2021 FREE AGENCY: Markkanen wants out of CHI | DAL "definitely interested"

[Scott41theMavs]

It's awfully late, but I decided to go ahead and do my free agency list of preferred Mavs targets based on the Hoopshype list.

I'm presuming that THJ is either SnT'ed or let go, and that JRich and Maxi are traded for picks or salary relief. I think it's preferable that KP is traded for room or at least a usable player or two, but perhaps the Mavs keep him for a bit in hopes of raising his trade value while praying frantic Hail Mary's that he miraculously doesn't get injured in the meantime. I am 100% ***out*** on the idea of keeping him for the long term; i.e. past the '22 TDL.  I am thus presuming that the Mavs need to fill three starting positions. This also presumes that all TO's and PO's are declined, which certainly won't be the case.

The pipe dreams:
Kawhi
Chris Paul

If Kawhi opts out, of course you sign him if he wants to come here. Given his frequent disgruntlement, he's unlikely to sign a deal that locks him in longer than two years. He would likely be waiting out LBJ's retirement so he could go back home and sign with the Lakers. If he can stay healthy, go get your '22 ring. Q: Who do you get to fill out the lineup if you shoot your whole wad on him? A: Any ring-chasers you want. Any ring-chasers you want. Paul is tougher. You can't win with him unless you have another star, and you don't want to sign him for more than two years. I'd have to think long and hard about that one. I don't think he opts out for what the Mavs would be willing to pay him, so he's likely an even bigger pipe dream than Kawhi, tbqh.

The big fish (would take up huge amounts of cap space):
Collins
Lonzo Ball
Jarrett Allen
Richaun Holmes
Norman Powell
Mike Conley
Fournier
Derozan
Lowry

The top three would be pretty expensive, but all worth it, imho. Powell would likely cost THJ money. I am banking on him to be able to create his own shot a bit better than Timmy and play a tad more defense. Doubt Conley leaves the Jazz, and he's older than the hills, but he certainly helps us if he's healthy. Doubt Fournier leaves the Celtics, but you never know. Derozan essentially means you couldn't get any of the rest of these, which imho means the Nico/Kidd experiment has already failed, but I'll take him if all else fails. Lowry is a distant fallback. He's really slipping, and that's not surprising because he's really old. It would be dumb to sign him for more than THJ money, and you may not be able to get him for that. 

Supplementary targets:
Reggie Jackson
Cameron Payne
OPJ
Bobby Portis
Duncan Robinson
Trent Jr.
THT
Dragic
Lauri

My clear favorite who might be obtainable here is Reggie, especially if your big fish get is Collins or Allen. I don't have THT so low here because the others are better so much as that he's likely to be more expensive than is worth it (cf. the Eastern conference exec quote).

Finishing targets (get two or more of these for MLE-like money down to vet min)
TJ McConnell
Olynyk
Theis
McDermott
Danny Green 
Batum
Mitchell Robinson
Caruso
Millsap
Noel (remember who isn't here anymore...)
Patty Mills
Cody Zeller
Snell
Korkmaz
JaMychal Green
Devonte Graham
Josh Hart
Bobi (know we're bringing him back as #15...)
PJ Tucker (would ***love*** him on a bargain contract)
Biyombo
McGee
Bjelica
Jabari Parker
Serge Ibaka
DJJ
Looney
Dunn 
Hartenstein
Ntilikina

[cow]

Nice list.  I still would consider Howard on a 2YR deal.

If the Suns chip, I don't think CP3 is a pipe dream at all.  You just need to hand him an expensive 3YR deal.

[Scott41theMavs]

Notice that Dinwiddie was not on my list.

[Halfnir]

17-20M seems realistic.  Knicks have money, right?  Schroder seems like the type of dude that you love from afar but hate once he is in your locker room.

He rejected 84M 4year, that was a starting salary in the upper end of your range. Highly risky, but i think he (or his agent) thinks he can squeeze the Lakers for a bit more due to their cap situation not allowing a real replacement. In the open market, it think his fair range is more around 15M/year ....

