Trade & FA 2023-24: OKC The Favorite For Nic Claxton Should He Leave BRK

[MrGoat]

Wow. Pop signs for 5 more years

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status...5848803331

Well he's only 74 years old. He'll need something to pass the time until he's finally old enough to run for president

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Wood SnT's are tricky right now as the Mavs are hard-capped at 172. If Wood wants to take a contract for less than 10 mil a year, then maybe something can happen there, but it's unlikely. 

Someone did point out that the Mavs could potentially SnT Wood before the Grant trade is finalized, but the real question is what
team is paying assets for Wood right now? Especially when the general consensus is that he can be had for a vet min contract?

Right now, for all intents and purposes, Wood does not exist to the Mavericks. The relationship and bridge was burnt. There are a multitude of reasons why, but it doesn't really matter now.

Ya, not S&T.  Signing.  What are our options under the CBA to sign him?

[Winter]

Do you think Wood would be excited to be back? The Mavs organization has made it pretty clear what we think of him. Do we want Wood in the locker room surrounded by all this new energy from players and rookies?

I just don't see it. And I suspect it's worse than we know.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Well he's only 74 years old. He'll need something to pass the time until he's finally old enough to run for president

Well played!  I do like Pop's politics.  Kerr also.

[F Gump]

Ya, not S&T.  Signing.  What are our options under the CBA to sign him?

Technically Mavs can offer him any contract from minimum to maximum, but practically speaking they can only pay a 1st year salary that leaves them under the Apron (so, maybe up to $11M?), and probably wouldn't want to pay tax to sign him (so, maybe up to 4M?) or they may just want to offer a league-subsidized one-year minimum (where he gets paid a total of ~2.9M). And they would certainly want a deal where he can be traded this year without having to get him to give permission.

But by all accounts neither side wants to do a deal. And it would take BOTH of them to change that. So from that angle, we have no options.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Technically Mavs can offer him any contract from minimum to maximum, but practically speaking they can only pay a 1st year salary that leaves them under the Apron (so, maybe up to $11M?), and probably wouldn't want to pay tax to sign him (so, maybe up to 4M?) or they may just want to offer a league-subsidized one-year minimum (where he gets paid a total of ~2.9M). And they would certainly want a deal where he can be traded this year without having to get him to give permission.

But by all accounts neither side wants to do a deal. And it would take BOTH of them to change that. So from that angle, we have no options.

So at $11m for one year, what better option do we have than Wood?

Kyrie, Hardy, Exum
Green, Curry
Luka, THJ
G.Will, Maxi, OMax
Wood, Powell, Holmes, Lively

[F Gump]

So at $11m for one year, what better option do we have than Wood?

LOL @ that being described as a "better" option for the Mavs. Thanks for the laugh!

[cow]

So at $11m for one year, what better option do we have than Wood?

Not Wood.  

I'd also guess that Wood isn't going to get anywhere near that contract number so why offer him that in the first place?

[surfpuckmd]

If they don't make the playoffs next year, there will be a lot of changes. Namely coaching. A team with two of the best players in the world can't be out of the playoffs.

This team, so far, has a much stronger and talented bench. We're stronger at the PF position and have capable 3-point shooters almost everywhere. We should be better defensively, and have a least one rim protector (albeit a rookie). This team was not a bad team last year, but they were very disappointing. I think the new energy acquired will make this at least a decent playoff team - much closer to the playoff team 2 years ago.

I prefer this year's roster because there is more athleticism, youth and hope.  For the coming season though, I'm not certain we've improved much.  

I think Grant Williams is a nice upgrade over Reggie Bullock.

However, I think Christian Wood is a much better player than Richaun Holmes.  

Seth Curry is an upgrade over the random players that we rotated through last season (Campazzo, Kemba, Justin Holiday).  He will be a big defensive liability however. 

I have a lot of hope for Dante Exum and think he will be better than Pinson.  

Hopefully, one of the rookies can provide some solid minutes in the 2nd half of the season.

However, I think our top 9 rotation is probably only slightly better than last season's iteration.  If we improve, I think it will likely be related to Luka and Kyrie playing off each other more successfully.  My hope is that Jason Kidd also figures some things out.  Jaden Hardy can improve and I think Grant Williams may fit in nicely.  

