MAVS NEWS:

[FireNicoHarrison]

I'm not really high on either guy for the likely contract and asset cost, but Mathurin could play the 3, and Coby is more of a 6th man type.

Yes i take Max over them.

[Smitty]

Does Max's jump this year make you less likely to make a move for another shooting guard at the deadline.   For example Mathurin or White?  Both are free agents, but I feel like Max has earned a starting spot.  White an Mathurin may be better but they probably want a big extension.   Max may want a big extension in a year.

Kinda goes back to the ole position labels doesn’t it. White is a PG and Mathurin is a SF. Kidding (kinda). But White plays 64% of his time at PG and 31% at SG. Mathurin plays 62% at SF and 30% at SG.

The point is, they both have the skills to fit in any lineup, depending on who’s around them. Both have proven to be capable scorers and both are good 3PT shooter with high volume.

What makes Mathurin a little more attractive is that he’s a RFA, which should/could keep his cost down this summer and the Mavs can match any offer. Whereas White is free to go anywhere, with any team as a UFA.

I think both would be good young players that should fit well with Cooper and Max.

[mvossman]

Kinda goes back to the ole position labels doesn’t it. White is a PG and Mathurin is a SF. Kidding (kinda). But White plays 64% of his time at PG and 31% at SG. Mathurin plays 62% at SF and 30% at SG.

The point is, they both have the skills to fit in any lineup, depending on who’s around them. Both have proven to be capable scorers and both are good 3PT shooter with high volume.

What makes Mathurin a little more attractive is that he’s a RFA, which should/could keep his cost down this summer and the Mavs can match any offer. Whereas White is free to go anywhere, with any team as a UFA.

I think both would be good young players that should fit well with Cooper and Max.

The match any offer thing kind of depends on our cap situation and Dumont appetite for tax bill.

[Smitty]

The match any offer thing kind of depends on our cap situation and Dumont appetite for tax bill.

Safe to say Gafford would be the outgoing in a Mathurin trade. So, $17.3 as a Year 1 salary for Mathurin is where you’d be starting from to keep everything as-is.

I think the Mavs would make more than just that trade between the deadline and this summer.

Bottom line, if the Mavs want to keep Mathurin, they can and will. White they have no control.

The question should be: Is Mathurin worth (and willing to take) a 4 yr $75M deal? That’s what it’d be if you use Year 1 Gafford money.

[Chicagojk]

Safe to say Gafford would be the outgoing in a Mathurin trade. So, $17.3 as a Year 1 salary for Mathurin is where you’d be starting from to keep everything as-is.

I think the Mavs would make more than just that trade between the deadline and this summer.

Bottom line, if the Mavs want to keep Mathurin, they can and will. White they have no control.

The question should be: Is Mathurin worth (and willing to take) a 4 yr $75M deal? That’s what it’d be if you use Year 1 Gafford money.

That would be a fascinating trade.  No idea how I would feel about it.  It really sounds like Indy is on the hunt for a center who is cost controlled.  Gafford is better than Missi.  missi is an interesting player who has been boxed in a bit in NO.  If they are intent on moving Mathurin, there aren’t a ton of cost controlled centers who fit Rick’s style available.  I did not believe mathurin for gafford trade was possible.  It sounds like it is something that may have been considered.  Mathurin’s contract complicates things.  Same with Indiana ok moving him.

He is talented.  I am just not sure if I would prefer him or a first/expiring.  It would be awesome to have those type of options.  I just didn’t believe Mathurin straight up was a real option.  We will see.

[Chicagojk]

Moving forward I am not going to root for wins. I will want to see development/improvement and also entertaining basketball. More importantly, I want to see good play by players with years left on their contracts. Either to be a part of the team in the future or for attractive assets in trades.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

The Adelson/Dumont family has more money then they know what to do with.  

No politics of any kind - KL

[mvossman]

Safe to say Gafford would be the outgoing in a Mathurin trade. So, $17.3 as a Year 1 salary for Mathurin is where you’d be starting from to keep everything as-is.

