You’re now the Mavs’ GM. What are you going to build?

[DallasMaverick]

Solid, but unspectacular for 10 years?
Or “bunch” assets into 2- or 3-year “windows”, and accept losing the rest of the time.

[ballsrchr]

The poll is lacking in options. My option is to build a very good team that is a fringe contender every year and then keep it that way with superior coaching, management, trading, and DRAFTING. There should always be 2 or 3 youngsters on the team who will step into the rotation after a few years. The "team" should be dynamically very good, not stagnantly very good. A dynamic contender will find a title every 5 years or so...

Yes, yes, I know that's hard to have. That's why these guys get the big bucks...

And why I root for the Mavs every year.

And live with frustration...

Every year.

[KillerLeft]

I choose option C.

I build a team within 2 years that's a title contender, and then I win the next 30 consecutive championships.

[loki]

Of the two choices I picked option #1. I got my fill of ups and downs in the Luka era. I'd rather see a consistently good team like the Mavs had with Dirk (50 wins in 11 straight seasons). That's why I'd prefer to pivot to a rebuild around CF.

[myconsumerclub]

I too pick option C with team now you have Cooper developing into a star soon and Irving and AD as the core but Klay and PJ plus a 2 headed center that is young but effective on both ends of the court solidifes this teams ability to win sooner than later assuming health is our friend.

Team Youth: As time goes by a need at PG with size greater than what we have now and someone that in the next few years can replace Irving is a key needed goal we will need to meet. SG could vacate if Klay retires sooner than Kyrie. Could Cooper give us minutes in the backcourt as others take hold at the 3 and 4? Existing young core in development: I undersized we have Nembhard and B Will is hardly any taller. Both show great IQ and ability to score. A defender to play PG is what we have with Exum and DLO is somewhat larger than our undersized pair. Naji and Hardy can both give us minutes at the 2 but lets face it we need above average starter quality to step in when Klay and Irving call it quits and you only have trades and picks to get it accomplished so guys we need you to dig and find us our next backcourt to pass and score. Our current lineup behind our starters is less impressive when viewed as starting potential. AD and his injured frame are also likely to end their career here. The MBT is less likely to trade off the guy they gave up Luka for.

With PJ Cooper and our center duo we have enough talent to play the front court but if Cooper can play the 2 we could potentially use Lively or Kai Jones at the PF and PJ at the 3 with Gafford at the starting 5 and still trot out a very big lineup.

Now PG can be the main target and so we can seek a player to cover that position and if that is the case who could we target to help out that might become be a free agent in 3 years? I know we called him fat so maybe he takes offense to that but couldn't Luka want to come back especially if that salary opens up say with Klay and Ky OR Klay and AD retiring.

He only signed a 3 year deal with LA.

looking at hoops hype and their new look and noticed guys getting listed on our roster everyone might think is a bit unusual so guys someone take a look https://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/teams...vericks/6/

Am I missing something?

[mvossman]

You need an option D for the two window approach. This coming season is for assessment. How good is Flagg going to be in the near term. Does Kyrie come back completely healthy. Can they make a nearly all frontcourt lineup work? If you think they are that one piece away from being a contender, you pull the trigger for a Jrue Holiday player (Jrue himself is too old to play this role anymore).

After that short two to three year window, you slowly build around Flagg for a second window. This process will be long and painful as there will be limited assets.

This is predicated on the assumption that Flagg turns into a top 10 NBA player. If that does not happen, then this franchise is screwed for the foreseeable future.

[Chicagojk]

You need an option D for the two window approach.  This coming season is for assessment.  How good is Flagg going to be in the near term.  Does Kyrie come back completely healthy.  Can they make a nearly all frontcourt lineup work?  If you think they are that one piece away from being a contender, you pull the trigger for a Jrue Holiday player (Jrue himself is too old to play this role anymore).

After that short two to three year window, you slowly build around Flagg for a second window.  This process will be long and painful as there will be limited assets.

This is predicated on the assumption that Flagg turns into a top 10 NBA player.  If that does not happen, then this franchise is screwed for the foreseeable future.