We were 11th in the West last season though.  I'm not sure who we have surpassed in talent.  The Thunder and Timberwolves should be better.  The Pelicans have some nice talent on the rise with Trey Murphy, Herb Jones and Dyson Daniels.  If Zion returns, they are a top 5 team in the NBA.  

Good organizations acquire talent whenever possible.  The Mavericks seem to ignore some of those opportunities.

[surfpuckmd]

Crazy idea...  Resign Wood.  Waive Holmes ($12m) and sign Wood for the same contract...  $24m over 2 years, but 2nd year TO.

Kyrie, Hardy, Exum
Green, Curry
Luka, THJ
G.Will, Maxi, OMax
Wood, Powell, Lively

From where we are now, replacing Holmes with Wood makes a lot of sense.  We'd be giving 1 more year to fit in, or we don't exercise the TO next year.

I don't think we'd have to pay Christian Wood $12 million per year.  I think he'd come back for $4 million per year maybe even with a second-year team option.  Everyone talks about how the relationship between the Mavericks and Wood is irreconcilable.  Sometimes desperation revives broken relationships.  

A center platoon of Dwight Powell and Christian Wood is much better than Dwight Powell and Richaun Holmes.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I prefer this year's roster because there is more athleticism, youth and hope.  For the coming season though, I'm not certain we've improved much.  

agree

should be an interesting season

TBH I am worried about Luka having a meltdown or Kyrie being Kyrie if the team is struggling.

[Kidnova]

I don't think we'd have to pay Christian Wood $12 million per year.  I think he'd come back for $4 million per year maybe even with a second-year team option.  Everyone talks about how the relationship between the Mavericks and Wood is irreconcilable.  Sometimes desperation revives broken relationships.  

A center platoon of Dwight Powell and Christian Wood is much better than Dwight Powell and Richaun Holmes.

The head coach cannot stand the player.  It ain't happening.

[surfpuckmd]

The head coach cannot stand the player.  It ain't happening.

I know.  Sometimes reason and logic don't prevail. 

I think the Jason Kidd/Christian Wood conflict may say as much about Jason Kidd as it does about Christian Wood.

[mvossman]

I know.  Sometimes reason and logic don't prevail. 

I think the Jason Kidd/Christian Wood conflict may say as much about Jason Kidd as it does about Christian Wood.

Then why is he about to be on his 9th team in 9 seasons, and nobody seems interested in paying more than the min?

[Kidnova]

I know.  Sometimes reason and logic don't prevail. 

I think the Jason Kidd/Christian Wood conflict may say as much about Jason Kidd as it does about Christian Wood.

I could almost buy that except for the fact that he's been on 7 teams in 7 seasons and now nobody is offering him a contract.  Nobody wants a guy that can consistently put up 15/10 per night.  There's more to his problems than on-court fit.

[Winter]

I know.  Sometimes reason and logic don't prevail. 

I think the Jason Kidd/Christian Wood conflict may say as much about Jason Kidd as it does about Christian Wood.

Well, what does it say about the Christian Wood and Philadelphia, Christian Wood and Chicago, Wood and Milwaukee, Wood and New Orleans, Wood and Detroit, Wood and Houston... That's seven teams in eight years.

The Mavs are one seven organizations that didn't want him for even a second year!

That's not just bad luck or bad coaching. That player is a problem.

[KillerLeft]

agree

should be an interesting season

TBH I am worried about Luka having a meltdown or Kyrie being Kyrie if the team is struggling.

I think they signed Kyrie with full awareness that there’s an 80% chance they’ll trade him soon. Possibly even at this first deadline.

I think that with a good season of play from him, along with his decent contract, they’ll get more for him than they gave up, and I believe the package will be comprised of a little draft capital and a couple of players much closer to the new timeline they’ve set up with every other move made this summer.

In the meantime, I think they hope he can reign Luka in a little and teach him some things, and probably think there’s a chance this all comes together fast enough to make use of his presence here.

It’s a much better plan than I expected them to hatch. Realistic and hopeful.

[F Gump]

I think you guys are sleeping on the impact of two superstars playing on the same team.

We don't appreciate what that means because the end of last season was meh. But to assemble them, Mavs had to be willing to tear down much of the team structure in place and supporting cast in the moment, and try to make things work on the fly. I suspect having a full supporting cast, plus a full camp to get everyone into a setup that works to the team's new strengths, will make a huge difference.

