Shams: Nico to be fired today!

[F Gump]

Their biggest asset is the 1st round pick in the upcoming draft. The goal should be to maximize that by biting the bullet and finishing the season with a bottom 3 record. After bringing im another young lottery player this whole franchise can look promosing again rather quickly thanks to Flagg already being here. If they play their cards right that could be our version of Tatum / Brown in Boston.

And then you can still turn one or both of Kyrie / AD into all kinds of draft picks / other young guys who will align with Flagg and the 2026 draftee.

That’s what? 70+ games of being terrible? I‘d certainly aim at that and then try to compete with Flagg, the 2026 draftee and hopefully some of the younger guys can stick around throughout the loooong period where they don’t controle their own draft pick..

This ^ is where I've landed as well, which is to "invest" this season into creating value for trades, growing ability in players, and making the 2026 FRP land high in the draft. I don't see anything at all that is more important than making those happen. That means lots of losses, and lots of complaints about lineups and paths not taken, from week to week, to travel that long road to the summer.

So it will take a FO leader with vision and who wears big boy pants to make those things happen, because there will be a massive number of voices with differing preferences who will holler loudly at every ugly thing along the way if/when their differing vision isn't followed. 

Do I think they can bite the bullet to do that? Or find the right GM who can? I really don't know.

[F Gump]

 when Kidd is asked about Exum he gives a no comment.  WTF?   

I strongly suspect he has no choice. HIPAA laws are very strong. The team/coach can only share to the public what they are give permission to share. (Violation carries possible penalty of a fine of up to $50,000, as well as imprisonment up to 1 year.)

[SleepingHero]

As always, the days in which I am most busy and completely unable to be on the computer, the biggest news of the season drops.

Thank the Lord.

[Jason Terry]

I'd just like to point out that Klutch client De'Aaron Fox is trade eligible on 2/4...the day before the trade deadline.

Is there a reason why he’d be available? He would for sure be the best option if we could swing it

[Scott41theMavs]

Long while since I posted...

If Dumont had an IQ above 75 he'd know that the chants from the next home game onward are going to change from "Fire Nico" to "Sell the team."

Hoping for Lindsay.

I guess I'm the only person here who believes that AD now has negative trade value. Never healthy + his elephantine contract.

[windjc]

Long while since I posted...

If Dumont had an IQ above 75 he'd know that the chants from the next home game onward are going to change from "Fire Nico" to "Sell the team."

Hoping for Lindsay.

I guess I'm the only person here who believes that AD now has negative trade value. Never healthy + his elephantine contract.

Blah. Blah. Blah.

[Jason Terry]

Long while since I posted...

If Dumont had an IQ above 75 he'd know that the chants from the next home game onward are going to change from "Fire Nico" to "Sell the team."

Hoping for Lindsay.

I guess I'm the only person here who believes that AD now has negative trade value. Never healthy + his elephantine contract.

Same Scott. Hope all is well with you and everyone else. 

Davis doesn’t have negative value yet, but he’s one regularly scheduled major injury away from having negative value. I think he’ll be gone by the deadline 

We really traded a player worth 8 FRP’s for a player worth 2 FRP’s. I don’t think everyone has accepted that yet

[FireNicoHarrison]

https://x.com/asd/status/1988415398090600457

It's pretty clear.

[khaled1987]

Ummmm….

https://x.com/mavsfilmroom/status/198839...02400?s=61

It always felt he had bias toward former NCAA players, or against those coming from Europe tbh

[omahen]

I'd just like to point out that Klutch client De'Aaron Fox is trade eligible on 2/4...the day before the trade deadline.

I don't think Fox for AD or even Fox trade at all is being on the table until at least the summer. While there is some positional overlap between Castle and Fox, I think SA will give them a long look before splitting it. Reasons why I don't think it happens:
- Davis is an ultimate win now move with all the risks related to his injuries. While he is probably close to perfect player next to Wemby, his weak shooting could be a problem (ideally Wemby would be the worst shooter on a team). Regardless, I think AD for Fox is not a huge upgrade for them. Perhaps this move would be considered in the summer, if Fox and Castle pairing proves to be a problem in the playoffs (I assume SA will make it). 
- Fox wanted to be in SA and everyone gave big effort to bring him there. I think it would throw a bad light on everyone involved.
- Fox and Kyrie is unlikely to work. They are both small and neither is a great defender. It would be very difficult to build a contender with them. Mavs would need to trade Kyrie for a bigger guard.

[michaeltex]

Kind of info-after-the-fact but...

Heard somewhere that there have actually been a few recent DAL home games that did not sell out. This after almost 25 years of continuous sellouts, basically since Cuban got the team.

So once ownership saw this happening basically at the start of the season, they needed a sacrifice to throw to the masses and Nico was the obvious choice. I'm sure Dumont's frustration in personally getting heat about the trade didn't help.

This is not a defense of Nico. Just thought it was an interesting coincidence that Dumont pulled the trigger on firing him just after there was measurable economic impact, however small.

[DanSchwartzgan]

While there is some positional overlap between Castle and Fox, I think SA will give them a long look before splitting it.  

Castle, Fox and Harper.

I think your Barnes/Johnson/Olynyk proposal is respectable depending on the picks, but it certainly has some problems.  It doesn't address the guard position at all.  In fact, Johnson adds to the crowd at the forward position.  It does save some money next year, but it doesn't create useful room.  It just puts us under the aprons.  

So, either the picks need to be superior in such a deal, or you need to get one of the SA guards in the deal.  

