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

[F Gump]

Even Skin readily admitted that the Mavs took the risk of trying to trade JB and they failed in getting a deal they thought they could get. It backfired and here we are.

But I think you can recognize that fact while also believing that they do have a back-up plan that they like very much (which Skin also said). 

Let's see if they can execute said back-up plan. 

And since you sort of accused me of being a flip-flopper, let me go on the record that even though I think they CAN go into the season with the roster as is, that I will in fact be in the camp that believes they "failed" this summer if there is no trade that happens before training camp. I think they still will have a chance to recover/improve the roster at the TDL (so hope will not all be lost), but without a trade before training camp I will be in the camp that believes the summer itself was ultimately a failure.

Your POV is fair, but I don't believe Skin ACTUALLY meant 'they do have [present tense] a back-up plan that they like very much' ... In listening to EXACTLY what he said, it sounded more like he was saying (with ALL of his words in context, not just selected ones) they HAD [past tense] a backup plan, but that its viability had became very questionable once the Durant situation messed with the NBA landscape.

If I can speculate a step farther, and based on how Skin said it and what else he said, I think Nico's "backup plan" was to SNT Brunson (should he decide he preferred NY) and reap some assets by helping NY clear the last cap hurdles.

In an interview released today on NBA.com, I think Nico himself inferred there's nothing that they are expecting at this point.

"Q: But how are you weighing whether to pursue a major deal or stand pat with what you have?
Nico: You’re always looking to upgrade your roster. But it depends what the big deal is."

If they are working on anything in particular, with an expectation there's a deal waiting to be done, imo there's no hint of any of that in his words.