BRUNSON BURNER: to NYK for 4yrs/$104M (no SnT) | NYK docked 2025 2nd for tampering

[HoosierDaddyKid]

If the Mavs don't sign Brunson, it doesn't give them a path to an alternate player. There is no salary slot, where they can decline to give it to JB, take the same money, and use it on someone else.

Instead, their starting point to build for the future is either the 14 players PLUS Brunson, or just the 14 players. And Cuban's willingness (or lack of same) to spend is all that it takes to keep him. Cuban talks a good game about his willingness to spend, and there's no longer an excuse that the team isn't good enough to spend the extra to shoot for the top.

Now the rubber meets the road. They are much better with Brunson, so it should be an easy call. We'll see.

And there's the conundrum. They're better with him, but he doesn't put them over the top. They need a difference maker.