I agree with option D.   I want to use this year as a evaluation year.  No big trades, unless it is something you cant tun down until you know the answers you list.   The bold part is what scare me.    Who is the "they' in that?   I am worried about Nico wanting to prove he was right and mortaging the future to prove him right.  IMO, that went out the window when they won the lottery.   Sure, you want to win, but going for a win now move using our limited assets shouldn't be the plan imo.  If Luka makes the Lakers into a contender in short ammount of period, Nico has to wear that.  No need to make more mistakes trying to fix a big mistake.  Winning the lottery should have changed that process.  Did it though?

As far as limited assets go, I agree but also disagree.  After next year, they don't control their picks but they do have picks in three of those years.  They will probably just be late firsts.    While they don't have young studs besides potentially Lively, they do have a lot of good players on good, long term deals.    Who knows what that brings back in trades, but could be valuable in today's new cap environment.   

Also, I want our GM to be flexible.  I am fine seeing how AD and Kyrie fit the next few seasons.  Although, I want a GM who can take a real look at the roster and if it doesn't work to not be tied to "his" guys.  I don't think we have that now.

[mvossman]

I agree with option D.   I want to use this year as a evaluation year.  No big trades, unless it is something you cant tun down until you know the answers you list.   The bold part is what scare me.    Who is the "they' in that?   I am worried about Nico wanting to prove he was right and mortaging the future to prove him right.  IMO, that went out the window when they won the lottery.   Sure, you want to win, but going for a win now move using our limited assets shouldn't be the plan imo.  If Luka makes the Lakers into a contender in short ammount of period, Nico has to wear that.  No need to make more mistakes trying to fix a big mistake.  Winning the lottery should have changed that process.  Did it though?

As far as limited assets go, I agree but also disagree.  After next year, they don't control their picks but they do have picks in three of those years.  They will probably just be late firsts.    While they don't have young studs besides potentially Lively, they do have a lot of good players on good, long term deals.    Who knows what that brings back in trades, but could be valuable in today's new cap environment.   

Also, I want our GM to be flexible.  I am fine seeing how AD and Kyrie fit the next few seasons.  Although, I want a GM who can take a real look at the roster and if it doesn't work to not be tied to "his" guys.  I don't think we have that now.

I don't think there is any question Nico is going to mortgage the future soon.  My guess is that Flagg is the only reason he didn't already go all in for someone like KD.  You don't break up a finals team and trade for a guy on the wrong side of thirty to not go for it.  I hope Flagg is good enough to make this team one player away, but I think Nico is going to pull the trigger regardless.  

As for who that player is, when it looked like Boston might go full fire sale I think Derrick White would have made a lot of sense.  A POA defender who can shoot and provide some creation is exactly what this team needs.  I wish there was a list of all the current NBA players Nico has a relationship with because history says that will be the pool of guys he will be looking at.

When Nico does pull that trigger, he will likely be sending out the Laker 29 pick and probably the Mavs 31 as well.   That means when this first window is finished (in two or three years) their best players (except for Flagg) will likely be either negative contracts or UFAs and they won't control their own first until 32.  That is the definition of limited assets.

I agree with you that Nico is likely not the right candidate for flexibility.  His career will be defined on winning the Luka trade and he will likely do everything he can to win with AD.  Because of Flagg there is a small chance he can actually do it, but it will definitely cost the future to have any chance.

[loki]

I don't think there is any question Nico is going to mortgage the future soon.  My guess is that Flagg is the only reason he didn't already go all in for someone like KD.  You don't break up a finals team and trade for a guy on the wrong side of thirty to not go for it.  I hope Flagg is good enough to make this team one player away, but I think Nico is going to pull the trigger regardless.  

As for who that player is, when it looked like Boston might go full fire sale I think Derrick White would have made a lot of sense.  A POA defender who can shoot and provide some creation is exactly what this team needs.  I wish there was a list of all the current NBA players Nico has a relationship with because history says that will be the pool of guys he will be looking at.

When Nico does pull that trigger, he will likely be sending out the Laker 29 pick and probably the Mavs 31 as well.   That means when this first window is finished (in two or three years) their best players (except for Flagg) will likely be either negative contracts or UFAs and they won't control their own first until 32.  That is the definition of limited assets.