I think the Mavs would make more than just that trade between the deadline and this summer.

Bottom line, if the Mavs want to keep Mathurin, they can and will. White they have no control.

The question should be: Is Mathurin worth (and willing to take) a 4 yr $75M deal? That’s what it’d be if you use Year 1 Gafford money.

The problem is they potentially need to shed 27 mil, and Gafford is one of the better tools to do it.  They would have to trade AD or both Klay and Naji to get there.  I'm not sure what Mathurin will cost either.  One of the cap space teams could offer him more than that and put tax pressure on Mavs.

[Smitty]

The problem is they potentially need to shed 27 mil, and Gafford is one of the better tools to do it.  They would have to trade AD or both Klay and Naji to get there.  I'm not sure what Mathurin will cost either.  One of the cap space teams could offer him more than that and put tax pressure on Mavs.

I think making a Gafford for Mathurin trade this deadline will be a good indicator that Dumont is willing to pay up.

I think they’ll still want to reduce their tax bill, but probably don’t feel the need to avoid it all together.

Just my .02

I think if you keep Mathurin, using Naji to reduce payroll, while getting an asset, would be ideal in the summer. Mathurin is the natural Naji replacement in this hypothetical, and Naji’s salary can be traded for air to a team with the MLE. Shedding his $9.4M, saves 10’s of millions.

[F Gump]

I think making a Gafford for Mathurin trade this deadline will be a good indicator that Dumont is willing to pay up.

I think they’ll still want to reduce their tax bill, but probably don’t feel the need to avoid it all together.

Just my .02

I think if you keep Mathurin, using Naji to reduce payroll, while getting an asset, would be ideal in the summer. Mathurin is the natural Naji replacement in this hypothetical, and Naji’s salary can be traded for air to a team with the MLE. Shedding his $9.4M, saves 10’s of millions.

That's a plan unless/until Mathurin costs you the combined salary of Gafford + Naji (or more). 

To me, a salary-reduction plan has to include a way to jettison 2-3 of Martin, Hardy, and Russell.

[Smitty]

That's a plan unless/until Mathurin costs you the combined salary of Gafford + Naji (or more). 

For sure. That’s why I said “The question should be: Is Mathurin worth (and willing to take) a 4 yr $75M deal?”

I think the Mavs will have a good idea on what his agent is looking for before making any trade. At least that’s what a good front office would find out. Which means, they’d be comfortable with the Gafford/Mathurin trade. Otherwise, it simply wouldn’t be on the table from the Mavs perspective.

[F Gump]

On Gaff for Mathurin, as much as we like to talk about it, after looking at the details for everyone else, I don't think it works. The problem is that Indy's willingness to trade Mathurin is for the same reason that people here want to talk about trading Gaff - as an avenue to lower payroll next season.

I think he WILL get traded, but the Mavs don't have what Indy almost certainly wants - which is a C with a very low salary + expiring filler, or perhaps expiring plus a pick.

Indy does not pay tax. Next year the tax line will be about 201M. So far not counting Mathurin, they are already at 180M for 11 players, and they will also land a very high FRP (currently they sit at seed 3, where the salary would be 13.3M). That leaves no room for Mathurin or Gafford, not even close.

With those numbers, they won't really be able to match an offer for Mathurin as a RFA, so why bother?

It also makes perfect sense that Missi is being discussed, because he will make about 3.5M next year with salary control another year after that, and he's only 21.

[mvossman]

On Gaff for Mathurin, as much as we like to talk about it, after looking at the details for everyone else, I don't think it works. The problem is that Indy's willingness to trade Mathurin is for the same reason that people here want to talk about trading Gaff - as an avenue to lower payroll next season.

I think he WILL get traded, but the Mavs don't have what Indy almost certainly wants - which is a C with a very low salary + expiring filler, or perhaps expiring plus a pick.

Indy does not pay tax. Next year the tax line will be about 201M. So far not counting Mathurin, they are already at 180M for 11 players, and they will also land a very high FRP (currently they sit at seed 3, where the salary would be 13.3M). That leaves no room for Mathurin or Gafford, not even close.

