Trade & FA 2024-25:

[SwisherPrice]

If you're not at least 6'6" with long arms then I'm not interested! Even better if you can score 1 on 1. But unless you're Kyrie or Hardy, there should be a minimum height requirement to join the Mavs rotation like at the line for rides at Six Flags.

[Chicagojk]

https://x.com/wojespn/status/1806389639713886340

ATL already dumping Griffin. Rockets add yet another youngster?

[omahen]

Good move for Houston, I think

[Chicagojk]

Good move for Houston, I think

Hawks fans think he is crazy.   Although that could be a side effect after playing with Trae

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

I don't see DFS as being a guy best suited to chase around wings.  I think for our team he is a backup PF type.   He can guard wings but I don't think he can do what DJJ does on defense.

IMO, DFS' contributions drop off when not at the 3.  You take away the size and athletic advantage. I'm not saying he's a wing chaser, but should be able to often handle switches.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

https://x.com/wojespn/status/1806389639713886340

ATL already dumping Griffin.  Rockets add yet another youngster?

Houston and their love for SFs.  Half their roster under contract are SFs...
Griffin
D.Brooks
A.Thompson
Tate
Eason
Whitmore

[SleepingHero]

hams Charania (@ShamsCharania) ✧
Phoenix's Eric Gordon is declining his $3.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season and becomes a free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Multiple contenders are expected to pursue Gordon, who averaged 11 points on 37.8 percent 3-point shooting last season.

[SleepingHero]

Quentin Grimes
@qdotgrimes
YES CHEF.

https://x.com/qdotgrimes/status/18064000...61762?s=46&t=Ofn9ihgBPdBFQJpnkEDS0A


Grimes posted this cryptic tweet just now.

[KillerLeft]

I just don´t want to trade Hardy now without giving him a proper minutes run off the ball first.

I am in lockstep with this opinion. Truly. And if it were up to me, I'd have him penciled in for 15 minutes per next season, minimum. 

But, if THEY can't find their way to commit to him on that level, for whatever reason, I think it might be better for all involved if they move on now, rather than go through the pain of any type of extension first. The second he's making Green money he's less valuable (especially if it's coming off of another year where he's not consistently in the rotation). And, from Hardy's POV, don't you think he'd want to be in a situation where he can play...in a contract year? 

If you wouldn't use him in that, specific deal, I get you. It seems there's a wide variety of what to expect around here in terms of what Grimes might cost. If you're right on that, I don't expect it will take more than a 2nd to dump the other half of Hardaway's salary. I hope that's what it ends up being, for sure.

[SleepingHero]

Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) ✧
The Sacramento Kings are trading Davion Mitchell and Sasha Vezenkov to the Toronto Raptors, sources tell ESPN.

[SleepingHero]

@Mavs_FFL

Report: Josh Green has joined THJ as a player most mentioned in Mavs trade talks, per @MattMooreTAN

[KillerLeft]

I know he was a board favorite when he was here because he's a hustle guy, but I don't see DFS being much of an upgrade in any respect.  .

As the third forward, coming off the bench in rotation with DJJ and Washington (and he can play both the 3 and 4)? You don't think that makes the team better? 

I have to disagree. I'd be THRILLED with that.

[KillerLeft]

Quentin Grimes
@qdotgrimes
YES CHEF.

https://x.com/qdotgrimes/status/18064000...61762?s=46&t=Ofn9ihgBPdBFQJpnkEDS0A


Grimes posted this cryptic tweet just now.

Dude is probably just watching Season 3 of The Bear and we're all trying to figure out if he's sending out coded messages. 

The off-season sucks/is great so much.

[Smitty]

As the third forward, coming off the bench in rotation with DJJ and Washington (and he can play both the 3 and 4)? You don't think that makes the team better? 

I have to disagree. I'd be THRILLED with that.

I think he’s past being an impact player. Maybe average is a bit harsh. Not someone you spend a significant asset trying to get. The Mavs actually sold high on him. Not something we say often.

[Jmaciscool]

Dude is probably just watching Season 3 of The Bear and we're all trying to figure out if he's sending out coded messages. 

The off-season sucks/is great so much.

This honestly makes the most sense

[dirkfansince1998]

My main takeaway so far. The new CBA is working. 2nd apron team are trying their best to dump salary.

[omahen]

My main takeaway so far. The new CBA is working. 2nd apron team are trying their best to dump salary.

I didn't really see main spenders do anything like that. At least not yet

[KillerLeft]

I think he’s past being an impact player. Maybe average is a bit harsh. Not someone you spend a significant asset trying to get. The Mavs actually sold high on him. Not something we say often.