I agree with you that Nico is likely not the right candidate for flexibility.  His career will be defined on winning the Luka trade and he will likely do everything he can to win with AD.  Because of Flagg there is a small chance he can actually do it, but it will definitely cost the future to have any chance.

I think Nico wants to go all-in as well.  I'm hoping his hands will be tied by how expensive the roster could become if he did. It makes me pretty worried for PJ's future here.

[DallasMaverick]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4592...ba-dynasty

[DallasMaverick]

I think the current CBA encourages “bunching”. You’ve got to hit it just right, with at least a couple of significant contributors who outperform their contracts. Might be superstars on rookie deals. Might be solid veterans who had a couple of bad years, or maybe injuries that drove the price way down.

As soon as you win a championship, everyone believes they deserve championship pay, so it’s impossible to keep the team together.

A good GM has to be ruthless about not overpaying, regardless of how much a player may have contributed in the past, or how much the fans may love him.

I remember the Lakers awarding Kobe with his humongous final contract, even though the team was really bad, had no hope of competing, and Kobe’s skills had significantly declined. Sentimentality won.

[mvossman]

I think Nico wants to go all-in as well.  I'm hoping his hands will be tied by how expensive the roster could become if he did. It makes me pretty worried for PJ's future here.

My concern is that he can get around the expense issue by spending more future assets.  It could be a long crawl back after this window.

I'm not worried about PJ.  As Gump pointed out, given Nico history he probably would have already been traded if they had not come to some kind of agreement on an extension.  Also, Nico has a prior history with PJ (something I found out recently).  That makes it much more likely he stays on the team.

[RGP1981]

The Mavericks dun messed up already, again.

After being gifted the #1 pick (that was stolen from the Jazz):

• Priority #1 should have been to trade AD to the Thunder or Rockets for as many assets as y'all could have gotten out of them.
  
• Priority #2 should have been to trade Kyrie, Gafford and PJW, once again, trying to get as many assets as possible for them.
  

Now y'all are on the same path that the Mavs went on after drafting Luka... but worse, because even if y'all make a contending team, it will have to compete with stiffer competition than when y'all first got Luka (in OKC, Spurs, Hou, a returning Boston [after Tatum returns, and they'll be armed with another lottery pick to add to what they have])... and your team won't be as good as those.

[Jym]

The Mavericks dun messed up already, again.

After being gifted the #1 pick (that was stolen from the Jazz):

• Priority #1 should have been to trade AD to the Thunder or Rockets for as many assets as y'all could have gotten out of them.
  
• Priority #2 should have been to trade Kyrie, Gafford and PJW, once again, trying to get as many assets as possible for them.
  

Now y'all are on the same downward path that the Mavs were on after drafting Luka... but worse, because even when y'all make a contending team, it will have to compete with OKC, Spurs, Hou, a returning Boston (after Tatum returns, and armed with another lottery pick to add to what they have)... and your team won't be as good as those.

The reason you trade everyone and blow it up is to try to get a Flagg
we luckily skipped that step

[Dahlsim]

The Mavericks dun messed up already, again.

After being gifted the #1 pick (that was stolen from the Jazz):

• Priority #1 should have been to trade AD to the Thunder or Rockets for as many assets as y'all could have gotten out of them.
  
• Priority #2 should have been to trade Kyrie, Gafford and PJW, once again, trying to get as many assets as possible for them.
  

Now y'all are on the same path that the Mavs went on after drafting Luka... but worse, because even if y'all make a contending team, it will have to compete with stiffer competition than when y'all first got Luka (in OKC, Spurs, Hou, a returning Boston [after Tatum returns, and they'll be armed with another lottery pick to add to what they have])... and your team won't be as good as those.

You have some valid points but your timing is off. Its true the West has stacked teams with young bright futures so the competition would be fierce no matter what the Mavs did.  Trading for "assets" wouldn't have changed that at all. 

Mavs have high quality veterans in AD, Kyrie, Gafford and PJW but the team is coming off a injury plagued down season and they didn't have long term contracts besides AD.   

