2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[nash_funk]

Most Mavs fans remember a similiar approach. Early 2000s Mavs adding volume scoring to a core that already had Finley, Nash and Dirk. At some point they had three high volume scoring PFs on the roster (Dirk, Jamison, Walker). Turning one of them into a 6th man and leading to all kinds of strange lineups. Three bigs and two guards. Dirk playing center. Dirk playing small forward.
Team never fulfilled the promises because in the end there only is one ball and a limited number of possessions. Point averages look nice but they wouldn´t reach those numbers. Not enough FGA to go around for all of them. Offense was already at an all time level prior to the trade and didn´t get much better. Defense tanked badly.

The Dirk/Fin/Nash approach would have been successful but Cuban screwed up.

IMO the Dirk/Walker/Jamison approach didn't work because all three played the same position.  This lineup is everyone playing their natural positions.

[Mavsfan12]

Most Mavs fans remember a similiar approach. Early 2000s Mavs adding volume scoring to a core that already had Finley, Nash and Dirk. At some point they had three high volume scoring PFs on the roster (Dirk, Jamison, Walker). Turning one of them into a 6th man and leading to all kinds of strange lineups. Three bigs and two guards. Dirk playing center. Dirk playing small forward.
Team never fulfilled the promises because in the end there only is one ball and a limited number of possessions. Point averages look nice but they wouldn´t reach those numbers. Not enough FGA to go around for all of them. Offense was already at an all time level prior to the trade and didn´t get much better. Defense tanked badly.

This is exactly the image I get in my mind when I hear about Randle.  He is the most Antoine Walker player walking the earth currently.  I always wonder what would have happened if we hadn't acquired him after the Jamison trade.  That dude always seemed to fit well and could handle the inside to Dirk's outside game.  Oh well.

[SkenfromLMF]

Starting to get he feeling Dragic is going to be our replacement for Brunson and Cuban is going to try and sell us on Wood being the "second star" we need...

So this is the Steve Nash Summer...

Dragic in the role of Jason Terry and Wood in the role of Erick Dampier -

Someone remind mark that Luka MIGHT NOT be as loyal as Dirk!

[nash_funk]

https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status...0537500674

Maxi at PF makes sense with Wood.  If the roster remains and Brunson is resigned, I'd go with this starting lineup...

PG - Luka
SG - Brunson
SF - Finney-Smith
PF - Kleber
C - Wood

[Mavsfan12]

So this is the Steve Nash Summer...

Dragic in the role of Jason Terry and Wood in the role of Erick Dampier -

Someone remind mark that Luka MIGHT NOT be as loyal as Dirk!

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

[SleepingHero]

https://twitter.com/bleacherreport/statu...33315?s=21&t=ZW-DlYihq-mrBK8eC7osVA

Knicks are currently 4.3 mil over the cap, which means if they cleared 25 million they'd be able to offer JB around 20 mil a year or 4/80. 

Mavs could easily match that, and probably exceed it with a 5/95 deal.

[Fuerza1]

Most places (including Jake Fischer) have said Jalen Brunson is in the $20M+ AAV range. IMO, he gets $22-$24M AAV at least. 

5/90 deal would be $18M AAV; 5/95 deal would be $19M AAV.

Reminder, Nico and Cuban just paid THJ $18.75M AAV last summer, and that was a discount (rumor was NOP was offering $22M AAV). Brunson is much better than THJ, and younger. Mavs cannot afford to get cute if they want to retain Brunson.

[SleepingHero]

Most places (including Jake Fischer) have said Jalen Brunson is in the $20M+ AAV range. IMO, he gets $22-$24M AAV at least. 

5/90 deal would be $18M AAV; 5/95 deal would be $19M AAV.

Reminder, Nico and Cuban just paid THJ $18.75M AAV last summer, and that was a discount (rumor was NOP was offering $22M AAV). Brunson is much better than THJ, and younger. Mavs cannot afford to get cute if they want to retain Brunson.

I'd be fine with 5/110 with bonuses to get to that number. 

Say Brunson's contract is 5/110, but it's really only $95 guaranteed. Give him $7.5 mil in likely bonuses (I.E start 40 games, shoot over 45% etc.), and $7.5 mil in unlikely bonuses (I.E all-star game selection, All-NBA etc.) 

