Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Mavs2021]

That was a translation of what was actually said.  $2mm Euros is about $2.3mm dollars.  

The good news would be that Dallas is apparently still trying to add to their roster.  The idea of the player being interested, but no agreement yet on price would lean you in the direction of a FA instead of a trade.  If Simons was on their radar, why not Mathurin?  Who else makes sense.  So, split the MLE between Biberovic and this other player?

Guess the assumption would be that the other MLE candidates are worth more than the difference between MLE and BAE, so basically a 10M+ player.

[Jmaciscool]

That was a translation of what was actually said.  $2mm Euros is about $2.3mm dollars.  

The good news would be that Dallas is apparently still trying to add to their roster.  The idea of the player being interested, but no agreement yet on price would lean you in the direction of a FA instead of a trade.  If Simons was on their radar, why not Mathurin?  Who else makes sense.  So, split the MLE between Biberovic and this other player?

Dwight Powell?

Or on the crazy slim chance it's not Dwight, then would a partial MLE be enough to convince the Clippers not to match? Seems like they would just match that, but I'm probably missing something.

[KillerLeft]

That was a translation of what was actually said.  $2mm Euros is about $2.3mm dollars.  

The good news would be that Dallas is apparently still trying to add to their roster.  The idea of the player being interested, but no agreement yet on price would lean you in the direction of a FA instead of a trade.  If Simons was on their radar, why not Mathurin?  Who else makes sense.  So, split the MLE between Biberovic and this other player?

I get why folks might not be excited about Mathurin, but there’s plenty of reasons it makes some sense. What he can do, but hasn’t yet been given the free reign to run with on a significant level, is something sorely needed on this roster, and the other roster moves seem to have been an attempt to create space for that skill set.

I also think DeRozan is a fit, all of a sudden, but I’d personally rather go with Mathurin if those are the choices. I like the 25 and under kick they’re on.

[KillerLeft]

Dwight Powell?

Or on the crazy slim chance it's not Dwight, then would a partial MLE be enough to convince the Clippers not to match? Seems like they would just match that, but I'm probably missing something.

I think the suggestion is that LAC would get Gafford out of it.

[Scott41theMavs]

Oof… am I the only one smelling a Wes Matthews-type debacle here?

[KillerLeft]

Oof… am I the only one smelling a Wes Matthews-type debacle here?

Yes. No. 

Err…whaddya mean?

[DanSchwartzgan]

It does make sense. Mavs still have the BAE and MLE. If they target a player with the full MLE, this suddenly becomes a lot less enticing for Biberovic. Subtract the buyout the BAE for him is a 10/2 deal. Probably not that far above his net salary in Turkey, where he can win the EuroLeague, be a superstar and gets guaranteed playing time. 

If Klay stays and we assume the extra MLE player will be a guard, then the minutes at his positions SG/SF will be hard to come by between Flagg, Marshall, Christie, Thompson, MLE Guard and Biberovic . As usual a higher salary means more incentive for the team to give you minutes. I´m Biberovic, I´d also hesitate until I know who the MLE player is and whether Klay stays or not.

Biberovic plus a MLE player gets you to 16 guaranteed contracts if I'm not mistaken.  So, if we continue down this rabbit trail, maybe that means Klay gets bought out.  Tarik at the BAE and someone else getting the full MLE puts them into the tax unless Klay gives a discount in his buyout (or the MLE player comes in slightly under the full amount).  Something in the area of a $2.0mm discount would do the trick.

It feels like Dallas is trying to do its work without needing the kindness of strangers.  If LAC matches (if indeed this is Mathurin), then just keep Klay.  If Biberovic wants part of the MLE, then Dallas would have to send out salary to get both and would then depend on negotiatiing with both the player and the other team.

[Mavs2021]

Well let´s look at the available FA options according to Spotrac

Harden
LeBron
Mathurin RFA
Watson RFA
Westbrook
B. Williams
Kuminga
Hachimura
Middleton
Clarkson
Trent Jr.
B. Brown
J. Howard
Sochan

Positionally only LeBron, Watson and Mathurin make sense for $10M. Kuminga and Hachimura fit, if they move Washington or Marshall for a guard. `

I assume if you are willing to move Washington and Gafford/Marshall you might be able to land Tyler Herro in a three way trade, where the Bucks get young player/draft compensation from the 3rd team. Then sign Kuminga or Hachimura for the MLE. Is Herro + Kuminga/Hachimura > Washington + Gafford/Marshall?

[DanSchwartzgan]

Dwight Powell?

Or on the crazy slim chance it's not Dwight, then would a partial MLE be enough to convince the Clippers not to match? Seems like they would just match that, but I'm probably missing something.

With the wording used, I think it is about a negotiation with a free agent on another team.  We have rights to Powell.

The $2mm off figure would seem to indicate that either the BAE at $5.8mm is lower than they want (so, they want closer to $8.0mm), or the the portion of the MLE they were proposing for Tarik after the other player is signed is too low.  

I wouldn't read too much into the word 'star' in the context used.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

"Dallas wants to add a star player to their roster. After acquiring that player, they want to give their entire budget to Tarik Biberovic. "

Got a little excited when I read star player.

I'd be ok with Gafford for Mathurin just because we need guards. I think they are similar level players. Guys that are ideally good backups but can start.

