MAVS NEWS:

[KillerLeft]

Mavs Film Room (@MavsFilmRoom)
In an interview with D Magazine, Tim MacMahon says that in conversations with Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, they don’t feel “panic” to completely reshape the roster this summer.

They are taking a long term approach to building a championship contender around Cooper Flagg.

Clearly. Every single move they've made has indicated a long term view of the situation, NOT an attempt to be as good as possible this season. I feel it's objectively the "right" way to approach the job, too, it's just that I worry about the collective morale of this place when the other half of the board figures out what this all means.

[DallasMaverick]

Clearly. Every single move they've made has indicated a long term view of the situation, NOT an attempt to be as good as possible this season. I feel it's objectively the "right" way to approach the job, too, it's just that I worry about the collective morale of this place when the other half of the board figures out what this all means.

Seems like most people tend towards either:

1. Tear it down, trade vets for picks and young players, or

2. Push all the chips into the middle and win now.

Isn’t it okay to just be “good” for awhile?

[KillerLeft]

Seems like most people tend towards either:

1. Tear it down, trade vets for picks and young players, or

2. Push all the chips into the middle and win now.

Isn’t it okay to just be “good” for awhile?

I can't speak for "most people" but neither of your two options are where I am with it. I would say I'm equally far away from both. 

It would be great to just be "good," but I don't think that's a matter of choice. I think being "just good" is probably the likely result of your number 2. This is just my opinion, of course. I DO think "good" is a possibility if some player acquisitions break just right, but the way the roster is right now, with no further moves, I can't see it. 

I think they'll make some moves though. I'm just pointing out that every move they have made has been about the future, and rightfully so, imo.

[Winter]

Mavs Film Room (@MavsFilmRoom)
In an interview with D Magazine, Tim MacMahon says that in conversations with Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, they don’t feel “panic” to completely reshape the roster this summer.

They are taking a long term approach to building a championship contender around Cooper Flagg.

I think a lot of this is pretty generic "interview talk." They aren't going to say we feel some urgency to make some deals quick.

It's smart to not to advertise Gafford to the media. There's no need to hurry. I do think they trade him before the season starts (or maybe PJ), and I do think they add a guard (or a backup guard), but I'm not sure we need to fill a position with just any player.

It feels to me they are building a culture as much as they are building a team. This is the time to start that. Maybe they are being judicious about their choices for a reason.

[KillerLeft]

It feels to me they are building a culture as much as they are building a team. This is the time to start that. Maybe they are being judicious about their choices for a reason.

Absolutely agreed. I still have no idea if I'm going to like the Ujiri/Schmitz/May vision for how the team plays on the court (not enough roster moves to fully predict it yet, imo), but EVERY move they have made tells me a few things, definitely:

1) they have a plan for what they're looking to do

2) they don't care what anyone thinks about it

3) they're not focused AT ALL on the here and now, but rather on doing what they believe is the right thing to build around Flagg

I'm on board with all of that.

[Scott41theMavs]

I can’t believe that “Don’t have a point guard so that Sergio has to (very probably) sink or (ghost of a chance) swim in year one” is their ‘26-‘27 plan. There are very few obvious options in trade or free agency to fix our point guard or guard-in-general problems, and most of those are earmarked for some other outcome already or inadequate. I suspect the solution is going to be something way out of the box that no one has thought of.

I would imagine that, as Masai comes to realize how garbage our tradable assets are, the more he spends his day shaking his head and muttering “Eff that Nico Harrison.”

[KillerLeft]

I can’t believe that “Don’t have a point guard so that Sergio has to (very probably) sink or (ghost of a chance) swim in year one” is their ‘26-‘27 plan.

Yeah, I don't think that's the plan, either. Even if they're really depending on Kyrie just to slide all the way back into a high-minute role immediately, I'll be shocked if there's not an experienced PG with him, at least coming off the bench in the first quarter. I'm thrilled that De Larrea is coming and will be on the roster right away. Hopefully he gets on the court quite a bit, but I doubt he'll be higher than 4th or 5th guard on the roster.