"Significant asset trying to get" is obviously a conversation changer. I'm not spending a first on him, if that's what it takes (though I might if the Mavs were flush with them). 

But, I think he'd probably be much more impactful than we might think, sitting here today, ESPECIALLY in that 3rd, bench forward role. Think about it: we know he's a character guy, we know he'll kill himself running in transition and playing defense. We know he's unafraid to shoot in big moments, and we know he can hit 3's from both wings and above the break, not just from the corners. I promise you that's a good player to have coming off of the bench and starting when injuries pop up. 

I'm with you in that there are probably better options at a certain cost, but if he's the best one that ends up being in the Mavs' price range, I won't be mad at it. 

Obviously, DJJ needs to be re-signed. Just so there's no confusion, EVERYTHING I'm in favor of is "in addition to" DJJ, not "instead of." That goes for Grant, Grimes or DFS. I'd be happy with any of those outcomes, and they're all likely to come at different costs.

[SleepingHero]

NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
The Orlando Magic could offer Kentavious Caldwell-Pope $50M total over 2 years, per @HPbasketball

“The Magic are one of the few teams in playoff contention with cap space, along with OKC. They have nearly $50 million in space to use, with Jonathan Isaac being the highest-paid player on roster at $17 million for next season. League sources suggest the Magic are willing to offer the Warriors' Thompson or Caldwell-Pope short-term, big money deals starting at two years, $50 million.”

[KillerLeft]

I guess my biggest gripe is that they try to use Hardy as a PG. (He’s not)
They play Green as a SF. (He’s a SG)
They’ll have to start DJJ. (He’s a bench ~20 mpg guy IMO)
Maxi at the 4 is an issue. (Two 3PA per game isn’t getting it done)

No roster is perfect and I’d be fine if the only move was THJ for Grimes+DJJ re-signed. I was just pointing out what I view as the weakest spots and how the roster and salary structure could get balanced.

I'm caught up on this thread now, and had to go back and search this one out. Too interesting to pass up. I think this helps me understand a lot of what causes you and I to disagree on some of this stuff, despite my general feeling that you really get the game. 

The only thing I agree with from the list above is the Kleber part. He's a 5, has been a 5, and it's pretty undeniable. I agree with the shooting point you're making (uncommon range at the 5 turns to "way too slow of a release" at the 4 in the blink of an eye), and would actually double down and say that foot speed goes from being a huge positive on defense as 5 to a slight negative as 4, too. 

The other three assertions intrigue me. In each case, I'd have said the opposite. 

I don't think ANYONE is "a PG" anymore, at least not in the way that (I think) you mean. To my way of thinking, a guard who can't handle the ball, and I don't just mean bringing it up, but actually able to floor the ball to create an advantage for himself (and yes, for others) isn't useful in today's NBA. We are watching guys like Hield, Hardaway, Robinson, Redick, etc, fade away in live time. That's kind of dying breed now - those who are flourishing in that role are now 6'6"-6'9" and play forward. What some argue is the Mavs "trying to make Hardy a PG" is really just "trying to make Hardy play NBA basketball as a guard" to me. It's interesting to me that so many have a problem with this. 

And THAT'S probably why I see Green as a 3. I think he's a 3/2, to be fair, but I'd FOR SURE put the 3 first. He's really fast...for a 3. Speed doesn't pop at the 2. He's got a great handle and is a great passer...for a 3. Sub-par dribbling/playmaking skills for a guard, imo. He has become a decent shooter...for a 3. His release looks better every year, but he's still passing up way too many shots, and in the blink of an eye, it seems that EVERY guard out there can string complex dribble moves together to create a long jumper (off of the dribble) out of some type of step back or side step. I think he can (or should be able to) GAURD other guards, and I LOVE that about him (in theory). 

Totally agree that DJJ, on offense, is under qualified as a starter. However, he did better than I expected him to do with his shooting this season. Like, way better. Are we sure he can't get even more comfortable as a catch and shoot guy, now that he's FINALLY getting a chance? I'm not, but I do see where you're coming from here. Still, did you see the list I posted the other day about "league leaders in % of their minutes being spent defending the opponent's best scoring ball-handler?" DJJ was in first place by a mile, at 54%. I really, really think we've become a little desensitized to just HOW GOOD the dude was on defense this season. This is no small thing, imho. If you can make the team better by replacing him as a starter, cool, and it's not like he's so good I don't think that's possible. And, I think he'd still be impactful off the bench. But, he was INTEGRAL to the team's success down the stretch and in the playoffs, so it's not like I'm going to be disappointed if he's the opening night starter, know what I mean?