2024-25 Season Discussion and Speculation Part III

[Ghost of Kleine]

Kinda sad for Mavs fans. What a turnaround in three seasons. Get fined for fixing a game to miss the playoffs, make the finals and now unexpectedly get shocking news about their idol being traded. This league can be harsh. From the Mavs board:

"Became a hard core fan during Dirk’s 2nd season.
I hate the lakers with passion.
Really feel its God telling me to stop spending time on sports and focus on my family…."

Well honestly, they and their fans did kind of earn this karmically for their asinine behavior in that game where our team collapsed under Monty and everyone quit playing. They were pretty mercilessly petty and relentlessly taunting and acting very smugly about the situation. So I don't really feel that badly for their franchise and fans as some might.

What really gets me is that this is really just another glaringly disgusting example of how severely the league coddles and helps or insulates the Flakers at every single opportunity! I get that it's an entertainment business for ratings driven profits and dramatic storylines, but this kind of egregious BS isn't even clever or subtle anymore.

It's just garbage theater type writing. Like their too lazy to even try concealing their collusion in this with the flakers.

[Fo-Real]

With all this Luka talk what about what really matters trying to trade for Jimmy Butler. If Fox gets traded to Spurs perhaps Sacramento will take Beal if both Suns and Miami get in on it.

If the Mavs wanna go all in, then they need to go after JImmy to pair with AD and KY

The only way they can match salaries is by including Klay, PJ, Gafford AND another significant salary like Marshall or Christie. That's WAY too much to give to bring in old ass Jimmy. 4 players for 1 leaves a huge hole. Those assets are good enough to trade for multiple interesting pieces or better just kept. Kyrie, Klay, PJ, AD, Gafford, is a pretty talented group to throw at people. They also have some interesting dudes on that bench.

[BobbieL]

With all this Luka talk what about what really matters trying to trade for Jimmy Butler. If Fox gets traded to Spurs perhaps Sacramento will take Beal if both Suns and Miami get in on it.

If the Mavs wanna go all in, then they need to go after JImmy to pair with AD and KY

I do agree with this actually

It would be Klay Thompson, Gafford and PJ for Butler - -but is Gafford expendable now?

[Ghost of Kleine]

SGA, Wembanyama, and a first to the Lakers for Austin Reeves and a 2nd round pick up next.

A protected 2nd!
Remember, this is the lakers were talking about the NBA's flagship cashflow franchise team/ market and Lebron is their poster boy about to enter retirement and can now hand over the keys to the NBA's future to their gold standard prodigy with European connections to Doncbi***!!


Very good storylines, drama for ratings, BUT ALSO great business connections for their expansion plans for overseas representation by the winningest most well known big name European champion of this generation in Luka being the NBA's new player figurehead!

[BobbieL]

There was a play yesterday where Beal shot a 3, and no Suns went for the rebound. All 4 dropped back in transition. No Blazers leaked out (one of my biggest critiques is running back in transition when no offensive players have leaked out, but so be it). When the Blazers got the ball, the Suns had all 5 players behind them. Beal was between 3 point and midcourt, and the other 4 suns were between mid court and FT line on D.

Despite all of this, we gave up a TRANSITION LAYUP. I think it was Coumara who ran up the right side, and then 2 Suns defenders saw him but continued to jog back / not run, Coumara sprinted and got hit with a 20 foot bounce pass for a layup.

That is the level of halfassed effort that this team is known for.

A team with Mikal and Cam never plays with so little effort.. I despise what Isbhia and KD have done to this team.

I don't care if KD still shoots well or puts forth effort in specific situations. He is super lazy a ton of the game. We play with 0 intensity unless we have the ball.

Both KD and Book are **** wreckless passing the ball. KD opened the game up by rushing a pss to Richards who wasn't even across half court, with 0 ball pressure necessitating it. Later he made a pass cross court ut f bounds 15 feet away from any suns player.

I am tired of the role players getting all the blame. Coaches too. It's BS. Budenholzer is poven as one of the best in the business. We have completely revamped our role players. And Tyus, Beal, Allen, Dunn, Monte as your bench and role playing starter is damn good.

The star players need to start playing hard and leading the team, and that means focus and intensity / giving a ****.

