FA: Dragic 1yr/2.9M to CHI

[mvossman]

My speculation is KI or BS coming to the Mavs in the KD exchange.

How would we absorb one of those players without sending out a lot of salary?

[DallasMaverick]

How would we absorb one of those players without sending out a lot of salary?

They would absolutely need to send out a lot of salary to match.  THJ + Bertans?  Or Dinwiddie?

[mvossman]

My guess is that a player like THJ or DB might be traded for 2 lesser-salary guys. An example: THJ for Burks-Noel.

Given the limited value of those two contracts, its hard for me to think of a trade where we are getting two players half the cost of those guys that makes sense.  Especially when one of those players really needs to be able to be at least a secondary playmaker.  I'm trying to figure out something with Thybulle that makes sense, but I am not seeing it.

[mvossman]

The most obvious explanation would be that we have a trade lined up for someone better than Dragic and he still wants to play steady minutes. Isn’t ready/willing to be “emergency” spot duty guard yet. That said, this is a Cuban run club we are talking about and it’s entirely possible that we THINK we have something better lined up and “oops!” it fell through. Not like that already hasn’t happened with Dragic.

Dragic signed with the Bulls, who have DeRozan, Lavine, Ball, Caruso and White.  Even if we get a third point guard there will still be more room on this roster for Dragic than the Bulls.

With Brunson walking, we desperately need another player that can actually dribble the ball and pass it, ideally one that could actually contribute in the playoffs.  The only reasonable option for that player at the min (who also happens to be a friend and mentor to Luka) is Dragic.  I'm having a real hard time seeing any scenario where it makes sense not to sign him to the min.  Either this FO is completely incompetent (which it appears to be) or Dragic has no interest in coming here for some reason.

[mvossman]

They would absolutely need to send out a lot of salary to match.  THJ + Bertans?  Or Dinwiddie?

In which case we don't need to have a roster spot open.  I'm becoming more an more sure that we don't end up doing anything else, eventually sign a Burke like player who has no chance contributing in the playoffs to the 15th spot, and get to hear bullshit stories from the FO about we had deals lineup up but excuses.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I got this one mainly wrong.  I was right that it made no sense for Dragic to come to a team that had Brunson, Luka and Dinwiddie (heck, he didn't come to a team with only two of those guys).  But, I originally thought he'd get more than the minimum and I thought he was a done deal here once Brunson left.  Obviously both of those things were wrong.  I do think Chicago offers more of a role than Dallas and that probably matters.  But, it seems the relationship part of this was really on the Mav's side.  I'm not going to call anyone an idiot over 'losing' Dragic until the roster is set.  

Still interested to see how Brunson and the Detroit deals are structured and if they include Dallas in any way.  I kind of liked FG's idea in another post about turning THJ into two players.  This isn't super sexy, but it could be Burks and Saben Lee and that might explain the Dragic thing.  At that point, we'd be just a hair over the Apron.  

I'm not big on Sexton, but he is a rumored target.  At just a few hundred K over the apron, we could do a S&T where we take back less salary than we send out and get under the Apron following the trade.  So, THJ goes out and we bring back Burks and Saben Lee (which uses up the rest of Detroit's cap room).  Then we do Powell/Green for S&T Sexton with Sexton starting at $13mm-ish.  If Powell is superfluous at this point, then we are essentially dealing THJ/Green for Burks, Sexton and Lee...a third defensive wing, a high usage bench scorer and a third string PG.  Detroit gets a native son and Cleveland gets some value for a guy they don't really want.  Lee is Wasserman (same as McGee).  Sexton is Schwartz.

[SkenfromLMF]

Who is the agent for Dragic???

[F Gump]

This isn't super sexy, but it could be Burks and Saben Lee and that might explain the Dragic thing.  At that point, we'd be just a hair over the Apron.  

This is interesting. It feels like the right type of deal, assuming Burks is considered healthy.

But I'm seeing that putting them UNDER the apron (not that I think it matters). I wonder what I am missing. (And what's the apron number, exactly, if you know? I haven't seen it.)

[F Gump]

 
I'm not big on Sexton, but he is a rumored target.  At just a few hundred K over the apron, we could do a S&T where we take back less salary than we send out and get under the Apron following the trade.  So, THJ goes out and we bring back Burks and Saben Lee (which uses up the rest of Detroit's cap room).  Then we do Powell/Green for S&T Sexton with Sexton starting at $13mm-ish.  If Powell is superfluous at this point, then we are essentially dealing THJ/Green for Burks, Sexton and Lee...a third defensive wing, a high usage bench scorer and a third string PG.  Detroit gets a native son and Cleveland gets some value for a guy they don't really want. 

