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

[F Gump]

First, thanks for the post.  I learned something.  BTW, this concept of Bird rights not conveying came up in the Kyle Lowry Mock Free-Agency story in The Athletic yesterday and I probably would have missed it if not for this post.

I'm not enamored with Oladipo either, but when a guy (especially a Jordan Brand guy) signs with Excel days before becoming a Free Agent, I think it is worth exploring.  My original statement  was that I wouldn't want Dipo on a one year MLE deal.  The issue is it doesn't provide a way for Dallas to retain him in year two absent space.  The concept of a S&T had two benefits in my mind:  

1.  Ability to pay what we need if he turns out to be close to what he used to be at his peak (which turned out to not be cap-legal)
2.  Ability to leverage outgoing salary.  

The idea behind #2 is that we spend all available space on one player and leverage up the salary to get a second player using the trade spread instead of space.  If JRich opts out, there are probably easier ways to create the extra space.  But, it could really help if he opts in.  

In either case, the outgoing deals I suggested would have allowed a fairly large contract to come back.  If the idea is to have a chance to keep him (if he happens to "prove it") and since you won't be able to rely on Bird rights with only one year guaranteed, then the best way to keep him past a year (again absent space) is to pay a number large enough that 120% of it would satisfy him next summer.  

Unless I'm missing something (again), I think a S&T could have value in the sense of getting you to a non-Bird retention strategy (especially with a JRich opt-in).  As I said in my post...I fully expect to be surprised (as in disappointed) by how much we might pay Dipo on a one year deal.  I'm not sure I care as long as he is the second FA brought in and doesn't impinge in any way our ability to land our primary target.

You're welcome. And yeah, if I understand what you're saying, you're still chasing ideas that don't work.

If you get VO in a sign-and-trade with only one year guaranteed, and he outplays the contract, he's not going to be a free agent in 2022, with the Mavs hoping a 20% raise is enough. (Not that they could offer him a 20% raise using rights, however, as they would have NO rights on him, if they waived his deal.) But, they would already have him under contract, so no way they'd waive him.

There's really not a "prove it" scenario available using the sign-and-trade mechanism, unless VO is trying to prove himself in year one in order to get to be a Mav for another 2 years at about the same salary.

"I fully expect to be surprised (as in disappointed) by how much we might pay Dipo on a one year deal" --- I can't imagine any scenario in which the Mavs would use their 2021 cap room, or MLE, on a player in which they are getting a one-and-done commitment. If so, what a fail in roster building.