MAVS NEWS:

[Smitty]

HJ would likely be 3rd string in Dallas and not in the top 10. And I prefer players 11-15 make way less money (hard cap world realities).

Our opinions on Herb as a player are vastly different.

[Winter]

For me, HJ's salary is not likely to equate to his actual value on this Mavs team. On some other team, yes... but not this one.

It's not really about HJ as a player. It's about HJ on this team. He won't play guard, and his minutes at PF or even SF will be needed by CF and PJ. He's been getting well over 30 mpg in NO. There's just no way he gets that here.

[Smitty]

For me, HJ's salary is not likely to equate to his actual value on this Mavs team. On some other team, yes... but not this one.

It's not really about HJ as a player. It's about HJ on this team.

Those are two different arguments, even so, he makes MLE money? He's arguably the best perimeter defender in the game. 
For all the DJJ talk, rightfully so, I don't know how $13.9M (less than Martin+Hardy) is some big deterrent?

[Winter]

Those are two different arguments, even so, he makes MLE money? He's arguably the best perimeter defender in the game. 
For all the DJJ talk, rightfully so, I don't know how $13.9M (less than Martin+Hardy) is some big deterrent?

Because he can't possibly play enough to make the kind of difference he does in NO. There just aren't that many minutes at the forward spot.

[Smitty]

Because he can't possibly play enough to make the kind of deifference he does in NO. There just aren't that many minutes at the forward spot.

When you realize this Mavs team is built to run out lineups of (Guard - Wing - Wing - Wing/Big - Big) 90% of the time, it's easy to see a path forward.

[Winter]

Possibly. I understand that argument. But no one is really sure what this team is capable of with our stacked forward positions... and yet we invest in another forward? One who shoots rather poorly from the perimeter? Don't we actually need perimeter shooting to go along with our defensive inside players? I just think HJ is a player who doesn't actually change our team profile much. Or enough anyway. I just don't think he can be on the floor enough.

[Smitty]

Possibly. I understand that argument. But no one is really sure what this team is capable of with our stacked forward positions... and yet we invest in another forward? One who shoots rather poorly from the perimeter? Don't we actually need perimeter shooting to go along with our defensive inside players? I just think HJ is a player who doesn't actually change our team profile much. Or enough anyway. I just don't think he can be on the floor enough.

He's a career 37% 3PT shooter. Above league average. A season ago, 42% from 3PT. Of course, if he were an elite shooter, paired with his defense, he wouldn't even be available for trade.

[Winter]

He's a career 37% 3PT shooter. Above league average. A season ago, 42% from 3PT. Of course, if he were an elite shooter, paired with his defense, he wouldn't even be available for trade.

Well, I'll put it another way. Three of his four years in the league, he shot under 34%. So there's not much history of him shooting the league average.

I would rather have a SG and not go so heavy on another forward given our current group. But that's me.

[DallasMaverick]

Well, I'll put it another way. Three of his four years in the league, he shot under 34%. So there's not much history of him shooting the league average.

I would rather have a SG and not go so heavy on another forward given our current group. But that's me.

Overall, Klay really performed pretty well last year. 

27MPG, 14PPG, 39% on threes

Pretty durable - played 72 games.

Definitely provided leadership and a calming influence on younger players.

He had a couple of stinker games when he couldn’t hit a thing, and some sizzlers where he was instrumental in wins. Typical shooter.

On balance, I’d guess that Nico was pretty pleased with his investment.

[cow]

Well, I'll put it another way. Three of his four years in the league, he shot under 34%. So there's not much history of him shooting the league average.

I would rather have a SG and not go so heavy on another forward given our current group. But that's me.

Kind of sounds like Naji.

[Winter]

Nuggets hire Dudley.

[F Gump]

When you realize this Mavs team is built to run out lineups of (Guard - Wing - Wing - Wing/Big - Big) 90% of the time, it's easy to see a path forward.

Oh? Where to?

You like HJ, I follow that (I am less of a fan) -- but I also see no use for him, not really, which imo is a crucial (and disqualifying) issue for spending assets.

Mavs do need shooters. HJ is not.
Mavs need players who can play. HJ is injured.
Mavs do not need a F (which is HJ position, he's 6-8). Who do you bench - CF, AD, PJW, NM? Full up already. Minutes simply are non-existent.
Mavs do not need a SG, with Klay and Max here (and some will also go to Exum). CM is 3rd string in SG pecking order, maybe even 4th, as is Hardy.

Problem is we have no role/mins for HJ to actually fill, if he replaces CM/Hardy, since neither will play much. Employing an even pricier guy for the bench makes no sense, just like CM makes no sense. Use assets for someone who fills a need.

[DanSchwartzgan]

https://x.com/mavsfilmroom/status/194084...32303?s=46&t=Fmdr94oXagcEyy75KJqaFg


This is Legler’s prediction.  Dallas, GSW and LAC fighting for 6, 7 & 8 in the west behind OKC, Denver, Houston, LAL and Minnesota.  I wouldn’t necessarily put LAL in the first 1-5 locks.  I see them more on par with the Dallas, GSW and LAC group.  Of course, injuries always ravage someone in the top tier.

[Smitty]

Oh? Where to?

You like HJ, I follow that (I am less of a fan) -- but I also see no use for him, not really, which imo is a crucial (and disqualifying) issue for spending assets.

