[Charania]: P.J. Washington To Dallas

[jayjaysee]

For who?

Dallas obviously. Charlotte gets a first for a very small drop off in player. That's a clear win.

That pick is not going to be very good. Luka still in his prime. Mavs did great, imo.

That’s the hope.

What player has been so unhappy with their front office that they demanded out before getting the super max?

[jbk1234]

I'm less down on this trade for the Mavs than others. The price was steep, but with Gafford and Luka helping out with rebounding. I can see PJ working out. I could see it not working out, but with Kyrie and Luka in the roster now, I get it.

[JDR720]

PJ gives Mavs size and rebounding.. I like the player and I think he has more value to a playoff team than he showed in Charlotte

That's actually the opposite of what PJ is. He's a pretty terrible rebounder and he's 6'7. He can play small ball C though and guard most players, so he's a good utility player that can occasionally get hot from distance.

PJ will do better in Dallas for sure. He was asked to do too much in Charlotte. He should be a really good do-it-all glue guy for Dallas.

That said, giving us a basically unprotected 1st right around the same time Kyrie and Luka are entering free agency is super risky. Like, they could end up trading a top 5 pick for PJ Washington.

This is a championship or bust trade for Dallas.

[zimpy27]

PJ gives Mavs size and rebounding.. I like the player and I think he has more value to a playoff team than he showed in Charlotte

That's actually the opposite of what PJ is. He's a pretty terrible rebounder and he's 6'7. He can play small ball C though and guard most players, so he's a good utility player that can occasionally get hot from distance.

PJ will do better in Dallas for sure. He was asked to do too much in Charlotte. He should be a really good do-it-all glue guy for Dallas.

That said, giving us a basically unprotected 1st right around the same time Kyrie and Luka are entering free agency is super risky. Like, they could end up trading a top 5 pick for PJ Washington.

This is a championship or bust trade for Dallas.

You haven't seen GWill play for you yet at PF.

[Goon]

PJ gives Mavs size and rebounding.. I like the player and I think he has more value to a playoff team than he showed in Charlotte

That's actually the opposite of what PJ is. He's a pretty terrible rebounder and he's 6'7. He can play small ball C though and guard most players, so he's a good utility player that can occasionally get hot from distance.

PJ will do better in Dallas for sure. He was asked to do too much in Charlotte. He should be a really good do-it-all glue guy for Dallas.

That said, giving us a basically unprotected 1st right around the same time Kyrie and Luka are entering free agency is super risky. Like, they could end up trading a top 5 pick for PJ Washington.

This is a championship or bust trade for Dallas.

Given the length of contracts and the age structure of the roster, this team definitely isn't championship or bust. I'd say this team is much better positioned long-term than it was a year ago. And it's not like the Mavs are without picks. They only lost one on deadline day. They will have 2025 1st and 2031 1st available to trade after the 2024 draft. They also still own the 2026 1st, will receive the worst of DAL and OKC 1st in 2028, and the worst from SAS and DAL in 2030.

[CoP]

Reports that Grant Williams was rubbing people the wrong way. Not surprised.

However, at some point in the future there may need to be an acknowledgment from all that Luka is an amazing individual offensive talent who nonetheless is extremely difficult to build a team around.

[BK_2020]

Reports that Grant Williams was rubbing people the wrong way. Not surprised.

However, at some point in the future there may need to be an acknowledgment from all that Luka is an amazing individual offensive talent who nonetheless is extremely difficult to build a team around.

Not Luka's fault the Dallas FO gave a 4 year MLE contract to a guy who was getting DNP-CDs on his old team.

[CoP]

Reports that Grant Williams was rubbing people the wrong way. Not surprised.

However, at some point in the future there may need to be an acknowledgment from all that Luka is an amazing individual offensive talent who nonetheless is extremely difficult to build a team around.

Not Luka's fault the Dallas FO gave a 4 year MLE contract to a guy who was getting DNP-CDs on his old team.

Not arguing whether Grant can be difficult sometimes, but let's be honest, teams will deal with someone who's kind of a pain if he's playing well.

Why is that so many role players seem to struggle around Luka? Is this 100% a front office issue, or is it reasonable to hypothesize that it's extremely difficult to build a successful team around a ball-dominant guard whose offense is brilliant but whose defense is questionable-to-bad? Aren't we seeing a similar thing happening in Atlanta?

[BK_2020]

Reports that Grant Williams was rubbing people the wrong way. Not surprised.

However, at some point in the future there may need to be an acknowledgment from all that Luka is an amazing individual offensive talent who nonetheless is extremely difficult to build a team around.

Not Luka's fault the Dallas FO gave a 4 year MLE contract to a guy who was getting DNP-CDs on his old team.

Not arguing whether Grant can be difficult sometimes, but let's be honest, teams will deal with someone who's kind of a pain if he's playing well.

Why is that so many role players seem to struggle around Luka? Is this 100% a front office issue, or is it reasonable to hypothesize that it's extremely difficult to build a successful team around a ball-dominant guard whose offense is brilliant but whose defense is questionable-to-bad? Aren't we seeing a similar thing happening in Atlanta?

