Trade & FA 2023-24: Paul George to Test Free Agency After No Contract Extension

[JBB]

Is there a world where Wood stays?  I'd never have asked the question before this summer but Nico has defied logic.  No news despite all of the reports of him being one of the "top remaining free agents" and we've now addressed the defensive need that he didn't fill.  (Obviously wishful thinking but wanted to throw it out there).

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

Not the C I like, but would be an upgrade to what the Mavs have.
Could play PF next to Lively.

Olynk for THJ + a second round pick

Jazz has a lot of bigs, even their wings are big.

[SleepingHero]

I think the Mavs are motivated for a center. I think they're also motivated to remake the roster.

So far we have 7 "new" guys on the roster, Kyrie, Seth, Omax, Lively, G-Will, Holmes, and Exum (yes I'm counting Kyrie). If history tells us anything, a new GM wants to retool the roster into their image.

So now that the Holmes deal is finalized and our RFA target matched, where do the Mavs go? Stein keeps screaming the Mavs are trying to remake their center position and that McGee is all but gone from the Mavs. Trying to put all the pieces together, and scanning potential deals where the Mavs stay below the apron but are still able to match salary in the trade, I've thought of a deal that hurts, but makes sense.

THJ+Maxi+2027 FRP top 5 protected for Jarrett Allen+Isaac Okoro.

Why do the Mavs pay that much? Well Allen for sure fills the need. Is there a better center that matches all the skills Stein has echoed the Mavs FO are focusing on (rebounding, rim protection, PnR lob threat)? Okoro is that POA wing defender they were looking at Thybulle with. His expiring deal also satisfies the "pressure-release valve" that Dan pinned the Bullock contract with.

Why does CLE do it? Well this gives them yet another wing and 3pt shooter that they need AND a flexible switch defender that pairs well with Mobley. The FRP doesn't hurt either.

I just have a feeling that Nico is going to break up the long time Mavs we've seen for quite some time. He started with KP. Then Brunson (not by his choice, although if rumors are to be believed they were shopping him for a while), then DFS. But he's not going to do it just because. Allen is worth it. This deal hurts because Maxi is a fantastic flex defender and he's a great locker room guy, but that's also why the deal feels fair.

In terms of money: THJ+Maxi=28.9 mil. Allen+Okoro=28.9. In fact this deal only increases the Mavs cap sheet by 23.5k. Basically an even swap money wise. This lets the Mavs go and make a run at Paul Reed. Reed is 6'9, pretty switchable, and a young big. He can't stretch the floor at all, but he'd be an interesting pivot to fill a Maxi sized hole left after this trade. Of course it doesn't have to be Reed. After this deal (and an assumed McGee S/W), the Mavs total salaries would be 159.7, enough for the full MLE.

Roster:
Luka/Seth/Exum
Kyrie/Hardy
Green/Okoro
Williams/(MLE, Reed?)/Omax
Allen/Lively/Holmes/Powell

This feels like a very Nico move. One where he isn't afraid of paying assets if it nets the Mavs a good player, which it does in Allen.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Any reason anyone can think of that the G-Will/Reggie thing can’t be broken into pieces?

So, you start with the SA part, which is not yet complete.  It is basically outgoing salary and the exchange of picks.  Bullock can bring back a player making $18mm player.  Or, Bullock plus McGee can bring back someone making $23.6mm with McGee being the only thing the other team receives.  Same deal…Reggie plus THJ gets you up to a player making $35.9mm with THJ being the only outgoing salary required.

Then, you take the pick haul and sign Williams with the MLE and trade the picks for cash (and the promise to not match).  Any reason that can’t happen?  Each time it is simply a trade spread above the outgoing salary up to the space we have. We won’t be able to use the entirety of the spreads, but we can use more than the typical trade spread with the room we have.  Might explain why things are still open?

[audiosway]

But all the guys saying that stuff (maybe not Stein, specifically, can’t recall) were also saying Powell wouldn’t be with the team this season.