With those numbers, they won't really be able to match an offer for Mathurin as a RFA, so why bother?

It also makes perfect sense that Missi is being discussed, because he will make about 3.5M next year with salary control another year after that, and he's only 21.

Just as well.  If we are not moving AD, I would rather send Gaff to Atlanta for CLE first (or the 27) and expiring.

[Smitty]

On Gaff for Mathurin, as much as we like to talk about it, after looking at the details for everyone else, I don't think it works. The problem is that Indy's willingness to trade Mathurin is for the same reason that people here want to talk about trading Gaff - as an avenue to lower payroll next season.

I think he WILL get traded, but the Mavs don't have what Indy almost certainly wants - which is a C with a very low salary + expiring filler, or perhaps expiring plus a pick.

Indy does not pay tax. Next year the tax line will be about 201M. So far not counting Mathurin, they are already at 180M for 11 players, and they will also land a very high FRP (currently they sit at seed 3, where the salary would be 13.3M). That leaves no room for Mathurin or Gafford, not even close.

With those numbers, they won't really be able to match an offer for Mathurin as a RFA, so why bother?

It also makes perfect sense that Missi is being discussed, because he will make about 3.5M next year with salary control another year after that, and he's only 21.

Thanks for doing the work on the Pacers side and sharing. It makes the reports of Indy’s interest in Gafford more confusing. On a personal note, I think Gafford would be an excellent fit there.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

wrong thread

[DanSchwartzgan]

Thanks for doing the work on the Pacers side and sharing. It makes the reports of Indy’s interest in Gafford more confusing. On a personal note, I think Gafford would be an excellent fit there.

Agreed and I'd also like to thank you for your work on the repeater tax and ways the Mav's might avoid it either this year or next.  It is nice to have these mind expanding concepts to add to our discussions.

I probably wouldn't have watched the Houston-Texas Tech game today without your heads up, so thanks for that too.  I'm not sure what to think about Flemings vs. Wilson.  The latter's athleticism and motor jump off the page.  But, Dirknows made a good point about his archetype not always succeeding in the NBA.  Conversely, Flemings was very effective today (obviously), but his size and athleticism didn't jump off the screen for me today.  He certainly found a way to crush it today against good competition.  It is probably good that I'm not an NBA scout.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

No politics of any kind - KL

In normal times I 100% agree. But these aren't normal times.

[KillerLeft]

In normal times I 100% agree. But these aren't normal times.

They are around here, my guy.

[meistermatze]

I honestly don’t understand why we haven’t made any trades yet.

- Naji just turned 28, and his value has never been higher. Why is he still here? He does not fit Flagg’s timeline, and his selfish style of play hurts Cooper on the court (by that I mean he never passes and is always looking for his own shot). He is very efficient and I like him overall as a player, but keeping Naji makes zero sense for the Mavs going forward.

- PJ looks horrible right now, because he is hobbled by injuries. He will come around and his high value should be well established. He is 27, why not flip him right now?

- Klay is on a heater. He would be a great shooter for any contender, and his value will likely never be higher than it is right now. He obviously does not fit the Flagg timeline. Why is he still here?

- Gafford looks like a shell of himself, so if you want to trade him, do it. Apparently there is still a market for him. I’m not saying they should trade him, but they need to make up their minds.

- B-Will is already 26, and his game relies almost entirely on speed and athleticism. He would be a great spark plug for any contender, but I don’t see the timeline with us. Why is he still here?

You could even make a case for trading Christie, because he is on a tear and his league-wide value should be huge. Due to his age and skill set, however, I would obviously prefer to keep him. But the bottom line is: why are we not doing anything?

I also don’t find the argument convincing that they want to see Flagg, AD, and Kyrie on the court together. For what? By the time that happens and they actually look like themselves again (especially Kyrie), this season will be over anyway.

[mvossman]

I honestly don’t understand why we haven’t made any trades yet.

Deadlines make deals.