[Smitty]

Christian Clark (@christianpclark)
Dereck Lively II hung out with about 100 Mavs campers today. He says he’s walking and lifting weights but hasn’t progressed to running yet.

[Scott41theMavs]

Christian Clark (@christianpclark)
Dereck Lively II hung out with about 100 Mavs campers today. He says he’s walking and lifting weights but hasn’t progressed to running yet.

FOR THE LOVE OF PETE GET A MEDICAL STAFF

[KillerLeft]

Christian Clark (@christianpclark)
Dereck Lively II hung out with about 100 Mavs campers today. He says he’s walking and lifting weights but hasn’t progressed to running yet.

I'm glad he's taking things slowly this time around. Hopefully, that increases the chances of getting this injury behind him, but who knows? I certainly wouldn't rush things to get on the court right away (although I'm sure he's wanting to get back soon, given his approaching contractual questions - I bet he's pretty stressed about it all, frankly). 

Part of me is always going to wonder what impact Harrison's awful medical staff had on this situation.

[KillerLeft]

FOR THE LOVE OF PETE GET A MEDICAL STAFF

Do we know they haven't? I'm curious about this, too.

[dirkfansince1998]

One of the main things about guard play is going to be whatever May comes up with. Luka left and Kidd basically didn't change the scheme. Iso or pick and roll and get out of the way. Just with Nembhard and Williams instead of one of the best heliocentric engines in the history of the league.
If the Mavs put de Larrea in a situation where he has to iso against NBA level defenders he is going to struggle. If they create situations that allow him to attack slower defenders in the pick and roll or feature him in handoff/cut actions he could be a quality rotation player.

[Scott41theMavs]

Do we know they haven't? I'm curious about this, too.

Given the profound seriousness of the problem, I would have thought they’d trumpet it from the rooftops when they solved that issue. And that they will presuming they haven’t yet.

[KillerLeft]

Given the profound seriousness of the problem, I would have thought they’d trumpet it from the rooftops when they solved that issue. And that they will presuming they haven’t yet.

You'd think so, but maybe it's not common practice to make such a big deal about the medical staff like we have in the past here in Dallas? I don't know, just asking. 

One thing I do have an opinion about: Dallas journalists aren't great about pressing the issue when it comes to stuff the fans are pissed about the way NY/Philly/LA reporters are. I'm pretty amazed Ujiri hasn't had to field specific questions about this.

[Chicagojk]

Mavs training staff screwed him so bad.  I really hope he can get back in the court and put the injuries behind him.

https://x.com/christianpclark/status/207...35566?s=46

https://x.com/RonKnowsSports/status/2070...deo/1?s=46

[cow]

Do we know they haven't? I'm curious about this, too.

The medical staff:

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Clearly. Every single move they've made has indicated a long term view of the situation, NOT an attempt to be as good as possible this season. I feel it's objectively the "right" way to approach the job, too, it's just that I worry about the collective morale of this place when the other half of the board figures out what this all means.

Yep, that's me.  lol

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Christian Clark (@christianpclark)
Dereck Lively II hung out with about 100 Mavs campers today. He says he’s walking and lifting weights but hasn’t progressed to running yet.

YIKES

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pKbucQIYzUQ

The draft pick is making more sense.

Also makes it less likely they just dump Gafford for nothing. Does management have the stomach to roll into the season with Morez Johnson (who says he's a 4) and Mousa Cisse as your two centers?

[hakeemfaan]

Let Lively put 10 good games at some point and trade him immediately before he gets hurt again.

I have zero confidence in him to ever stay consistently healthy

[cow]

Let Lively put 10 good games at some point and trade him immediately before he gets hurt again. 

I have zero confidence in him to ever stay consistently healthy

At this point, his value is going to be close to nothing.  Coming off an injury, needing a new contract, playing in 98 of a possible 246 games, trending in the wrong direction (each season playing fewer games than the last), you'd be lucky to get some to take a flier on him that would net you a few SRPs.  At this point, we might as well hang onto him to avoid a Tyson Chandler situation.  They type of contract he'll get will be fascinating to watch.