My post was in response to a post showing Klutch's potential influence on where things go from here and to draw attention to the Klutch connection with Fox.  Klutch got Fox his money.  The thing Klutch cares about next is getting AD his money.  It is hard to picture that ever happening here.  So, part of the calculus in any AD deal is figuring out if there is a financial fit beyond the next two years of AD's contract.  I think we all know he will have the healthiest year of his life right before it is time to get a new deal.

[omahen]

Castle, Fox and Harper.

I think your Barnes/Johnson/Olynyk proposal is respectable depending on the picks, but it certainly has some problems.  It doesn't address the guard position at all.  In fact, Johnson adds to the crowd at the forward position.  It does save some money next year, but it doesn't create useful room.  It just puts us under the aprons.  

So, either the picks need to be superior in such a deal, or you need to get one of the SA guards in the deal.  

My post was in response to a post showing Klutch's potential influence on where things go from here and to draw attention to the Klutch connection with Fox.  Klutch got Fox his money.  The thing Klutch cares about next is getting AD his money.  It is hard to picture that ever happening here.  So, part of the calculus in any AD deal is figuring out if there is a financial fit beyond the next two years of AD's contract.  I think we all know he will have the healthiest year of his life right before it is time to get a new deal.

You made good points, but I don't think SA will break their guard trio at TDL. Harper is not ready to win now in a starting role (bench role is best for him), but I also don't think they would consider moving him. On the other hand as I pointed out - Kyrie and Fox is not a good fit. 

I agree Klutch needs to take care of Davis being paid, but that doesn't mean they need to include their other client in the deal. Fox is where he wanted to be and it seems logical he would prefer to stay in SA and contend than being traded to Mavs. 

Agree that Mavs need a (point) guard back, but perhaps that trade could be expanded with another team. There would be movable contracts and picks involved. Also, Vassell would be a great guard option to build around with Flagg, if he would be included instead of Barnes or Johnson.

Depending on what you think about Ivey, Detroit could be even better trade partner. Although Davis and Duren might not be the best fit. Harris, Ivey and another salary gets it done.

How about Clippers? Collins, Bogi (both expiring) and DJJ is roughly the salary needed. No real PG, but their unprotected 2030 and 2032 picks they can offer could have big value. Clippers need to go all in or they will face a long rebuild with nothing to show.

[KillerLeft]

You made good points, but I don't think SA will break their guard trio at TDL. Harper is not ready to win now in a starting role (bench role is best for him), but I also don't think they would consider moving him. On the other hand as I pointed out - Kyrie and Fox is not a good fit. 

I think SA might break that trio up sooner than you think (could be wrong). The problem is that its far more likely to be Fox than Harper who's outgoing (Castle is officially untouchable for them, I'd assume), and from a Mavs POV I think that's kind of a pointless move. 

I'd be very interested in Harper, but it will probably be a while before they're ready to move him, if ever, and I don't know that Davis is a fit there in the first place. 

I don't think SA is the right partner.

[omahen]

I think SA might break that trio up sooner than you think (could be wrong). The problem is that its far more likely to be Fox than Harper who's outgoing (Castle is officially untouchable for them, I'd assume), and from a Mavs POV I think that's kind of a pointless move. 

I'd be very interested in Harper, but it will probably be a while before they're ready to move him, if ever, and I don't know that Davis is a fit there in the first place. 

I don't think SA is the right partner.

Davis and Wemby are near perfect pairing defensively, imho. I have a bit more questions on offense, where I am not sure if a better shooter would be perfect for Wemby or would it suit him better to play more behind the arc while Davis would be posting up. 

Why I think Fox is out of the table. If a team makes a move for someone like Davis, they want to compete immediately. They can't afford to wait a couple of years for Castle and Harper to "grow up". Fox should be much safer play-off PG option.

[KillerLeft]

Davis and Wemby are near perfect pairing defensively, imho. I have a bit more questions on offense, where I am not sure if a better shooter would be perfect for Wemby or would it suit him better to play more behind the arc while Davis would be posting up. 

Why I think Fox is out of the table. If a team makes a move for someone like Davis, they want to compete immediately. They can't afford to wait a couple of years for Castle and Harper to "grow up". Fox should be much safer play-off PG option.

Great point with the emboldened, and I agree that AD/Wembenyama fit well on defense. But frankly, I think either of them is a pretty great fit with anyone else on defense. 

On offense, I think Wembenyama would help AD quite a bit, but I'm not sure Davis wouldn't just get into Wembenyama's way. If I were a SA fan, I don't think I'd love it...but if you and Dan think there's something there, maybe some SA decision makers do, too.

[omahen]

I'm not sure Davis wouldn't just get into Wembenyama's way. 

I am also affraid of this. He would definitely clog the paint to a certain extent. But perhaps coaches don't see it as a big obstacle. He did win a title as a Robin afterall. He is definitely a huge upgrade over Barnes for them. I think with SA is just a question how much they want to rush it. That team didn't go to playoffs yet and they don't really know what they have. Perhaps best way for them would be to go the Houston way. Let them make it to playoffs as they are and see what they got. From there on they make changes. Perhaps they just need an upgrade over Barnes? Perhaps they need to break Castle/Harper/Fox? Perhaps they need more shooting?

[HoosierDaddyKid]

The spacing wouldn't be very good with both of them on the floor together. I'm skeptical on that.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Depending on what you think about Ivey, Detroit could be even better trade partner. Although Davis and Duren might not be the best fit. Harris, Ivey and another salary gets it done.

I'd do Harris, Ivey and Holland with some unprotected firsts.  We also send back Caleb Martin and Hardy using trade exceptions

[F Gump]

We also send back Caleb Martin and Hardy using trade exceptions

Things like aprons, desire to keep from paying tax, and lack of such exceptions would likely be in the way of such wishes.