[KillerLeft]

Then why is he about to be on his 9th team in 9 seasons, and nobody seems interested in paying more than the min?

Yeah, nobody believed in Wood this season more than me (well, almost nobody), but he and the Mavericks both really needed it to work last season. Since it clearly didn't, I'm left to believe he is just missing something the NBA can't overlook. If he's unwilling to sign for the minimum, he might end up overseas. Maybe some team will get desperate and break him off some of the MLE at the very end.

---

I think you guys are sleeping on the impact of two superstars playing on the same team.

We don't appreciate what that means because the end of last season was meh. But to assemble them, Mavs had to be willing to tear down much of the team structure in place and supporting cast in the moment, and try to make things work on the fly. I suspect having a full supporting cast, plus a full camp to get everyone into a setup that works to the team's new strengths, will make a huge difference.

I don't disagree with this. And, it could be great. I feel like I can see the architecture of how the team is being designed to play THIS SEASON, and I like it. 

Just saying...I feel like I can ALSO see a backdoor "plan B" being built into the plan, and for my money, it's a good, smart one. They very easily could've surrounded them with more "end of their prime" role players like when they signed Bullock, for example. To me, this approach is much better. If it works, it will work for a WHILE, and get better over time. If not, they won't have to blow it up again to get headed in a slightly different direction.

[surfpuckmd]

Well, what does it say about the Christian Wood and Philadelphia, Christian Wood and Chicago, Wood and Milwaukee, Wood and New Orleans, Wood and Detroit, Wood and Houston... That's seven teams in eight years.

Jason Kidd is one seven organizations that didn't want him for even a second year!

That's not just bad luck or bad coaching. That player is a problem.

He's probably a difficult personality and teams would rather not deal with the headache he induces.

However, it's not like he assaulted his wife, was caught drunk driving or routinely blames his teammates and coaches for his failures.  We hired Jason Kidd as coach despite a criminal record and two previous stints as a failed head coach. 

As to Wood's history of team-hopping, I think some of that is disingenuous.  The first four teams he played for didn't retain him because he wasn't a good enough player to maintain a roster spot. He worked hard and became a better player then finally made a positive contribution as a backup in Detroit.  He was a pretty good success story at that time.  The Pistons chose to go into tanking mode though and didn't want a winning player going into that season.   Christian Wood's advanced stats that season were very positive in a limited role.

So, he went to Houston to play with James Harden.  He was good enough to receive around $14 million a year.   Then, Harden asked out and the Rockets then chose to tank as well.  He spent two years there on a team that was trying to be bad.

He finally comes to Dallas and I thought demonstrated a lot of talent.  I think he was clearly the second most talented player on the roster prior to the Kyrie trade.  I saw an undisputedly gifted offensive player.  I think he made a lot of mistakes on defense but was generally our best rebounder and rim protector.

I think he began to succeed at several times during the season only to have Kidd reign him in and limit his minutes.  Kidd openly called him out to the media.  

I think he was not treated well here and I do think it's bizarre to have a coach refuse to play one of his best players because he doesn't like him personally.  Coach Kidd is both a bad coach and a difficult human being himself.  

I don't have a great explanation for why Christian Wood doesn't have a contract yet.  It's likely some combination of perceived  attitude issues and lack of defensive awareness.

I think the defensive awareness could improve if he had another year on the Mavericks.  

I realize the Mavericks won't give him a second chance here. 

I'm just saying that I think they should.

---

I think they signed Kyrie with full awareness that there’s an 80% chance they’ll trade him soon. Possibly even at this first deadline.

I think that with a good season of play from him, along with his decent contract, they’ll get more for him than they gave up, and I believe the package will be comprised of a little draft capital and a couple of players much closer to the new timeline they’ve set up with every other move made this summer.

In the meantime, I think they hope he can reign Luka in a little and teach him some things, and probably think there’s a chance this all comes together fast enough to make use of his presence here.

It’s a much better plan than I expected them to hatch. Realistic and hopeful.

I hope they don't trade him.  He's incredibly fun to watch.  I'm hoping he likes it here, enjoys playing in Dallas and helps lead us back into contention.