[DanSchwartzgan]

"Dallas wants to add a star player to their roster. After acquiring that player, they want to give their entire budget to Tarik Biberovic. "

Got a little excited when I read star player.

I'd be ok with Gafford for Mathurin just because we need guards.  I think they are similar level players.  Guys that are ideally good backups but can start.

I guess arguably, we could be talking about trading for the star and the rest of the budget meaning whatever is left under the tax line.  So, if we took back $8mm in salary more than we sent out, then we'd have about $11mm under the tax.  That opens up more possibilities...as adding a star isn't the same as signing a star.

[KillerLeft]

I guess arguably, we could be talking about trading for the star and the rest of the budget meaning whatever is left under the tax line.  So, if we took back $8mm in salary more than we sent out, then we'd have about $11mm under the tax.  That opens up more possibilities...as adding a start isn't the same as signing a star.

If we’re talking about Mathurin, even a trade for him would have to be kicked off by he and Dallas agreeing to terms on a contract, yeah?

[DanSchwartzgan]

If we’re talking about Mathurin, even a trade for him would have to be kicked off by he and Dallas agreeing to terms on a contract, yeah?

The wording on RTG's post is a little different than what Google did for me.  Yes, if this is about Mathurin, it starts with agreeing to terms with him.  What I'm saying here though is different than what I said before.  You could interpret what RTG wrote to mean we are trading for someone else (not necessarily a FA) and then will give the rest of the budget to TB.   

My mind went to someone like Jrue or some other bigger dollar player with the trade match spread eating up some of our space under the tax.  Maybe when they say they are still negotiating with the player, it means they are still negotiating with TB.  It doesn't seem as likely as the other way where we are negotiating with a FA, but I'm no expert on translating Turkish.

[Scott41theMavs]

Yes. No. 

Err…whaddya mean?

Come on, man. Really? “We gotta take care of De’Andre first, but we’ll give you whatever’s left.” “Well, De’Andre screwed us, but we’ll magnanimously pay you over double your value because we’re good on our word.” Leading to yeeeeeeeears of Mav fan facepalms.

[Chicagojk]

Who knows if these reports are accurate. I do think Dallas had some level of communication and back and forth with Tarik before the Santi trade happened.

It is probably not an MLE candidate they are waiting on. It very could be whether they find a spot in a 2-1 trade with their current roster. It probably doesn't makes sense to bring him over if Marshall/Klay and others are on the roster at the end of the summer.

[KillerLeft]

Come on, man. Really? “We gotta take care of De’Andre first, but we’ll give you whatever’s left.” “Well, De’Andre screwed us, but we’ll magnanimously pay you over double your value because we’re good on our word.” Leading to yeeeeeeeears of Mav fan facepalms.

ohhhhh, I see what you mean. 

I don't really worry about that here, no. That was cap space, and a significant portion of it, if memory serves. This is the MLE (maybe).

[mvossman]

Come on, man. Really? “We gotta take care of De’Andre first, but we’ll give you whatever’s left.” “Well, De’Andre screwed us, but we’ll magnanimously pay you over double your value because we’re good on our word.” Leading to yeeeeeeeears of Mav fan facepalms.

Yeah, that was a total shit show.  I'm not worried something like that is happening with Masai.  I'm skeptical of these rumors anyways given that most (all?) rumors have been false to this point, don't know who this source is and its subject to translation issues.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Who knows if these reports are accurate.  I do think Dallas had some level of communication and back and forth with Tarik before the Santi trade happened. 

It is probably not an MLE candidate they are waiting on.  It very could be whether they find a spot in a 2-1 trade with their current roster.    It probably doesn't makes sense to bring him over if Marshall/Klay and others are on the roster at the end of the summer.

So, here is an example:

We are $19.4mm under the tax line currently.  If we were to trade Gafford and Martin for Jordan Poole, it would eat up $6.8mm of our space under the tax.  Tarik would need to take $13mm instead of the $15mm MLE to keep Dallas under the tax...thus possibly the $2mm his people are talking about as being less than what he wants.  Basically, Dallas is prioritizing the deal for Poole and then Tarik gets whatever is left under the tax.

I know, even $13mm seems way more than we were thinking.  Just showing math at this point (though Gafford/Martin for Poole's expiring deal and positional need isn't a bad thought).

[mvossman]

So, here is an example:

We are $19.4mm under the tax line currently.  If we were to trade Gafford and Martin for Jordan Poole, it would eat up $6.8mm of our space under the tax.  Tarik would need to take $13mm instead of the $15mm MLE to keep Dallas under the tax...thus possibly the $2mm his people are talking about as being less than what he wants.  Basically, Dallas is prioritizing the deal for Poole and then Tarik gets whatever is left under the tax.

I know, even $13mm seems way more than we were thinking.  Just showing math at this point (though Gafford/Martin for Poole's expiring deal and positional need isn't a bad thought).

I know you are just coming up with examples to explain a point and there is some value to getting off Martin contract, but to me it would not be worth Gafford and suffering through a year of Poole.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I know you are just coming up with examples to explain a point and there is some value to getting off Martin contract, but to me it would not be worth Gafford and suffering through a year of Poole.

It probably would have been smarter to do Dejounte Murray instead.  The math actually works a little better.