5/102.5 is $20.5 mil a year which is right in line of that AAV range and still slightly more than what the Knicks could offer if they only clear $25 mil in cap space. That's how I'd approach it.

[MAVS-SLO]

I wonder where Durant will end up when Kyrie bails
Doesn't seem all that realistic but a player that age kind of dictates where he wants to go assets be damned.

I don't know why, but this doesn't seems so unrealistic to me. Offseasons pipedreams before (Giannis, Jokic, Kawhi, Lowry) weren't realistic becose of loyality of some those players and others became some kind of rivals of Luka and Dallas for the present and future, but KD at 34 is different story.

I don't see this happening this offseason, but 2023 offseason i think it could be possible. There is some certain things i think need to happen before. And those are Kyrie left and/or another season without a ring.

Also Kristian Winfield of the New York daily news wrote:

''Last summer i got a tip i didn't want to believe: A source familiar with the inner workings of the Nets roster told me James Harden would leave the Nets.
Followed by Kyrie Irving, then ultimately Kevin Durant, a purported course of events that would undoubtedly the Nets to the botton of eastern conference standing after just 3 seasons in the spotlight''.

So why Dallas:

1. Luka. KD (and Lebron) were probably the first 2 (super)stars who directly speaked so high about him. And Luka already said on JJ Redick's podcast that KD is his favourite player. 

2. Good chemistry in the roster and already builded a contending team.

3. Preasure on KD and his rivalry with GS.
I don't think he is going to another superteam or a team with all multiple allstars in their roster (Clippers, Suns in the west, Heat, Celtics, Bucks 76'ers in the East), i don't see him going to a team Lebron builded (Lakers) and i see us ahead of Jazz, Nuggets, Pelicans in his wishlist.

So here would have a direct a chance to prove the GS that he can won a ring without a Steph and Klay.

Only question would be what would Nets want for him. He is level of a player who dictates where he wants to go. He went to them not because of Brooklyn, but because of a chance to create a superteam and he was in some ways above the franchise and FO. He made a most of decisions and if all of his friends left him - what would they want for a such type of player? Held as a hostage or trade him?

PS:

When i see a current situation in Brooklyn i'm so grateful how our roster is build. Loyal guys with good chemistry, who improved season by season.

I think it's a little bit hard for a Nets fans to see where there guys loyal guys went and what potential they really had (Allen, Lavert, Spencer).

That's why i'm also against the trades of loyal guys for a minor improvment or. a guys who have maybe just few % higher statistic, maybe were just drafter higher ,but don't have loyality to the club.

[Fuerza1]

I'd be fine with 5/110 with bonuses to get to that number. 

Say Brunson's contract is 5/110, but it's really only $95 guaranteed. Give him $7.5 mil in likely bonuses (I.E start 40 games, shoot over 45% etc.), and $7.5 mil in unlikely bonuses (I.E all-star game selection, All-NBA etc.) 

5/102.5 is $20.5 mil a year which is right in line of that AAV range and still slightly more than what the Knicks could offer if they only clear $25 mil in cap space. That's how I'd approach it.

But that is playing it cute, imho. Cuban could have done that with Porzingis but without ever playing a second in a Mavs uniform and coming off a serious injury, he gave him the MAX at $31.65 AAV over 5 years. That is when the Mavs actually had some leverage. 

This Brunson situation, the Mavs technically have no leverage. Brunson is unrestricted, he holds the leverage. If anything, I expect Brunson and his team will drive up the price (connections in NY, Pistons/Pacers interest, etc.), and money whip Cuban into a player friendly contract. 

As he should, this is his big payday.

[KillerLeft]

It's the competitor as much as the maturity as well. Guys talking trash to them, so they say "take this"

This a GREAT point and addition to the reasons I listed.

[mvossman]

Maxi at PF makes sense with Wood.  If the roster remains and Brunson is resigned, I'd go with this starting lineup...

PG - Luka
SG - Brunson
SF - Finney-Smith
PF - Kleber
C - Wood

I don't know if they will start with that lineup, but it is probably the best lineup to finish with, especially in the playoffs.