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2938...sion-offer

[Kammrath]

my free agency list

No Richaun Holmes?!

[Scott41theMavs]

No Richaun Holmes?!

LOL it was late. I will edit.

[mvossman]

In theory, you can always use another good player.

But finding a way to get him, without the cap room that comes from jettisoning THJ, would be an issue. After that, what you really have is two players with basically the same role and strengths/weaknesses - a wing who is a good scorer/shooter (but not a creator of offense) with defensive weakness. Between the stretch to find a way to get him (which will cause a bleed of talent somewhere else) and the huge amount of money being spent between the two to have a couple of shooters who don't create much, I think it would end up being a very inefficient use of already-scarce resources.

I think Norman Powell is a significantly better defender than THJ.  He would be our primary point of attack defender.  He is not elite or anything, but he is better than average, where THJ is below average.  I have concerns with THJ in the starting lineup due his defensive limitations.  I have no such reservations regarding Powell.

That being said, I agree it would not make sense to get both.  Given the old regimes relationship with THJ, I did not think Powell was an option.  Now it is possible, and I would be willing to spend a good 5 or 6 mil more for him (vs THJ) due to his better fit as a starter.

[dirkfansince1998]

I think Norman Powell is a significantly better defender than THJ. 

Why? Negative DBPM in the last three seasons. Negative defensive on/off every single year except for the the last few month after the Blazers trade. Maybe Powell is marginally better but overall he has been one of the weaker defenders on a really good defensive team for most of his career. Certainly not the point of attack defender. That has been Anunoby´s, Van Vleet´s and Siakam´s role on the Raptors. Covington´s role on the Blazers.
I think both are similar players on both ends. Volume scoring/shooting on above average efficiency without any playmaking for others. Powell has a slight advantage when it comes to scoring efficiency (TS,FTAr,shooting splits) but THJs lower turnover makes up for it.

[mvossman]

Why? Negative DBPM in the last three seasons. Negative defensive on/off every single year except for the the last few month after the Blazers trade. Maybe Powell is marginally better but overall he has been one of the weaker defenders on a really good defensive team for most of his career. Certainly not the point of attack defender. That has been Anunoby´s, Van Vleet´s and Siakam´s role on the Raptors. Covington´s role on the Blazers.
I think both are similar players on both ends. Volume scoring/shooting on above average efficiency without any playmaking for others. Powell has a slight advantage when it comes to scoring efficiency (TS,FTAr,shooting splits) but THJs lower turnover makes up for it.

I'm not a fan of box score stats for defense.  His DRPM has been positive the last couple of years (where THJ has been bad).  It would make sense that his on/off would struggle on the Raptors as those are elite defenders he is compared to.  

Covington takes on the point guard?  Given Dame and CJ size, that would have Powell guarding power forwards.

I should probably clarify my position.  I have little interest in running it back with simply an upgrade on THJ to Powell.  Powell interests me in the scenario where KP is traded for offensive creator.  In most of those scenarios that individual is not a great defender (CJ, Hayward, DeRozan).  We would have mid to upper 30's in cap space to fill out two starters.  One has to be a center and the other ideally is a 3&D wing.  If we assume 15-20 for the center (Holmes, trade for Adams or Nurkic) then we have roughly 20 left for that 3&D wing.  Ball would be the ideal fit, but a good chance we can't get him.  My second choice would probably be Powell.  I like him better than THJ or Fournier as I think he is more suited to taking on quick guards.

[MrGoat]

Are we really going to do this again?

https://www.theringer.com/2021/7/1/22558...aul-george

"The Mavericks and Heat plan to make a hard push to acquire Leonard, league sources say. The Knicks will also pursue any superstar that becomes available, and a long list of other suitors would at least make an attempt if he hits the market. Who wouldn’t want a 30-year-old two-time Finals MVP still performing at an All-NBA level?

Dallas is considered by some executives to be the most serious threat to land Kawhi because of Luka Doncic’s presence and the front office’s ability to create maximum cap space or work out a sign-and-trade. During Leonard’s years with Nike, he also developed a good relationship with Nico Harrison, the Mavs’ new general manager and a former longtime executive at the company."

