Trade & FA 2024-25:

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

@knifetalkmavs
Nico Harrison told Marc Stein that he was going to win Mavs fans back with his next move and proceeded to trade one our best role players in Quentin Grimes and a draft pick for an injured Caleb Martin who couldn’t even pass his physical LMAO

Hey, maybe Nico really believes Caleb is going to “make the leap” once his hip is healed. For now, no leaping. Doctors orders.

[Reunion Mav]

Ugh. Lakers. That's NEVER right.

No fan of the 80s Mavs can ever be a Lakers fan. I wanted to push their Dallas area fans off the Continental street bridge except when good old Derek Harper beat them with game winning threes! Those memories feel good come to think of it. Those Lakers were actually really great though.

[SleepingHero]

@ShamsCharania
Ben Simmons is finalizing a contract buyout with the Brooklyn Nets to become a free agent, sources tell me and @WindhorstESPN. Simmons will meet with the Cavaliers and Clippers starting Friday as he decides his next home.

[SleepingHero]

@TheDunkCentral
Brian Windhorst says Kevin Durant wasn’t happy with his name being involved in trade talks and could be traded this summer

“He was not happy he was put into trade talks. I think it's unpredictable what will happen for the next few months because it's the nature of the sport, but I think right now it is reasonable to forecast that Durant will be breaking up with the Suns in the summer.”

[Chicagojk]

@TheDunkCentral
Brian Windhorst says Kevin Durant wasn’t happy with his name being involved in trade talks and could be traded this summer

“He was not happy he was put into trade talks. I think it's unpredictable what will happen for the next few months because it's the nature of the sport, but I think right now it is reasonable to forecast that Durant will be breaking up with the Suns in the summer.”

It will be interesting to see what happens this summer.  Maybe PHX starts playing better and can try to plug some holes again this summer.    It just feels like once the door is opened, it is hard to close.

There was a rumor the Wolves made a push for KD.   From reading Suns boards, this was impossible due to their cap.  Is true?

Holding onto KD until the summer (if they decide to move him) is probably the best plan.  Although with him entering the final year of his contract, you do give him more power.    There are probably 10 teams that are cross off the list right away.  Probably another 10 would either don't have the assets or are not interested.  The rest can get a little blurry if KD forces things.

[SleepingHero]

@KeithSmithNBA
Answering a popular question:

The Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors aren't really players in the buyout market. Neither is over the apron, because they can't be, as both are hard-capped at the first apron.

The challenge for them in adding players is that both have very little wiggle room under that hard cap.

Dallas = $171K under the hard cap. That allows for a Vet Minimum signing in late-March

Golden State = $1.8M under the hard cap, but with 3-4 roster spots to fill.

[SleepingHero]

It will be interesting to see what happens this summer.  Maybe PHX starts playing better and can try to plug some holes again this summer.    It just feels like once the door is opened, it is hard to close.

There was a rumor the Wolves made a push for KD.   From reading Suns boards, this was impossible due to their cap.  Is true?

Holding onto KD until the summer (if they decide to move him) is probably the best plan.  Although with him entering the final year of his contract, you do give him more power.    There are probably 10 teams that are cross off the list right away.  Probably another 10 would either don't have the assets or are not interested.  The rest can get a little blurry if KD forces things.

Wolves and suns are both 2nd apron teams. Basically means they’d have to match the money for KD at a perfect 100%. I don’t think they have a possible combination of dudes, especially centered around Randle like the rumor said, and it work.

Further both the Suns and the Wolves can’t combine players to get another making a similar salary. 

So yeah.that Wolves rumor was a total non-factor.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

[Charania] The Warriors made multiple offers for Kevin Durant, including a proposed three-team deal that would've sent Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, and multiple picks to Phoenix. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat were other teams that made offers for Durant.

[SleepingHero]

@esidery
The Suns will never attempt a full-scale rebuild unless Devin Booker eventually requests a trade, per @Gambo987
(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bu...0690121785).

If Phoenix fails to improve this season, they are likely to reassess Kevin Durant’s future in the summer.

[Smitty]

@esidery
The Suns will never attempt a full-scale rebuild unless Devin Booker eventually requests a trade, per @Gambo987
(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bu...30683847?i=1000690121785).