Grant Williams. Sucks. He sucked with the Celtics and predictably sucked with the Mavs. Will suck in Charlotte.
THJ. Sucks. Sucked on every team he played on. Unsurprisingly sucks with the Mavs.
Josh Green. He sucks.
Kleber. He sucks.
Powell. A terrible player.
Dallas just has a lot of really bad role players. Luka can make them look better by getting them open shots but he can't fix their dribbling or finishing or defending.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Not Luka's fault the Dallas FO gave a 4 year MLE contract to a guy who was getting DNP-CDs on his old team.

Not arguing whether Grant can be difficult sometimes, but let's be honest, teams will deal with someone who's kind of a pain if he's playing well.

Why is that so many role players seem to struggle around Luka? Is this 100% a front office issue, or is it reasonable to hypothesize that it's extremely difficult to build a successful team around a ball-dominant guard whose offense is brilliant but whose defense is questionable-to-bad? Aren't we seeing a similar thing happening in Atlanta?

Grant Williams. Sucks. He sucked with the Celtics and predictably sucked with the Mavs. Will suck in Charlotte.
THJ. Sucks. Sucked on every team he played on. Unsurprisingly sucks with the Mavs.
Josh Green. He sucks.
Kleber. He sucks.
Powell. A terrible player.
Dallas just has a lot of really bad role players. Luka can make them look better by getting them open shots but he can't fix their dribbling or finishing or defending.

I mean, the issue here is mostly how much worse Porzingis and Brunson played with Luka.

[BK_2020]

Not arguing whether Grant can be difficult sometimes, but let's be honest, teams will deal with someone who's kind of a pain if he's playing well.

Why is that so many role players seem to struggle around Luka? Is this 100% a front office issue, or is it reasonable to hypothesize that it's extremely difficult to build a successful team around a ball-dominant guard whose offense is brilliant but whose defense is questionable-to-bad? Aren't we seeing a similar thing happening in Atlanta?

Grant Williams. Sucks. He sucked with the Celtics and predictably sucked with the Mavs. Will suck in Charlotte.
THJ. Sucks. Sucked on every team he played on. Unsurprisingly sucks with the Mavs.
Josh Green. He sucks.
Kleber. He sucks.
Powell. A terrible player.
Dallas just has a lot of really bad role players. Luka can make them look better by getting them open shots but he can't fix their dribbling or finishing or defending.

I mean, the issue here is mostly how much worse Porzingis and Brunson played with Luka.

They both played well. They were just younger and in Porzingis' case returning from a major injury.

[deb]

Reports that Grant Williams was rubbing people the wrong way. Not surprised.

However, at some point in the future there may need to be an acknowledgment from all that Luka is an amazing individual offensive talent who nonetheless is extremely difficult to build a team around.

Not Luka's fault the Dallas FO gave a 4 year MLE contract to a guy who was getting DNP-CDs on his old team.

Not arguing whether Grant can be difficult sometimes, but let's be honest, teams will deal with someone who's kind of a pain if he's playing well.

Why is that so many role players seem to struggle around Luka? Is this 100% a front office issue, or is it reasonable to hypothesize that it's extremely difficult to build a successful team around a ball-dominant guard whose offense is brilliant but whose defense is questionable-to-bad? Aren't we seeing a similar thing happening in Atlanta?

There are more roleplayers that had career or at least very good years playing with Luka than roleplayers who couldn't play with him. Look at Dinwiddie, a low % chucker his entire career, 50/40/80 player for the mavs. Derrick Jones jr. having his career year this year. Exum's rehabilitation. Bullock. BK_2020 mentioned THJ, Kleber, Powell... That's just of the top of my head.

The problem is the FO, cycling through other teams rejects and then overpaying random scrubs having career years next to Doncic. After the low point of 22/23 season at least now the team has depth and seems well rounded. There are no horrible contracts on the mavs anymore and there are still assets to be traded in the future.

The price has indeed been steep though and if Doncic leaves, the mavs are in deep dudu, won't be able to properly rebuild until well in the 2030s...

[Mike lorenzo]

I really don't think Luka will leave the Mavs, he has the keys and can do and undo as he pleases. I find it curious that lately the Mavs lose value on each transfer date to have to get rid of "bad apples"... G.Williams /Mcgee/KP.... It's also curious that it is reported that Luka really liked PJ and that's why they chased him... I would never have imagined Luka watching Hornets games in his free time... although I like him...

[MasterIchiro]

I really don't think Luka will leave the Mavs, he has the keys and can do and undo as he pleases. I find it curious that lately the Mavs lose value on each transfer date to have to get rid of "bad apples"... G.Williams /Mcgee/KP.... It's also curious that it is reported that Luka really liked PJ and that's why they chased him... I would never have imagined Luka watching Hornets games in his free time... although I like him...

When you get the chance check out the new team photos of Seth Curry and Grant Williams wearing the Hornets uniform. Their smiles shoot through the screen.

Hornets pursued both in free agency.

