DAL OFFSEASON: Trade & FA | Mavs "mostly done...but you never know."

[loki]

Yeah, if he’s not healthy, totally different story, @"Scott41theMavs". You might be right.

---

It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Mavs front office sees it that way. It could pay off in a huge way, or more likely they will end up with no pick, no Schroder, and no Giannis.

With the whole league going for cap space (and no certainty of where the cap will even be set) I would focus on acquiring as much talent as possible, even if it involves long term salary. As long as the players are worth their contracts the Mavs can stay active in free agency through a sign and trade.

So, that’s possible, but on the other hand, signing a free agent isn’t the only way to use the space. I’m not sure it’s the way to go either, but in my internal dialogue about this, I just keep coming back to the thought that 2021 is probably their only shot at a cap space strategy for a long, long time. 

If nothing else, they’ll have this new expiring contract (if that’s the way they go) to combine with THJ at next season’s trade deadline, which will be a time when quite a few teams will be trying to set up space for the following off season. This is exactly how they got Porzingis, and I can imagine how that would be a much more opportune time to take on the type of long term money you’re hoping they take. Could be much better options out there.

Or, even if they opt to go the FA route and strike out, there could potentially be opportunities to absorb contracts into their space from teams where these guys DO want to play, and THEY could be better than the players available in trade right now. Plus, as we’ve seen, performing that service for a team at the last minute usually comes with some sort of draft capital sweetener. 

Bottom line for me is that 2021 is the path that provides the most options. If they get want they want in the meantime, I’m sure they’ll be all in, but it had better be GREAT.

Absorbing contracts is an interesting idea. I would just point out that there will be a lot more competition for that type of deal in 2021 than in years past. And it requires Dallas to renounce all their own free agents including THJ, Schroder, or any other expiring they trade for in 2020. I'm skeptical that the return will be great enough to justify all of that.

I definitely see the value in having another expiring at the deadline, but if that's what Dallas needs to pull off a big trade, there are easier ways to acquire them. Trading Wright, spending the MLE, or re-signing Lee could all get the job done without having to give up a 1st round pick.

And expirings are only one piece of the puzzle. You have to have assets to go along with it. KP would likely be wearing another jersey right now if Dallas had not made DSJ and their draft picks available. I see #18 and #31 this year as a chance to replenish the stock of tradeable assets. Those are much harder to come by than expirings imo.