2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[F Gump]

1 I think Dragic is a strong possibility IF he is willing to play for what the Mavs have to offer (minimum). I said this same thing before the HOU trade, that the path to Dragic is two-fold: (1) find a taker for Burke (he won''t be waived), and (2) convince Dragic to be a Mav for the minimum that Mavs can offer. I wouldn't worry about how he is or isn't used. If he's good enough, Mavs will get minutes for him.
...BTW, Dragic hung out with the Mavs during the Mavs playoff run, once his postseason ended quickly. Now he's with Luka (again) while they play for their national team. This is probably as good as he can be recruited.

2a I don't think the Mavs want to be done yet -- but I also don't think they will PAY a team to take salary or some player off the Mavs roster.

2b So I do think the Mavs could essentially be done, and bide their time until their current pieces get a little more desirable, with a 15-man that looks something like this:

                            REGULARS                               DEEP BACKUP/DEVELOP

BIGS  (48 mins)        Wood, Kleber                    Powell

CREATOR (96 mins)  Luka
                                             Dinwiddie      Dragic
                              Brunson

WING (96 mins)       DFS                          Bertans
                                               THJ
                              Bullock                              Green, Franky, Pinson


Unless someone in the top 8 is outgoing, it's hard to see regular minutes for player 15 (presumably a two-way wing). If they could, trading THJ for a 2-way guy would make a lot of sense, but I don't think they will trade him unless they can get full value (ie, another team wants him, rather than bribing some team to take him).

So they might settle for a FA who has 3-and-D skills or potential, or who is a fallen star, or who wants on a title bandwagon, that comes for cheap without expectations. Whichever it would be, the goal would be to get great value for their money (like GS did with OPJ and Bjelica and Payton this past season).

Players on a "one-year minimum" give the easiest-to-swallow financial cost for a team paying well above the tax, and only last for a year and then do it again (or not.) However, "all we have is the txMLE and we want a player who wants to be part of our core" has the potential to entice that bargain deal that gets some great value for 3 years from a ring chaser. If you can find that guy worth the big MLE or more, and lock him up for 3 years, you'll be glad you did.