FA: JaVale McGee 3yrs/$17.2M to DAL | will indeed start at center

[dirkfansince1998]

You are criticizing the man, but do you actually think that JB is worth 26M per?  That was such a Knick thing to do!  We will never know if the Mavs would have paid up to preserve the asset, (which is what MC said he was going to do), but for them, it was only money.  The Knicks used 28M in capspace on a non-star player.  JB is a good player.  Even a very good player.  He doesn't make that team a contender and they will continue on the mediocre treadmill because of it (and other Knick moves, including a strangely fitted roster).  I wish him well, but he won't win like the Mavs will.  He is set to be the highest paid player on that team, and JB should not be any team's best player.  Not a knock on him.  He just isn't a star.  I think that is perfectly reasonable conclusion for anyone to come to, and you are fine if you want to make the case otherwise.

Looking at the contracts other players signed (Simmons/Portland) and the rising cap I don´t think 26 per year would have been horrible. Given the option to lose him for nothing or overpay (a situation the Mavs created themself) I would have money whipped Brunson.
Brunson´s role in NY or their success doesn´t matter. Just an attempt to distract from the Mavs mistake. Only thing that matters is the impact on the Mavs future. They lost their second best player and asset for nothing. That´s it. No sugar coating.

What annoys me is the fickled-minded sheep mentality. Posters that wanted to offer him 120/5 or even more suddenly don´t think he was worth the money. I wonder why.

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No not when he was confirmed to leave, but rather when it was the reported the $ that the Knicks were signing him to did I get cold feet.

I looked at what $25M buys you in today's NBA and I thought that Brunson would've been in the lower 1/3rd talent wise in terms of players earning that. It turns out the Knicks gave him even more than $25M a year, which meant the Mavs probably would've had to go to at least near $30M to get Jalen to think about coming back. 

At what price is it ludicrous to pay to maintain the asset? Again, I like Brunson the player. I did not suddenly harbor ill-feelings toward him the moment the Knicks became the frontrunner, and I kept reiterating a 5/110 deal after the draft as a number I'd like him at. The Knicks blew that out of the water.

You mentioned 120/5 multiple times in the last few weeks. Just stop it.