These plans are fluid. They adapt and change, and the media guys have brief access to them when they’re able to check in, periodically. They’re not kept up to the minute with front office thinking. 

Maybe you’re right, but at this point, the league is announcing deals being made official. There will be some roster filling by teams over the next couple of weeks, and I’m holding out a little hope that some other RFA news might happen today (Paul Reed is a possibility), but come on, doesn’t it feel like the big stuff is done?

Can you remember ANY big trades happening at this point in the process, like ever?

I guess we’re still waiting for the Lillard and Harden situations to be resolved, so that’s different than normal, but I have the feeling the Harden thing will drag out well into the season. Maybe they both will.

Then again, maybe 5 huge things, those guys included, get announced next week, what do I know? All I’m saying is that I hope we can all enjoy all the smart stuff they’ve done this summer without pinning our hopes to some stupid Ayton trade that it sounds like was only a possibility on draft night.

All I can say is get out of my head. I haven't commented much because it would just rehash everything you have been saying lately. Killing it!

[KillerLeft]

SH, you might know better than me, so you or someone else, please clarify:

You mentioned top 5 protecting the ‘27 in your last trade post, but due to the ‘29 being promised, I was under the impression that the ‘27 could only be traded as an unprotected pick.

[Dundalis]

I think the Mavs are motivated for a center. I think they're also motivated to remake the roster.

So far we have 7 "new" guys on the roster, Kyrie, Seth, Omax, Lively, G-Will, Holmes, and Exum (yes I'm counting Kyrie). If history tells us anything, a new GM wants to retool the roster into their image.

So now that the Holmes deal is finalized and our RFA target matched, where do the Mavs go? Stein keeps screaming the Mavs are trying to remake their center position and that McGee is all but gone from the Mavs. Trying to put all the pieces together, and scanning potential deals where the Mavs stay below the apron but are still able to match salary in the trade, I've thought of a deal that hurts, but makes sense.

THJ+Maxi+2027 FRP top 5 protected for Jarrett Allen+Isaac Okoro.

Why do the Mavs pay that much? Well Allen for sure fills the need. Is there a better center that matches all the skills Stein has echoed the Mavs FO are focusing on (rebounding, rim protection, PnR lob threat)? Okoro is that POA wing defender they were looking at Thybulle with. His expiring deal also satisfies the "pressure-release valve" that Dan pinned the Bullock contract with.

Why does CLE do it? Well this gives them yet another wing and 3pt shooter that they need AND a flexible switch defender that pairs well with Mobley. The FRP doesn't hurt either.

I just have a feeling that Nico is going to break up the long time Mavs we've seen for quite some time. He started with KP. Then Brunson (not by his choice, although if rumors are to be believed they were shopping him for a while), then DFS. But he's not going to do it just because. Allen is worth it. This deal hurts because Maxi is a fantastic flex defender and he's a great locker room guy, but that's also why the deal feels fair.

In terms of money: THJ+Maxi=28.9 mil. Allen+Okoro=28.9. In fact this deal only increases the Mavs cap sheet by 23.5k. Basically an even swap money wise. This lets the Mavs go and make a run at Paul Reed. Reed is 6'9, pretty switchable, and a young big. He can't stretch the floor at all, but he'd be an interesting pivot to fill a Maxi sized hole left after this trade. Of course it doesn't have to be Reed. After this deal (and an assumed McGee S/W), the Mavs total salaries would be 159.7, enough for the full MLE.

Roster:
Luka/Seth/Exum
Kyrie/Hardy
Green/Okoro
Williams/(MLE, Reed?)/Omax
Allen/Lively/Holmes/Powell

This feels like a very Nico move. One where he isn't afraid of paying assets if it nets the Mavs a good player, which it does in Allen.

This doesn't hurt at all, I'd do it in a heartbeat but would be shocked if Cleveland did it. You give up two 30+ year olds for a 25 and 22 year old who fit almost perfectly what we still need. We would miss that proper 4-5 hybrid in the 6'9-6'11 range who can guard multiple positions, but I don't think it's necessarily critical to have. Maxi has been great, but at his age and injury history, he's probably not gonna have more value than he does now.