[BeiBeau]

I really don't think Luka will leave the Mavs, he has the keys and can do and undo as he pleases. I find it curious that lately the Mavs lose value on each transfer date to have to get rid of "bad apples"... G.Williams /Mcgee/KP.... It's also curious that it is reported that Luka really liked PJ and that's why they chased him... I would never have imagined Luka watching Hornets games in his free time... although I like him...

When you get the chance check out the new team photos of Seth Curry and Grant Williams wearing the Hornets uniform. Their smiles shoot through the screen.

Hornets pursued both in free agency.

The Hornets photo of Grant is a photo shop from his Dallas team photo.

Grant certainly isn’t a bad apple to the level C. Wood or KP was but he is abrasive and a talker which only work if you’re playing well.

[Michaellam1987]

PJ gives Mavs size and rebounding.. I like the player and I think he has more value to a playoff team than he showed in Charlotte

That's actually the opposite of what PJ is. He's a pretty terrible rebounder and he's 6'7. He can play small ball C though and guard most players, so he's a good utility player that can occasionally get hot from distance.

PJ will do better in Dallas for sure. He was asked to do too much in Charlotte. He should be a really good do-it-all glue guy for Dallas.

That said, giving us a basically unprotected 1st right around the same time Kyrie and Luka are entering free agency is super risky. Like, they could end up trading a top 5 pick for PJ Washington.

This is a championship or bust trade for Dallas.

With generational talent in Luka, DAL has no choice but to build the best possible roster surrounding him. Obviously a top 2 protected #1 may be too much for player like PJ. However, big frontcourt player with decent size + mobility is very rare in the market. In the worst case, DAL can still trade Luka in FY26, and I am sure they can get over 20 teams to give them competitive offers for DAL to retool/rebuild.

[jayjaysee]

DAL can still trade Luka in FY26, and I am sure they can get over 20 teams to give them competitive offers for DAL to retool/rebuild.

Yeah, that’s definitely the worst case but is something that Dallas at least has control of the 2026 first (as of now..) so if Luka does demand out in 12 or 18 months, Dallas would be in a position to do a terrible tank for a year and try to build off one high draft pick, Lively, and Luka’s trade return.. Will be closer to Brooklyn’s current group than Houston’s.. But will throw around cap space and put together a team that competes for the play-in either way with the hope in the 2026 draft pick/Luka center piece..

In the off season, when Dallas trades the 2026 swap, that’s when the comments here make sense.

[CoP]

Not Luka's fault the Dallas FO gave a 4 year MLE contract to a guy who was getting DNP-CDs on his old team.

Not arguing whether Grant can be difficult sometimes, but let's be honest, teams will deal with someone who's kind of a pain if he's playing well.

Why is that so many role players seem to struggle around Luka? Is this 100% a front office issue, or is it reasonable to hypothesize that it's extremely difficult to build a successful team around a ball-dominant guard whose offense is brilliant but whose defense is questionable-to-bad? Aren't we seeing a similar thing happening in Atlanta?

Grant Williams. Sucks. He sucked with the Celtics and predictably sucked with the Mavs. Will suck in Charlotte.
THJ. Sucks. Sucked on every team he played on. Unsurprisingly sucks with the Mavs.
Josh Green. He sucks.
Kleber. He sucks.
Powell. A terrible player.
Dallas just has a lot of really bad role players. Luka can make them look better by getting them open shots but he can't fix their dribbling or finishing or defending.

Major over exaggeration. He doesn't suck. He wasn't great with the Celtics, but he was decent. Several teams were pursuing him for a sign and trade.

It's always always always everyone else's fault on the Mavs. KP wasn't good enough. Neither was Brunson. Neither was role player after role player after role player. And Kyrie won't be good enough either.

Some role players have done well with Luka too. But you know, maybe it's just really hard to build a great team around Luka. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that.

[jayjaysee]

Too soon for overreaction? Probably.

But going to love PJ and Maxi. (Hopefully we don’t have to play any team with someone that weighs over 240..?)

[BeiBeau]

Reports that Grant Williams was rubbing people the wrong way. Not surprised.

However, at some point in the future there may need to be an acknowledgment from all that Luka is an amazing individual offensive talent who nonetheless is extremely difficult to build a team around.

Not Luka's fault the Dallas FO gave a 4 year MLE contract to a guy who was getting DNP-CDs on his old team.

Not arguing whether Grant can be difficult sometimes, but let's be honest, teams will deal with someone who's kind of a pain if he's playing well.

Why is that so many role players seem to struggle around Luka? Is this 100% a front office issue, or is it reasonable to hypothesize that it's extremely difficult to build a successful team around a ball-dominant guard whose offense is brilliant but whose defense is questionable-to-bad? Aren't we seeing a similar thing happening in Atlanta?

DJJ and Exum are having career years. Dinwiddie has been rough everywhere except for Dallas with Luka. DFS had his best years with Luka. Luka sustained Bullock and Powell’s careers for years.

The only player better in the league at elevating his teammates is Jokic.

Also you clearly haven’t been watching Dallas this season. Luka is a plus on defense.