That's interesting, but it makes more sense if it somehow gets rolled into a Brunson SNT. It would all fit easily, be an easy add-on, and doing it that way makes the choices more flexible. That's important since Sexton probably wants more that that amount (not that he will get whatever he wants - he's definitely not that level of value).

One tricky issue: CLE will have to send side salary somewhere with Sexton being Base Year. I would say to Dallas, since that's the obvious place with Mavs having flexibility from Brunson snt, but the Apron issue with the Mavs will make that the wrong place. If this is rolled into Brunson deal, there might be room with NY or DET.

The math is complicated if you know the pieces everyone would do, but even more so when ginning up varying hypotheticals, so I'm not going to elaborate on that end -- you know how it works anyhow.

[KillerLeft]

https://twitter.com/mojoejoejoemtz/status/1543692061689389058?s=20&t=Gs7cJwVTKwVIhMEAZA6a2Q

[DanSchwartzgan]

This is interesting. It feels like the right type of deal, assuming Burks is considered healthy.

But I'm seeing that putting them UNDER the apron (not that I think it matters). I wonder what I am missing. (And what's the apron number, exactly, if you know? I haven't seen it.)

I’m at a hair over $157mm with 14 players (not Hardy yet) after this deal.  I’m including Terry dead money and SD likely incentives.  Kamm is listing the Apron at $156.9mm.  I think we could probably stop after a deal like this:

Bigs:  Wood, McGee, Maxi and Powell

Wings:  DFS, Bullock, Burks, Bertans, Green, Frank, Pinson and Hardy

Ball Handlers:  Luka, SD, S. Lee

That is easily narrowed down to 8 for the playoffs with the top 3 bigs, 3 wings and 2 ball handlers.  Even if Burks isn’t healthy now, he would be by the playoffs.  Adding him fits the defensive wing priority that has been discussed.  We are still a bit thin on self created shots but Burks does have some secondary creator ability.

I mentioned Sexton mainly because there are rumors surrounding him and such a deal with NY/DET got us so close to the Apron (and so easy to get below).  I’m with you in that is isn’t worth the time to do the mental exercise until we see something stronger that indicates this is a possibility (like a more reputable rumor on Sexton or the actual deal where Hardaway is outgoing).  I think the THJ two for one makes a ton of sense.  I wonder if the “price” of NY playing along is unprotecting the 2023 pick (which might help facilitate a bigger deal later with Powell and one of the mid-sized salaries).

Edit:  If you like connections, Saben Lee played for Stackhouse at Vandy and Sean Sweeney was an assistant when he was a rookie in Detroit.  Former Mav’s D. Smith and D. Wright were also on that Pistons team his rookie year.

[F Gump]

I’m at a hair over $157mm with 14 players (not Hardy yet) after this deal.  I’m including Terry dead money and SD likely incentives.  Kamm is listing the Apron at $156.9mm.  I think we could probably stop after a deal like this:

Bigs:  Wood, McGee, Maxi and Powell

Wings:  DFS, Bullock, Burks, Bertans, Green, Frank, Pinson and Hardy

Ball Handlers:  Luka, SD, S. Lee

That is easily narrowed down to 8 for the playoffs with the top 3 bigs, 3 wings and 2 ball handlers.  Even if Burks isn’t healthy now, he would be by the playoffs.  Adding him fits the defensive wing priority that has been discussed.  We are still a bit thin on self created shots but Burks does have some secondary creator ability.

I mentioned Sexton mainly because there are rumors surrounding him and such a deal with NY/DET got us so close to the Apron (and so easy to get below).  I’m with you in that is isn’t worth the time to do the mental exercise until we see something stronger that indicates this is a possibility (like a more reputable rumor on Sexton or the actual deal where Hardaway is outgoing).  I think the THJ two for one makes a ton of sense.  I wonder if the “price” of NY playing along is unprotecting the 2023 pick (which might help facilitate a bigger deal later with Powell and one of the mid-sized salaries).

I forgot Terry dead money. Thanks.

I know there have been Mav mentions on Sexton. He's certainly a creator, and skilled, but his history says it's only for himself, so there's that hangup. And yes, getting anywhere near the apron does open the door to SNT thoughts. Although, with the Mavs having to dodge the apron, the BY issue with Sexton would become a much bigger obstacle as a 3rd team to take DET salary becomes mandatory.