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

[F Gump]

I actually wouldn't want him on a one year MLE deal.  There would be no way to keep him if he did "prove it".  To me, the way you get him (if you want him) is to trade for him and retain his Bird rights.  That can be for air (a TPE), it can be for JRich after you've done other things or that could even be for THJ if you assume they don't want to give him years/money.

Let's put this sign-and-trade thesis to bed before it becomes a thing. The idea of a "prove it" deal with Oladipo, and the Mavs getting Bird rights to use after a year (in case he proves it and they need to offer him a new deal with a massive raise), is not solved by a sign-and-trade.

A sign-and-trade has to be a 3-year contract or longer, with at least one year fully guaranteed.
-- Issue #1 is Bird rights. They only convey, for use on the next deal, if the full 3+-year contract is played to its end. So there's no way for VO after year one to turn that SNT deal into a new, bigger deal after he proves it (if he does).
-- Issue #2 is contract commitment. Oladipo would not commit to 3 years at a small MLE-like "prove it" salary in the first place. 

If VO wants a one-year reduced salary "prove it" deal, it's way more likely he'll either take someone's one-year MLE offer (perhaps with a PO for year 2), or re-sign with MIA on a deal like that, and then go back in the FA pool in 2022.

Personally I'm not all that enamored by Oladipo. He had a good stretch until he got injured a few years ago, and while it would be great to get THAT player, that was then, not now. That player no longer exists, unfortunately.