Free Agent, (Trade), Buyout, Extension & Conversion Thread, 2025

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

Massive surprise but I don’t see it the way others do…Dallas would know more about his habits and what they’ve tried to do to get him to change them better than others…his heliocentric not defense style is captivating to watch, but hard to build around and no doubt possibly hard to play with…

Carlisle left as he didn’t want to deal with Luka.

AD is around a top 15 player who is easier to build around and they already knew how Kyrie could run the show there.

It’s ballsy and the shock might make Luka work like he never would have in Dallas, but the trade makes sense to me.

Then again, I’ve never been as high on Luka as most.

AD showed a beta mindset the moment he demanded a trade to the lakers. And if not for a 2 month midseason break that led to him being healthy during the bubble playoffs, he would be a ringless afterthought.
Even if the mavs wanted out of luka, there are so many better deals out there unless luka pulled that trade me to LAL bull behind the scenes

What are the better deals? Draft pick heavy package? Not if you still want to win now.

What player better than AD could they have gotten that would fit well with their roster?

If Dallas could have gotten better and didn’t then yes Nico should be fired, but I’d be surprised if that was the case.

EDIT - reading other teams didn’t know about it…that changes my mind and sounds fishy as hell…while I still am not as high on Luka as others, that changes my mind as it seems like they didn’t even try and see if they could have gotten more…

[ConstableGeneva]

How do you lose all leverage while dealing a top 7 player in his prime? One first? Really? Still feels like FO malpractice even if you no longer wanted anything to do with your franchise player.

[zoyathedestroya]

Mavs got so shook by the Finals gentleman’s sweep with Horford as our starting center that they had to get rid of their franchise player to trade for their own Finals-worthy starting center.

That’s the real untold story and I’m sticking with it.

(The 2nd real untold story is Dallas got so spooked by the Cs’ Kornet-Horford double big configuration that they went waaaaay out of their way to prepare for it.)

[Fierce1]

I think this is all about the money.

Mavs just don't want to invest 345m on a guy who they don't really trust.

[playa-hater]

No matter how good or great you think of Luka, you absolutely could have gotten a much bigger return if there was an actual bidding war.. insanely bad by the Mavericks, but once again it goes to show you how annoying Luka must be to do that to such a young franchise star player.

[phincsfan]

I wouldn’t be surprised if that break in messed with Luka also. Calf injury happened right after it. He may not trust the area anymore.

[playa-hater]

Meanwhile Dallas has three defensive stud centers in my opinion. Would love to get Derek lively for two first round picks..give up Al if necessary.

[Fierce1]

No matter how good or great you think Luka, you absolutely could have gotten much bigger return if there was an actual bidding war.. insanely bad by the Mavericks, but once again it goes to show you how annoying Luca must be to do that to such a young franchise star player.

Here's the thing, if word gets out that Luka will be traded, Luka will do his best to sabotage any deal.

Luka is eligible to sign a 345m supermax deal this July.

If Luka gets traded, like what happened now, the supermax will be off the table.

It was in Luka's best interest that he remains with the Mavs for one more season because the Mavs are the only team who can give him 345m.

Mavs and Lakers did the right thing by blindsiding everyone.

They didn't want it to become like the Jimmy Butler situation.

[Darthlukey]

Massive surprise but I don’t see it the way others do…Dallas would know more about his habits and what they’ve tried to do to get him to change them better than others…his heliocentric not defense style is captivating to watch, but hard to build around and no doubt possibly hard to play with…

Carlisle left as he didn’t want to deal with Luka.

AD is around a top 15 player who is easier to build around and they already knew how Kyrie could run the show there.

It’s ballsy and the shock might make Luka work like he never would have in Dallas, but the trade makes sense to me.

Then again, I’ve never been as high on Luka as most.

AD showed a beta mindset the moment he demanded a trade to the lakers. And if not for a 2 month midseason break that led to him being healthy during the bubble playoffs, he would be a ringless afterthought.
Even if the mavs wanted out of luka, there are so many better deals out there unless luka pulled that trade me to LAL bull behind the scenes

What are the better deals? Draft pick heavy package? Not if you still want to win now.