Mavs do need shooters. HJ is not.
Mavs need players who can play. HJ is injured.
Mavs do not need a F (which is HJ position, he's 6-8). Who do you bench - CF, AD, PJW, NM? Full up already. Minutes simply are non-existent.
Mavs do not need a SG, with Klay and Max here (and some will also go to Exum). CM is 3rd string in SG pecking order, maybe even 4th, as is Hardy.

Problem is we have no role/mins for HJ to actually fill, if he replaces CM/Hardy, since neither will play much. Employing an even pricier guy for the bench makes no sense, just like CM makes no sense. Use assets for someone who fills a need.

Like I've already said, Mavs aren't running two guard lineups this year. Let's run out the groundball here. 
Assuming the trade is Martin+Christie for Herb, since that's a legal trade and has been discussed already.

Guards - Russell, Exum, Williams, Hardy, Kyrie
Wings - Herb, Klay, Flagg, Naji, PJ, Omax
Bigs - Davis, Gafford, Lively, Powell

It's easy to build a 10/11-man regular season rotation when you know the Mavs are going to run out 1 guard lineups almost exclusively, especially with no Kyrie.

G - Russell 24 | Exum/Williams split 24
W - Herb 28 | Klay 20
W - Flagg 28 | Naji 20
B/W - Davis 24 | PJ 24
B - Gafford 20 | Lively 20 | Davis 8

DNP-CD: Hardy, Omax, Powell
Injured: Kyrie


And that's with everyone (other than Kyrie) healthy, which we know will rarely be the case.



If I'm thinking playoffs, it's even easier.

Kyrie | Russell
Herb 
Flagg | Klay
PJW
AD | Lively

Any one or two of Naji, Exum, Williams, and Gafford can get sprinkled in depending on matchups.... but the top-8 is clear.

[KillerLeft]

https://x.com/mavsfilmroom/status/194084...32303?s=46&t=Fmdr94oXagcEyy75KJqaFg


This is Legler’s prediction.  Dallas, GSW and LAC fighting for 6, 7 & 8 in the west behind OKC, Denver, Houston, LAL and Minnesota.  I wouldn’t necessarily put LAL in the first 1-5 locks.  I see them more on par with the Dallas, GSW and LAC group.  Of course, injuries always ravage someone in the top tier.

Ditto on LAL for me. And, I have a sneaky suspicion we might see some slippage from Minnesota, as well. They lost NAW, and Naz Reid, who I already thought was a little overrated, got paid, so who knows what effect that will have on his day-to-day motor. Gobert gets less mobile and more dinosauresque with each passing second. Is Conley done yet? 

The only teams I'm pretty convinced can be written in at the top in ink are OKC, Denver and Houston.

[F Gump]

Like I've already said, Mavs aren't running two guard lineups this year. Let's run out the groundball here. 

Assuming the trade is Martin+Christie for Herb, since that's a legal trade and has been discussed already.

".. has been discussed already." -- Max has been barely mentioned in any swap ideas afaik. 

Yes, Martin+Christie for Herb clearly solves mins/role issue. Can we also move DP alongside?

Q: Is HJ (at MLE-ish) preferable to have over Max? I am still leery re his injury and shooting - imo each is a major issue - however Martin+Christie for Herb begins to make more sense imo. Overpay?

[Smitty]

".. has been discussed already." -- Max has been barely mentioned in any swap ideas afaik. 

Yes, Martin+Christie for Herb clearly solves mins/role issue. Can we also move DP alongside?

Q: Is HJ (at MLE-ish) preferable to have over Max? I am still leery re his injury and shooting - imo each is a major issue - however Martin+Christie for Herb begins to make more sense imo. Overpay?

Dan and I went back and forth on the Martin+Max idea yesterday or the day before. I was hesitant at first, but I'd pull the trigger because I think Herb is the best perimeter defender in the NBA, and that's what you need in the playoffs next to Kyrie in the backcourt.

[KillerLeft]

Dan and I went back and forth on the Martin+Max idea yesterday or the day before. I was hesitant at first, but I'd pull the trigger because I think Herb is the best perimeter defender in the NBA, and that's what you need in the playoffs next to Kyrie in the backcourt.

I think you're both right (and wrong).

FGump is far too harsh on evaluation of Jones in terms of what he does well, imo. You and I are aligned there. He's such an impactful on-ball defender that if he were somehow magically here, he'd be playing ahead of some of the names Gump is suggesting that he'd be behind. PJW, just as an example, is a different sort of forward than Jones, and I'm really high on PJ, but Jones is in a different class of player, so you'd change your rotation to suit Jones, not try to make Jones work in a world that already includes PJW's role being set. And Marshall isn't even worth thinking about, because Jones would take 100% of his job here before his flight into Dallas landed. 

But, you keep suggesting that doubling down on the roster imbalance is the way to go (unless I'm misunderstanding you). I don't WANT the plan to be Kyrie and a bunch of guys who can't handle the ball or shoot, so telling me that's the plan doesn't win this idea a lot of points from me. I definitely agree that Jones would solve the last remaining defensive hurdle - POA. But, the offense would get even worse, and isn't that the real enemy now?

[FireNicoHarrison]

Herbert is a super class role player... He is perfect along Luka, without him probably i prefer someone with better offensive skills over his defensive game.

[BoulderMFFL]

Nuggets hire Dudley.

And JJB.