We do this I'd almost lock us in to be a top 10 defense next year, which would be an incredible transformation. Plus the age reduction of the core group of players would be huge. I'd be interested to know the avg age pre and post.

It's actually not even just the potential of the lineup, the value of the tradeable assets let's say from next season would be night and day from what we had just given the age profile of the acquired players.

[DanSchwartzgan]

SH, you might know better than me, so you or someone else, please clarify:

You mentioned top 5 protecting the ‘27 in your last trade post, but due to the ‘29 being promised, I was under the impression that the ‘27 could only be traded as an unprotected pick.

I think we established that it can be protected if it converts to something other than a first if not conveyed.

I think we’ve also established that we can word a trade in a way that we are trading the earliest available (so 2026 possibly).  The wording could probably protect a 2026 pick converting it to 2027 and then convert 2027 into something else if it doesn’t convey.  Top 5 protection would strip the pick of most of its value, so might have to do something like this with Top 1 or Top 3 protection (if that).

[SleepingHero]

SH, you might know better than me, so you or someone else, please clarify:

You mentioned top 5 protecting the ‘27 in your last trade post, but due to the ‘29 being promised, I was under the impression that the ‘27 could only be traded as an unprotected pick.

It depends on the protections. 

If the language says: '27 pick top 5 protected, but if it does not convey it becomes the next available FRP"= that is something the Mavs cannot do unless they get another 2029 pick. 

But if it says: "2027 pick top 5 protected." There are no other stipulations, and the Mavs obligations are fulfilled. So the Cavs are essentially guaranteed the pick if the Mavs aren't mega bad, but if they are mega bad they don't get a pick. 2029 isn't affected whatsoever and the Steipien rule hasn't been violated. 

It could also say "If it does not convey it becomes future 2nds", that is also is fine. 

That is at least my understanding at least. I defer to FGump to fact check me if I've led you astray.

[RGP1981]

Is there a better center that matches all the skills Stein has echoed the Mavs FO are focusing on (rebounding, rim protection, PnR lob threat)?

If Cleveland does not want to trade Allen... the other Texas Longhorns guy currently playing for the Knicks, Jericho Sims, also fits this description to a tee but is a better perimeter defender because he's more athletic. I think the perimeter defense he can provide could be important since Luka is not a great perimeter defender. Another advantage of making a move for him is that he won't cost as much to trade for and his salary is lower.

Then the Mavs FO could try trading for PJ Washington using THJ or Holmes.

Luka..................... Exum, Wright
Kyrie..................... Seth, Hardy
Green................... G. Williams
Washington........... Kleber, Omax
Sims..................... Lively, Powell

[Branduil]

Really don't think G Williams is gonna be playing much SF at all, and for the same reason I think the Mavs are likely out on PJ Washington

[Winter]

I know a lot of folks like to blame Kidd regarding how Wood was handled, but there is probably a reason he has changed teams almost every season.

This pretty much has to be true. Front Offices know something that fans don't. Wood is difficult either in the locker room or obstinate on the court. I suspect his problems will become public eventually.

[Jason Terry]

Option 1: max out a trade spread to bring in someone for the remaining space. Capela? Zubac in a Dame trade? Etc

Option 2: SnT Wood to another team for the under the apron amount. Add additional asset(2nd?)

Option 3: do our homework on Oubre. If we feel good about what’s between his ears, then sign him for 1 year $8 million as a prove it deal. (I don’t believe in him, but i trust Nico if he does)

---

Really don't think G Williams is gonna be playing much SF at all, and for the same reason I think the Mavs are likely out on PJ Washington

I think he will actually.

Kyrie and Green guard the 1-2. Green on the better player 

Luka and Grant at the 3-4. Grant guards the better player 

Its perfect

[Winter]

At this point, Kelly Oubre might be one of the last two players off our bench. Statistically speaking, he has almost nothing to offer. His shooting percentages are blah, his defense is blah. Josh Green's stats last year were way better. I'd probably put Exum on the floor faster that I would Oubre. He is a player who just hasn't gotten better over time.