What player better than AD could they have gotten that would fit well with their roster?

If Dallas could have gotten better and didn’t then yes Nico should be fired, but I’d be surprised if that was the case.

EDIT - reading other teams didn’t know about it…that changes my mind and sounds fishy as hell…while I still am not as high on Luka as others, that changes my mind as it seems like they didn’t even try and see if they could have gotten more…

It sounds and feels just like the pau gasol deal and to a lesser extent the cp3 deal (mind you, at the least the team owner was the voice of reason in the cp3 deal)

[Fierce1]

This is going to be a busy week heading into the trade deadline.

Jaylen Brown and Walsh for Lebron and Bronny

That would be insane!

[playa-hater]

I can't wait for the insiders who say?
How bad everyone really did not like luka..

You get a slow called historic franchise player.And you give him up for short term potential which is not even that good??

[Fierce1]

I can't wait for the insiders who say?
How bad everyone really did not like luka..

You get a slow called historic franchise player.And you give him up for short term potential which is not even that good??

Not so fast!

Lebron is pissed because the Lakers blindsided him about trading AD.

Don't be surprised if Lebron tries to go for another ring and will ask to be traded to Boston for Jaylen Brown.

[phincsfan]

I can't wait for the insiders who say?
How bad everyone really did not like luka..

You get a slow called historic franchise player.And you give him up for short term potential which is not even that good??

Not so fast!

Lebron is pissed because the Lakers blindsided him about trading AD.

Don't be surprised if Lebron tries to go for another ring and will ask to be traded to Boston for Jaylen Brown.

If there’s one team LeBron will never ask to be traded to it’s Boston.

[Fierce1]

I can't wait for the insiders who say?
How bad everyone really did not like luka..

You get a slow called historic franchise player.And you give him up for short term potential which is not even that good??

Not so fast!

Lebron is pissed because the Lakers blindsided him about trading AD.

Don't be surprised if Lebron tries to go for another ring and will ask to be traded to Boston for Jaylen Brown.

If there’s one team LeBron will never ask to be traded to it’s Boston.

Maybe the chance for a 5th ring will be the difference this time around.

[ThePigeon]

I can't wait for the insiders who say?
How bad everyone really did not like luka..

You get a slow called historic franchise player.And you give him up for short term potential which is not even that good??

Not so fast!

Lebron is pissed because the Lakers blindsided him about trading AD.

Don't be surprised if Lebron tries to go for another ring and will ask to be traded to Boston for Jaylen Brown.

I would rather keep JB for a chance to get multiple rings
And I don't like all the attention LeQueen is getting and bringing to a team

The owners will do it just for the added income

[Fierce1]

I can't wait for the insiders who say?
How bad everyone really did not like luka..

You get a slow called historic franchise player.And you give him up for short term potential which is not even that good??

Not so fast!

Lebron is pissed because the Lakers blindsided him about trading AD.

Don't be surprised if Lebron tries to go for another ring and will ask to be traded to Boston for Jaylen Brown.

I would rather keep JB for a chance to get multiple rings
And I don't like all the attention LeQueen is getting and bringing to a team

The owners will do it just for the added income

True.

Imagine Lebron wearing Celtic green.

That would be the #1 selling jersey in an instant.

[cloverleaf]

Will this be the wakeup call Luka needed? Will the Lakers be able to get more out of him?

If so, he can make up the max guarantee lost via eventual endorsements and the like. That will determine who got the better part of the deal. (Other than Danny, with his nose in there, getting ever more picks.)

[ryan in Maine]

Unless Luka demanded a trade there's 100% going to be an investigation into Miriam Adelson lol.

[phincsfan]

Will this be the wakeup call Luka needed? Will the Lakers be able to get more out of him?

If so, he can make up the max guarantee lost via eventual endorsements and the like. That will determine who got the better part of the deal. (Other than Danny, with his nose in there, getting ever more picks.)

The wake up call should be for Kyrie because no one wants to play with him for the last 10 years

[Celts17Pride]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATT???!!!!

Read on Twitter

Wow!!! What a shocker