[nash_funk]

I don't know if they will start with that lineup, but it is probably the best lineup to finish with, especially in the playoffs.

We didn't have the personnel to start 2 quality bigs last year, but I'd like to see most of DFS's minutes at SF.

[mvossman]

We didn't have the personnel to start 2 quality bigs last year, but I'd like to see most of DFS's minutes at SF.

There would have to be some significant changes to the roster for that to make sense.  That would leave Timmy and Bullock fighting over Dorian's backup minutes.  In order for that to make sense THJ would need to be outgoing and we would need to add a rotation quality big that is a plus defender and a good fit with Wood.  I think the odds of this are fairly small.  If we manage to pull off one of the crazy Charlotte trades that was thrown around where Timmy + is outgoing and PJ Washington is incoming then we could run out two bigs effectively (the primary big rotation would be Wood/Washington/Maxi which would be awesome).  Don't think that is very likely.

[IamDougieFresh]

When can we extend Dwight and what is the max we can offer? Asking for an idiot.

[WildArkieBoy]

When can we extend Dwight and what is the max we can offer? Asking for an idiot.

Has your mentally-challenged friend been diagnosed with albatross addiction?

[Branduil]

Knowing this board as I do, I'm sure this is going to incite feelings like Brunson to NY is a done deal already, and that the Mavs are getting pantsed. 

He might sign in NY, I don't know. But, I think our takeaway should be that Brunson is of a caliber that's causing teams to dump other players just to position themselves to make an offer. In other words, the Mavs have what is possibly the most coveted free agent on the market right now. I honestly don't think people here really value him that much.

And to add to this, my read on this situation is that Brunson's camp is (smartly) leveraging NY the same way the Mavs have so often been leveraged in the past.

I could be wrong, of course, but my assumptions, based on the reporting that's been happening, are

1. Brunson WILL be back with the Mavs, BUT
2. Cuban WILL pay him fair market value, and not a penny less

I don't doubt Brunson's desire to re-sign. IMO the only person that could screw this up is Cuban, and solely Cuban. If he starts playing stupid games like "Well NY doesn't actually have enough money to pay you that RIGHT NOW," that's when we enter the danger zone. But right now I believe that Brunson will re-sign here and the Cuban isn't stupid enough to play around on this.

[Dundalis]

First of all that lineup averages 91.6pts and 37.5rbs.  That is insane.

All Luka, Hardaway, and Finney-Smith are plus on plus/minus.  Randle is plus 1.5 PER at PF.  Wood is the only one with a minus in both categories.  With Kidd's scheming I think the defense would be adequate.

You don't win titles with "adequate" defense. Also contributing to the "plus" on those plus minus, is about playing with teammates that can cover up your defensive deficiencies. Which is why it's more of a team than individual stat. When almost everyone has defensive deficiencies to make up for, that's a recipe for a defense worse than adequate. There is only so much a scheme can cover for, don't care how good a coach you are.

Looking at total avg points and rebounds based on individual numbers put up on different teams with different responsibilities has to be the most inane way to look at how a lineup is going to work offensively.

[Dundalis]

And to add to this, my read on this situation is that Brunson's camp is (smartly) leveraging NY the same way the Mavs have so often been leveraged in the past.

I could be wrong, of course, but my assumptions, based on the reporting that's been happening, are

1. Brunson WILL be back with the Mavs, BUT
2. Cuban WILL pay him fair market value, and not a penny less

I don't doubt Brunson's desire to re-sign. IMO the only person that could screw this up is Cuban, and solely Cuban. If he starts playing stupid games like "Well NY doesn't actually have enough money to pay you that RIGHT NOW," that's when we enter the danger zone. But right now I believe that Brunson will re-sign here and the Cuban isn't stupid enough to play around on this.

He better. Signing Brunson to a non tradeable contract could be the handicap that actually ends up wasting Luka's prime with a team that can't get over the hump.

[loki]

When can we extend Dwight and what is the max we can offer? Asking for an idiot.

Before June 30th he could be extended for an additional 43/3. After June 30th it's possible to offer 60/4.