So, what do y'all do if you're the Mavs? They have control of their pick this season, then not for a very long time. If I'm them, I think about (1) trading AD for the best package; and (2) convincing Kyrie to sit out this year. It'd be tempting to trade guys like PJ and Gafford, but I would try to hold onto them unless a really solid offer comes in. Try and get a high pick in the upcoming draft, then hit the ground running next season. Flagg, Lively, Christie, and a good pick in the next draft is not a bad young core, plus whatever you'll get from the AD trade. And they'd have solid vets in Kyrie, PJ, Gafford, etc. Basically a quick retooling.
The owner is part of the issue too. The owner did not want to pay Doncic. So, there may still be issues.
Nico is nothing more than a convenient scapegoat. There's no way the Mavs trade Luka without the consent (likely even the urging) of ownership, including Mark Cuban. And I have some oceanfront property for sale in Arizona for anyone who tries to convince me otherwise.
Not gonna lie, I wouldn’t mind getting him. He would give us the offensive and defensive punch that we’re missing in tight games. That and he’s the only one I see available where we can hang onto Amen, Alpi and Reed. And Durant of course.
It isn't much consolation for Mavs fans that Harrison is fired. They STILL traded away a generational talent and perennial MVP candidate for 1 FRP and Mr Glass. They seriously should strip back the team for assets and shoot for bottom 5 this year (and maybe next) and then build around Flagg + whatever else they get
The best ability is availability which Davis isn’t qualified. The only way I’d look at getting him if his price was on clearance
I think it’s ridiculous how this guy has been scapegoated in this situation. That trade never happens without ownership’s approval. The owners clearly have their own motives, and I don’t think those will be fully revealed for a while. But the way people are calling this guy the dumbest person in sports, as if he made that move on his own volition, is absurd.
Why do people think this? Nico was flexing like hell right after the trade happened. He conducted secret negotiations with his friend to get a player that he has a long relationship with and there has been all kind of reporting about his friction with Luka and "Luka people" in the org that he ultimately purged. It's pretty clear he was the driver behind it. Obviously Dumont ultimately signed off on it and that's an indictment on him as well since it became pretty clearly he doesn't know basketball that well but they even both said Dumont thought Nico was joking when he originally approached him about trading Luka. Even if Dumont wanted Luka gone (evidence doesn't support this) it seems off the charts unlikely he told his GM to secretly negotiate with his friend Rod Pelinka to trade him for Anthony Davis.
They don't have their pick next year. They need to tank, get lottery luck again, and trade AD and ultimately Kyrie, ideally in a way that gets picks of theirs back. Since we have swap rights with them in 2029 hopefully they try to salvage this season at the expense of rebuilding, though.
The driving factor was almost certainly his next contract salary, which as a max would be $80m per year plus luxury tax penalties. They must have reasoned that they couldn't lowball him without him walking. As for Nico flexing like hell -- certainly ownership would make him do that too or he'd be fired on the spot. I don't put much stock in what Nico or Dumont said publicly. They have major incentives to spin. Certainly, Nico should have got at least another pick or two, but I think what it comes down to is the new owners don't care that much about winning a championship. Cuban actually spent a lot to make the team competitive, both on salaries and improving their facilities. Doesn't seem like the new owners are interested in that.
They have the 4th highest payroll in the league right now. If you want to tear down and cut costs you don't trade for AD making over $60 million a year, presumably to be extended if this had worked out, especially sending out a guy who sells a crapload of jerseys and was the transition face of the franchise to extend a 24 year sellout streak that just ended. You also don't sign Klay Thompson for 3 yrs/$50mm, trade for Caleb Martin with nearly 3 years and $30 million left on his deal, etc. I don't think I've ever seen a GM as arrogant after a trade as Nico was. Pelinka definitely wasn't after fleecing the Mavs. If you are pointing to Cuban, he's said himself Nico maneuvered to push him out.
Yikes! I didn't realise that 2026 is basically their only decent pick chance until 2031 (swaps/ traded until then)