[Smitty]

Roster:
Luka/Seth/Exum
Kyrie/Hardy
Green/Okoro
Williams/(MLE, Reed?)/Omax
Allen/Lively/Holmes/Powell

Allen certainly raises the floor and ceiling for this team! A starting 5 of Kai-Green-Luka-Gwill-Allen is up there with the best of them. Then you have Hardy & Curry fighting to be the 6th man. I like it.

Edit: I looked into Okoro and now I don't see why CLE does this at all. THJ is redundant for what they have on the roster, giving up on a Josh Green type and swapping Allen for Maxi? I just don't see it. They are in win-now mode and probably want better players, not a FRP 4 years from now.

[Chicagojk]

I just don't see Oubre. We don't have the minutes for him. He averaged 20 points per game last year. Whether you like him or not, I have trouble seeing him have interest coming her (even if we were interested) due to the lack of available minutes. Same thing with Paul Reed. We have 4 centers on the roster. Even if we told him two of them are short term, it would be tough for him to sign here...even if we are interested.

So, if we have nothing imminent, I think we should either stay what we have and look for opportunities as the summer goes on or look to sign a Derrick Jones Jr and then continue to look for other deals as the summer goes on. Jones is not someone who will require large minutes but could be a solid stopgap and soak up 15 minutes depending n what other moves are made.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

THJ+Maxi+2027 FRP top 5 protected for Jarrett Allen+Isaac Okoro.

Why does CLE do it? Well this gives them yet another wing and 3pt shooter that they need AND a flexible switch defender that pairs well with Mobley. The FRP doesn't hurt either.

If this trade is in any way remotely possible, then by all means, the Mavs should do it.

But..
The FRP + Maxi would be the main assets going out from the Mavs. 
THJ looks like a huge salary filler that the Cavs "have-to" take in.
This equation is already leaning towards the Mavs.
This trade doesn't work still so Okoro is brought in to this.

But adding Okoro (who isn't anything special, but is still young and can develop) would only favor the Mavs more.
To top it off, the pick is top 5 protected instead of unprotected.

I don't see Cleveland agreeing with this.

Simplifying the trade could be the better way.
Allen for THJ + unprotected 2027 pick + 2 SRPs.

[SleepingHero]

Allen certainly raises the floor and ceiling for this team! A starting 5 of Kai-Green-Luka-Gwill-Allen is up there with the best of them. Then you have Hardy & Curry fighting to be the 6th man. I like it.

Edit: I looked into Okoro and now I don't see why CLE does this at all. THJ is redundant for what they have on the roster, giving up on a Josh Green type and swapping Allen for Maxi? I just don't see it. They are in win-now mode and probably want better players, not a FRP 4 years from now.

They were ready to move on from Okoro at the TDL. Yes his stats show he's a good shooter with above average percentages, but he doesn't shoot the ball much at all. He averages 4.7 attempts a game. According to their locked on Cavs guys, he seems to suffer a similar affliction that Josh Green has where he actively avoids shooting the ball. 

Further, his role on the Cavs has slowly diminished as he's been on the team. That's odd for a draft pick unless the team doesn't really value his contributions.

Further, the Cavs have gone out and signed (and resigned) 3 forwards: Strus, Niang, and LeVert. Where are there minutes for him now? They aren't going to bench Strus or Niang, whom they've signed for 64 mil and 26 mil respectively. Levert also got a similar extension at 2 years 32 mil. Okoro is due for an extension next year. Are the Cavs going to further invest in that role when they've already gone out to make it better?