[SleepingHero]

Yes. The Mavs are.

The offseason moves we made signal as much. For better or worse this is how Cuban thinks this is the quickest way to create a team...

[KillerLeft]

Yes. The Mavs are.

The offseason moves we made signal as much. For better or worse this is how Cuban thinks this is the quickest way to create a team...

Totally. 

Those who've hated this approach should remind themselves to look at the bright side: in theory, Harrison represents a significant jump in the chances of it being successful.

[ClutchDirk]

https://twitter.com/fishsports/status/14...90433?s=20

[ClutchDirk]

https://media.giphy.com/media/ftdUGIeXOl.../giphy.gif

[Hypermav]

Do the Heat have to be linked to everything?  All your players are belong to us.

[bin610]

I hope Kawhi likes cartoons.

[Hypermav]

https://twitter.com/fishsports/status/14...90433?s=20

Preparing for the biggest Fish story ever.

[SleepingHero]

Dallas is considered by some executives to be the most serious threat to land Kawhi because of Luka Doncic’s presence and the front office’s ability to create maximum cap space or work out a sign-and-trade. During Leonard’s years with Nike, he also developed a good relationship with Nico Harrison, the Mavs’ new general manager and a former longtime executive at the company."

Kawhi's max is starts at about 40 mil I'm pretty sure. 

If we really want to get pie in the sky and go for Lillard as well I'm assuming they're going to reserve KP+Maxi+Brunson+Green+Terry+picks for a Lillard package in some way. 

Trading for Lillard first using all of those guys and taking only Lillard back leaves the Mavs about 1 mil shy of Kawhi's maxi. 

Perhaps it'd be easier to operate as an overthe cap team and SnT THJ/JRich/Reddick/Melli for as many picks as possible. 

Something like THJ for Goran+2026 protected 1-10 FRP from Miami.

Reddick to the Nets for 2 2nd rounders

Brunson to whoever can offer a 2023 FRP. 

Mavs then turn around and throw KP+Maxi+Green+Terry+ 2023/2025/2026/2027 FRP with pick swaps in 2022/24/26/28. Thats 8 picks right there and a young center for Lillard.

Mavs would probably stretch waive Powell if they had to get  to that magic 40 mil number, and it'd get them there. 

The entire team would consist solely of 

Dame/Goran (RMLE)
Luka/---
Kawhi/
DFS/
---/ Boban (Vet min) 

So 6 players under contract with about zero assets and cap space to fill it out. I don't know, but it'd look bleak.

[KillerLeft]

https://twitter.com/fishsports/status/14...90433?s=20

[ClutchDirk]

Kawhi's max is starts at about 40 mil I'm pretty sure. 

If we really want to get pie in the sky and go for Lillard as well I'm assuming they're going to reserve KP+Maxi+Brunson+Green+Terry+picks for a Lillard package in some way. 

Trading for Lillard first using all of those guys and taking only Lillard back leaves the Mavs about 1 mil shy of Kawhi's maxi. 

Perhaps it'd be easier to operate as an overthe cap team and SnT THJ/JRich/Reddick/Melli for as many picks as possible. 

Something like THJ for Goran+2026 protected 1-10 FRP from Miami.

Reddick to the Nets for 2 2nd rounders

Brunson to whoever can offer a 2023 FRP. 

Mavs then turn around and throw KP+Maxi+Green+Terry+ 2023/2025/2026/2027 FRP with pick swaps in 2022/24/26/28. Thats 8 picks right there and a young center for Lillard.

Mavs would probably stretch waive Powell if they had to get  to that magic 40 mil number, and it'd get them there. 

The entire team would consist solely of 

Dame/Goran (RMLE)
Luka/---
Kawhi/
DFS/
---/ Boban (Vet min) 

So 6 players under contract with about zero assets and cap space to fill it out. I don't know, but it'd look bleak.

Every ring chaser and waived player will be begging to come here...