & trade or a lucrative new deal in Dallas is much easier.

I'lll reiterate my Harrisson Barnes comp. Middleton can still play at a high level and would be a great rotation piece.  I could easily see his starting alongside Kyrie, Flagg, Lively, and the Lottery pick, especially if they move PJW.

I like the idea of getting value through a S&T, but not sure about signing him to a lucrative new deal at 35.  Regardless they need to reduce his minutes from a tank perspective.

[Mavs2021]

If they go for Giannis, hopefully they wait until at least the trade deadline and keep the 2026 lottery pick off the table. Lively + Gafford + Martin + 2029 Lakers pick at the TDL, maybe Christie. Mavs have ways to create the necessary 2027 capspace and I want to see what the team looks like before committing to Giannis. If Kyrie is not fit, then Giannis won´t make a difference either. What is Lively´s health look like? How does the team fit around Flagg and the 1st round pick?

[Chicagojk]

Looks like in addition to the two way lefty shooter, the Mavs also released Miles Kelly and signed Tyler Smith to a two way deal.  Smith is a former G League Ignite big who was drafted by the Bucks and never found a footing and bounced around with the Bucks and Rockets.

[mvossman]

Middleton staying is a bigger deal that we're giving it credit for.

Dallas retains his Bird rights, which makes a potential sign & trade or a lucrative new deal in Dallas is much easier.

I'lll reiterate my Harrisson Barnes comp. Middleton can still play at a high level and would be a great rotation piece.  I could easily see his starting alongside Kyrie, Flagg, Lively, and the Lottery pick, especially if they move PJW.

Actually a S&T would hard cap the other team at the first apron, ruling out some of the teams that would be interested.

The problem with the Barnes comp is that Barnes plays almost every game.  Middleton has been struggling to play half his games lately.

If they move on from PJ, I hope its not for a 35 year old on the decline who struggles to stay healthy.

[Winter]

This guy is our new 2-way player

John Poulakidas. Makes a living on the 3-point line.

Holds Clippers G-league record for 3-pointers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgzuJXSJdO8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUQxa6U6EK0

Bio here. https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2026/03/john...ricks.html

Mavs also picked up a guy named Tyler Smith to replace Miles Kelly (sorry to see him go).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsHEdD0b0zM

Bio here. https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2026/03/mave...kelly.html

[Scott41theMavs]

Actually a S&T would hard cap the other team at the first apron, ruling out some of the teams that would be interested.

The problem with the Barnes comp is that Barnes plays almost every game.  Middleton has been struggling to play half his games lately.

If they move on from PJ, I hope its not for a 35 year old on the decline who struggles to stay healthy.

What if 1) we still have Naji, and 2) we get something nice back for PJ?

I would think either Naji or PJ is guaranteed to be gone if our lottery pick is for a forward/big wing.

[mvossman]

What if 1) we still have Naji, and 2) we get something nice back for PJ?

I would think either Naji or PJ is guaranteed to be gone if our lottery pick is for a forward/big wing.

I mean if our lottery pick is a forward there is even less reason to spend resources on Middleton.

[Scott41theMavs]

I mean if our lottery pick is a forward there is even less reason to spend resources on Middleton.

Middleton and Naji become the first two off the bench.

[vfromlmf]

To be clear on my Middleton comments I don’t envision him as a high minute player any more. And “lucrative new contract” is relative. He’s more than a minimum guy.

Barnes plays 27 mpg. Klay averages 22. Middleton can fill that Klay role way better than Klay tbh.

Klay is expiring and may move more into a Powell / spot role next season.

[myconsumerclub]

Our first pick probably gets us Waggler or Mikel I can hear it already time for some Mikel ball. I would like to see Mikel be the pick but getting Waggler would be just as good.

Some folks are mentioning Acuff as a guy we could go after but to me size at PG may be important and if you have it available you go for it because it is important and Acuff is a bit on the short side of a prototypical big PG like we were used to with Luka.

Middleton needs to be available to us at a lot less expensive contract if he is going to be worth adding. If he is too expensive I would rather use that $$ on a younger free agent. These guys both know free agency will dictate who is kept and your not signed till all the bigger fish are caught first. Actually next years free agency looks better to me.

We have 2 new guys on 2 ways that I will wait to see if they can even stick around because we may decide to add some guys who fell out of the draft because its a stocked draft.

Cooper gives us a starter at the 4 who can play PG as well. Right? If you assume we add a PG with the first pick you have someone that can play next to Kyrie as a starter if he has some size, so now you got 3 guys to play that we can count on to help us go further on the path to winning a ring.

If Lively comes back and looks like he can play without becoming easily injured again you have to play him at the 5 but you also need to draft another 5 just in case he does get hurt.

At SF Middleton is there along with Klay, Naji and Martin plus we have 2 more picks to use and could grab a guy like

Guys that can hot the 3 who are 6'7 ish or better.
If you use one pick at PG and one at the 5 then you also need to use one at SF.

https://www.tankathon.com/players/milan-momcilovic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P70uXmmH5e8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiKl___2e8s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kot2ipil5nw

https://www.tankathon.com/players/alex-karaban played for UConn during their championship years
https://youtu.be/2sJRpHir_b0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiXXFW6blP8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PabsjEWWbZM&pp=ygUMYWxleCBrYXJhYmFu

There will be guys who we could use that are going undrafted. The 2 centers at Illinois might be nice to bring in on a 2 way.

I hope we can keep Bagley as well.