If Phoenix fails to improve this season, they are likely to reassess Kevin Durant’s future in the summer.

I’m 98% certain that Nico will trade the rest of the Mavs future assets for KD this summer.
If he isn’t fired before then, of course.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

I’m 98% certain that Nico will trade the rest of the Mavs future assets for KD this summer.
If he isn’t fired before then, of course.

This is 100% where we’re heading. Basically have to start at Gafford/PJ/Klay to get a KD trade going.

[Smitty]

This is 100% where we’re heading. Basically have to start at Gafford/PJ/Klay to get a KD trade going.

Yep. And he gets the starting 5 he wants with Kyrie-Max-KD-AD-Lively.

Just prepare yourself for every pick to be outgoing in the deal.

FRP: ‘25, ‘29 (LAL), ‘31
FRP Swap: ‘26, ‘32
SRP: ‘30 (PHI)

[SleepingHero]

I’m 98% certain that Nico will trade the rest of the Mavs future assets for KD this summer.
If he isn’t fired before then, of course.

Yeah that's going to happen. And as long as they keep Lively and PJ in the deal I think I'd be fine with it.


As soon as he made the choice to make THE trade, he has to go all in ASAP. 


The real question is, will the public pressure get so bad that Nico is forced to resign before he has a chance to play his vision out?

[SleepingHero]

This is 100% where we’re heading. Basically have to start at Gafford/PJ/Klay to get a KD trade going.

In the summer we could package Martin and Hardy instead of PJ

[Smitty]

In the summer we could package Martin and Hardy instead of PJ

That would be my preference. But to keep Lively I bet PJ has to be in it. Plus, he’s got an extension coming up himself, and KD in would slide PJ to the bench.

But I’m with you on Martin and Hardy being moved this summer, especially Hardy. His contract was designed for the Mavs to trade him.

[F Gump]

In my roster building plan, I think I would target a PG making Hardy-Martin money. Not KD. 

I have always wished for KD. But as good as KD is, he's almost aged out. And his contract is too big. 

I think the sweet spot for contracts is players like Gaff, Klay, PJW in the MLE or so area. That's where I want to target.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Yep. And he gets the starting 5 he wants with Kyrie-Max-KD-AD-Lively.

Just prepare yourself for every pick to be outgoing in the deal.

FRP: ‘25, ‘29 (LAL), ‘31
FRP Swap: ‘26, ‘32
SRP: ‘30 (PHI)

My only hope in this situation is that Durant gives us leverage which feels likely at this point and we actually USE that leverage this time. I know 2029 and 2031 are definitely gone in this scenario but they may need that 2025 pick to fill out the roster with a cheap contract. Honestly a 2032 swap may be more valuable than the 2025 pick so would be nice if they can stay away from that too. 

KD is 38 next year, this all fucking kills me.

If you told me in 2017 that by 2025 we would have Kyrie/AD/KD starting and I would also view it as the worst path we could have gone down I would have been so confused.

[Smitty]

In my roster building plan, I think I would target a PG making Hardy-Martin money. Not KD. 

I have always wished for KD. But as good as KD is, he's almost aged out. And his contract is too big. 

I think the sweet spot for contracts is players like Gaff, Klay, PJW in the MLE or so area. That's where I want to target.

I agree. Unfortunately, Nico doesn’t care what we want.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

In the summer we could package Martin and Hardy instead of PJ

Nico is too thirsty to negotiate properly in these matters we’ve learned. Obviously hope you’re right though. My guess would be if the suns go for that, it would be to replace Klay, not PJ.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

In my roster building plan, I think I would target a PG making Hardy-Martin money. Not KD. 

I have always wished for KD. But as good as KD is, he's almost aged out. And his contract is too big. 

I think the sweet spot for contracts is players like Gaff, Klay, PJW in the MLE or so area. That's where I want to target.

Feels like based on contracts we’ve been handing out and committing to that MLE range is too high for role players (in Nico’s opinion of course). Naji, Max and Caleb are all under 10M.  Honestly though I get that in this new CBA, it’s slowly killing to middle class. Something has to change.