02-01-2023, 10:52 AM
Back to DFS/Utah:
The Hardwood Knocks podcast dealt with some questions around DFS/Utah and separately about Vanderbilt’s value. Some highlights:
Whenever a rumor is out there about a player under a LT contract, the initiator of the rumor is probably the team interested in acquiring that player (so Utah). So, Utah lets it out, reporter asks the Mav’s and they say only for a star. It is different when a player’s contract is almost up. In those cases, the player’s agent is probably the source…trying to drum up interest.
The host didn’t think Dallas should make a DFS deal at the TDL. He thinks Finney is the kind of player who would help with a star acquisition in the summer.
He thinks Vanderbilt makes sense as outgoing. Utah struggles to play Kessler and Vanderbilt together (DFS as the better 3 point shooter makes sense alongside Kessler and Markkanen). He thinks Vanderbilt is worth ‘almost’ a first rounder on his own, but because of his low salary, it is hard to realize that value. He is more likely to be paired with someone like Beasley, Conley or Clarkson to add value to a deal for that player.
Personally, I don’t see DFS as a realistic trade chip now unless something else much bigger is afoot. If the host here is correct that Utah is the source, then it flies in the face of what McMahon said about Utah smiling and fielding calls. It means they are trying to steal players they like from desperate teams (which they view Dallas as). I don’t doubt for a minute that they want DFS. I just don’t think they want to pay anything for him. One implication of any Dallas willingness to discuss something involving DFS and Vanderbilt (if they are) is they plan to keep Wood. Vanderbilt is a bit bigger and stronger than DFS. While he doesn’t fit with Kessler well, he would fit with Wood. He was a defensive monster next to KAT the last two seasons.
The Hardwood Knocks podcast dealt with some questions around DFS/Utah and separately about Vanderbilt’s value. Some highlights:
Whenever a rumor is out there about a player under a LT contract, the initiator of the rumor is probably the team interested in acquiring that player (so Utah). So, Utah lets it out, reporter asks the Mav’s and they say only for a star. It is different when a player’s contract is almost up. In those cases, the player’s agent is probably the source…trying to drum up interest.
The host didn’t think Dallas should make a DFS deal at the TDL. He thinks Finney is the kind of player who would help with a star acquisition in the summer.
He thinks Vanderbilt makes sense as outgoing. Utah struggles to play Kessler and Vanderbilt together (DFS as the better 3 point shooter makes sense alongside Kessler and Markkanen). He thinks Vanderbilt is worth ‘almost’ a first rounder on his own, but because of his low salary, it is hard to realize that value. He is more likely to be paired with someone like Beasley, Conley or Clarkson to add value to a deal for that player.
Personally, I don’t see DFS as a realistic trade chip now unless something else much bigger is afoot. If the host here is correct that Utah is the source, then it flies in the face of what McMahon said about Utah smiling and fielding calls. It means they are trying to steal players they like from desperate teams (which they view Dallas as). I don’t doubt for a minute that they want DFS. I just don’t think they want to pay anything for him. One implication of any Dallas willingness to discuss something involving DFS and Vanderbilt (if they are) is they plan to keep Wood. Vanderbilt is a bit bigger and stronger than DFS. While he doesn’t fit with Kessler well, he would fit with Wood. He was a defensive monster next to KAT the last two seasons.
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