Now they get their vets under what should be tradeable contracts and hope to showcase those vets in a healthy year.  A strong year now will not only give Dallas a year or two to make a run but still leave those guys as  tradeable assets to restock picks and youth around Coop and Lively.  

[mvossman]

You have some valid points but your timing is off. Its true the West has stacked teams with young bright futures so the competition would be fierce no matter what the Mavs did.  Trading for "assets" wouldn't have changed that at all. 

Mavs have high quality veterans in AD, Kyrie, Gafford and PJW but the team is coming off a injury plagued down season and they didn't have long term contracts besides AD.   

Now they get their vets under what should be tradeable contracts and hope to showcase those vets in a healthy year.  A strong year now will not only give Dallas a year or two to make a run but still leave those guys as  tradeable assets to restock picks and youth around Coop and Lively.  

I guess there is a scenario where AD and Kyrie play well but the Mavs don't make the playoffs, Nico gets fired and they decide to rebuild around younger players.  I think the most likely scenario is they go hard at the first window and by the time they give up, their stars will have little to negative value.  After two seasons, AD will have a player option for 63 million in his age 34 season.  Kyrie will have a player option making 42 million in a season he will be turning 36.  Gafford will be on a 19 million expiring contract at age 30.  My guess is they go current window for three years and then go the cap space route before Flagg's first big contract hits.

[Chicagojk]

I guess there is a scenario where AD and Kyrie play well but the Mavs don't make the playoffs, Nico gets fired and they decide to rebuild around younger players.  I think the most likely scenario is they go hard at the first window and by the time they give up, their stars will have little to negative value.  After two seasons, AD will have a player option for 63 million in his age 34 season.  Kyrie will have a player option making 42 million in a season he will be turning 36.  Gafford will be on a 19 million expiring contract at age 30.  My guess is they go current window for three years and then go the cap space route before Flagg's first big contract hits.

That is the vision.  I think it is a sound plan, but they need to be able to switch plans if it isn't working out.    I also think it is important not to throw assets trying to fix previous mistakes.  I don't think many here think this team is a real contender now.  Nico supposedely does.   If this season goes like I expect, don't compound the Luka mistake by making another mistake.  Tough to dig yourself out.   Mavs were giving a lifeline.  Don't mess it up.

[mvossman]

That is the vision.  I think it is a sound plan, but they need to be able to switch plans if it isn't working out.    I also think it is important not to throw assets trying to fix previous mistakes.  I don't think many here think this team is a real contender now.  Nico supposedely does.   If this season goes like I expect, don't compound the Luka mistake by making another mistake.  Tough to dig yourself out.   Mavs were giving a lifeline.  Don't mess it up.

They may not have the opportunity to pivot.  If AD struggles with injuries again this year, will he have any trade value?  Will teams want to spend over 60 mil on a 33 year old player with injury issues who is not an elite creator?  That size of contract is hard to move regardless.  If Kyrie does not come back full strength, will he have any trade value?  A 34 year old struggling with a knee injury making over 40 million and a lot of red flags before his Dallas stint.  Thats the thing.  If those guys struggle it will be hard to move them, and if they don't then they won't want to move them.

[Chicagojk]

They may not have the opportunity to pivot.  If AD struggles with injuries again this year, will he have any trade value?  Will teams want to spend over 60 mil on a 33 year old player with injury issues who is not an elite creator?  That size of contract is hard to move regardless.  If Kyrie does not come back full strength, will he have any trade value?  A 34 year old struggling with a knee injury making over 40 million and a lot of red flags before his Dallas stint.  Thats the thing.  If those guys struggle it will be hard to move them, and if they don't then they won't want to move them.

Sure there are risks in every path you choose.  You could trade AD for 3-4 picks now but wind up with Omax type picks in two years.   

The injury concerns are real for AD, Kyrie and Lively.    I am not going to disagree with that.

[DallasMaverick]

Sure there are risks in every path you choose.  You could trade AD for 3-4 picks now but wind up with Omax type picks in two years.   

The injury concerns are real for AD, Kyrie and Lively.    I am not going to disagree with that.

For any combination of players, you can paint a very rosy outcome, or a very bleak one.

Reality is almost certainly somewhere in the middle. But that’s why they play the games!