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

[Jason Terry]

More random thoughts...

So many ways the Mavs could go. I think that any major move that brings in guy number 3 (see how Omahen worked off of my copyright   ) is going to require a trade with the use of future draft compensation. 

As others have pointed out, and in contradiction to Jason Terry (the poster), no rookie of worth has ever not signed the initial max deal when their rookie contract ended. I thought Hayward was the exception, but that was when his first max expired. Ergo, "waiting until Luka signs his max" is not a thing that would prevent trading future firsts. 

THJ's decision today has a lot to do with whether we operate as an over-the-cap team or under-the-cap. I presume he opts in. Unless the MBT are abject fools willing to bid against themselves, I think that his next deal is going to be far smaller, averaging or starting at $13 mil max. His NYK experience exposed him as not being worth the big money. I'm not a fan of his long-term fit here, *at all.* Inadequate creator, not much defense. Doesn't fit in a Luka starting lineup, and too expensive (in the future as well as now) to bring off the bench. I'm fine with him being here next year, but I think he needs to be sent out now or at the trade deadline for guy number 3. We'll see if I'm wrong. 

Re: Donnie's "both sides of the ball" thing - I think that could mean 1) guy number three is an all-offense guy like Gallo or Hield, or 2) a two-way player. I think that Gallo is the one guy out there, with the possible exception of Wood as has been pointed out, who doesn't necessitate THJ being sent out, but I also think that he's a piece that puts you in a position of "still not done yet" for 2021 - still need that secondary creator next to Luka. I think the two best possibly-realistic (non-FVV) options are Bogi and Wood (I am OUT on Hayward due to money and health, unless it's a straight-up for THJ on both guy's PO years, with either no extension or an extension at around half his current salary). I know the whole thing with Wood - "70 game sample size" - but the Mavs also know him well. Wood would obviously start the year as the starting five and then replace DFS at the four when KP returns. I think that that's a legit starting lineup, for sure, but still not a finished team because of Richardson being not quite good enough to be that second playmaker (Brunson? Burke? Tyrell?). In the case of Bogi, if THJ isn't sent out, then dang, I guess Luka is playing the four until we can send out THJ for a big wing or unless Tiger is ready to be our starting four.

I guess my overall evaluation would be, no, the Mavs aren't likely to have their contending lineup in place this year, but as long as they don't stand pat on Friday, they will have made a tremendous leap toward that from last season.

Not just waiting for Luka max but making sure KP isn’t big john wall. IF that were to happen and we already sent out picks for Gallo/Hayward/whoever, we could be screwed. I just think keeping the pick powder dry is important to have ammo to deal with whatever we need once this team faces disappointment at some point. Right now it’s all sunshine and puppies and we know from Dirk that we should’ve taken a longer term approach. We aren’t making the same mistake again

Both sides of the ball thing i think is code for two way players 

Get ready mavs fans. Some of you will be shocked at how well Richardson plays under Rick. I’m talking 4yrs/$100 million starting point for his next contract and we will pay it after our business is done. His caphold is so low that we have great flexibility. We could keep him and still make max space. First team all defense next year for Richardson. Rick will turn him into a better version of RoCo

Hardaway will be back at like $12 million a year if we don’t use the max space