Garland/Rubio/Ty Jerome
Mitchell/LeVert
Strus/Okoro/Bates
Mobley/Niang/Wade/
Allen/Damien Jones

Doesn't that roster seem a bit heavy on the guard/wing rotation but lacking hard in the big rotation? Regarding Allen, if the rumors are true they believe he can't hack it when the going gets tough in the playoffs, as evidence to his putrid performance against the Knicks. Mobley could be either a 4 or 5, but his natural position is a 5. Moving on from Allen+Okoro and getting a starting switch 4 in Maxi,  and a bench 3pt shooter in THJ seems like a natural get.

Looking further at their roster, they seem to be pretty desperate for a backup big. I'd have thrown in Holmes in the deal, but now I can talk myself into them having a need and wanting a guy like McGee. They're at 162 mil in salaries. Even if we add McGee they'd be under the 1st apron and their new roster would be:

Garland/Rubio/Ty Jerome
Mitchell/THJ/
Strus/LeVert/Bates
Maxi/Niang/Wade/
Mobley/McGee(?)/Damien Jones

To me their bench got a whole lot better adding THJ. And their starting lineup got much more switchable with the addition of Maxi. 
Anyways, those were my reasons and why I think the Cavs are going to look to trade Okoro. Allen could potentially be on the block as well, but who knows?

[Smitty]

They were ready to move on from Okoro at the TDL. Yes his stats show he's a good shooter with above average percentages, but he doesn't shoot the ball much at all. He averages 4.7 attempts a game. According to their locked on Cavs guys, he seems to suffer a similar affliction that Josh Green has where he actively avoids shooting the ball. 

Further, his role on the Cavs has slowly diminished as he's been on the team. That's odd for a draft pick unless the team doesn't really value his contributions.

Further, the Cavs have gone out and signed (and resigned) 3 forwards: Strus, Niang, and LeVert. Where are there minutes for him now? They aren't going to bench Strus or Niang, whom they've signed for 64 mil and 26 mil respectively. Levert also got a similar extension at 2 years 32 mil. Okoro is due for an extension next year. Are the Cavs going to further invest in that role when they've already gone out to make it better?

Garland/Rubio/Ty Jerome
Mitchell/LeVert
Strus/Okoro/Bates
Mobley/Niang/Wade/
Allen/Damien Jones

Doesn't that roster seem a bit heavy on the guard/wing rotation but lacking hard in the big rotation? Regarding Allen, if the rumors are true they believe he can't hack it when the going gets tough in the playoffs, as evidence to his putrid performance against the Knicks. Mobley could be either a 4 or 5, but his natural position is a 5. Moving on from Allen+Okoro and getting a starting switch 4 in Maxi,  and a bench 3pt shooter in THJ seems like a natural get.

Looking further at their roster, they seem to be pretty desperate for a backup big. I'd have thrown in Holmes in the deal, but now I can talk myself into them having a need and wanting a guy like McGee. They're at 162 mil in salaries. Even if we add McGee they'd be under the 1st apron and their new roster would be:

Garland/Rubio/Ty Jerome
Mitchell/THJ/
Strus/LeVert/Bates
Maxi/Niang/Wade/
Mobley/McGee(?)/Damien Jones

To me their bench got a whole lot better adding THJ. And their starting lineup got much more switchable with the addition of Maxi. 
Anyways, those were my reasons and why I think the Cavs are going to look to trade Okoro. Allen could potentially be on the block as well, but who knows?

I'm sold. I think this trade is fantastic from the Mavs perspective. I can squint and see it from the Cavs perspective, although I think they could probably do better. If you can get Allen and a Josh Green clone, while keeping the real Josh Green and Hardy - you have to do it.

[RGP1981]

Really don't think G Williams is gonna be playing much SF at all, and for the same reason I think the Mavs are likely out on PJ Washington

What about when Luka takes a breather during games, or sits out to be rested, or misses games through injury? There will be plenty of minutes for Grant Williams at SF.

Kyrie..................... Seth
Green................... Hardy
Luka..................... G. Williams
Washington........... Kleber
Allen or Sims......... Lively

FWIW, I also think Washington might fit in a small ball lineup better... like:
- Kyrie, Green, Luka, Washington, Kleber