KD is on his **** phone laughing abut the Luka trade while we're getting blown out by scrubs.

I used to blame Russ for the OKC Durant issues, but now I really question whether KD would have ever had a real chance of winning a title if he didn't go to GSW. He is the worst leader imagineable. You can't pay $50+ Mil to a guy who is going to just be a specialist performer. He needs to lead the team.

Same for Book. You see moments of fire from Book but he used to not be this way.

I agree with you. Which is why the Warriors were perfect for Durant and why the Olympic team was perfect for Booker and KD - neither had to be the leader.

And if you add Butler and extend him - that is three guys happy to be making $50-60m per year and not winning

If the reports are true Butler doesn't want to go to Memphis - that tells me he is not about winning - but knows Ishbia will extend him.

And thats fine - go get your cash

[Slim Charless]

With all this Luka talk what about what really matters trying to trade for Jimmy Butler. If Fox gets traded to Spurs perhaps Sacramento will take Beal if both Suns and Miami get in on it.

If the Mavs wanna go all in, then they need to go after JImmy to pair with AD and KY

I do agree with this actually

It would be Klay Thompson, Gafford and PJ for Butler - -but is Gafford expendable now?

He has to be imo. The only way for the Mavs to save face is to win the title this year. A Jimmy/AD/KY combo could probably get it done with some luck

[BobbieL]

With all this Luka talk what about what really matters trying to trade for Jimmy Butler. If Fox gets traded to Spurs perhaps Sacramento will take Beal if both Suns and Miami get in on it.

If the Mavs wanna go all in, then they need to go after JImmy to pair with AD and KY

The only way they can match salaries is by including Klay, PJ, Gafford AND another significant salary like Marshall or Christie. That's WAY too much to give to bring in old ass Jimmy. 4 players for 1 leaves a huge hole. Those assets are good enough to trade for multiple interesting pieces or better just kept. Kyrie, Klay, PJ, AD, Gafford, is a pretty talented group to throw at people. They also have some interesting dudes on that bench.

Mavs are a good team adding AD for Luka this year -- for this year - -since Luka hasn't played much./ Granted if Luka is back I think he makes them better than AD will for the rest of the year

I think you can put the Mavs ahead of the Suns -- another team - even if the Suns get Butler. And the Mavs can still make one more trade - probably not Jimmy for the cost you outline - but they will add another player

[Slim Charless]

Dallas has a 15m trade exception too, so they can use that to get Jimmy I think....?

[BobbieL]

If the Mavs wanna go all in, then they need to go after JImmy to pair with AD and KY

I do agree with this actually

It would be Klay Thompson, Gafford and PJ for Butler - -but is Gafford expendable now?

He has to be imo. The only way for the Mavs to save face is to win the title this year. A Jimmy/AD/KY combo could probably get it done with some luck

I think thats a lot to give up for Jimmy Butler actually - too much. Gafford is fine. But losing PJ and Klay for Butler - just not sure. Granted, they will sign a guy like PJ Tucker when he is bought out. Not that he will add anything

[BobbieL]

Dallas has a 15m trade exception too, so they can use that to get Jimmy I think....?

I didn't think you could combine trade exceptions but who knows?

[bullsaficianado]

Possibly the next trade in a few days

The real question is would they both waive their NTC.

That's why Beal is so hard to trade he is making more money than LeBron James. Think about that for a sec.

[Slim Charless]

Dallas has a 15m trade exception too, so they can use that to get Jimmy I think....?

I didn't think you could combine trade exceptions but who knows?

They have a 15 and a 6 million dollar one. Just use the 15 one and that's enough to bridge the gap to get Jimmy. With some other stuff of course

[BobbieL]

Dallas has a 15m trade exception too, so they can use that to get Jimmy I think....?

I didn't think you could combine trade exceptions but who knows?

They have a 15 and a 6 million dollar one. Just use the 15 one and that's enough to bridge the gap to get Jimmy. With some other stuff of course

I am calling my shot - four team trade

OKC: Ryan Dunn
Phoenix: Butler
Milwaukee: Beal and a FRP from the Suns
Miami: two FRPs from Phoenix (including one from OKC in the Dunn deal) plus whatever cap wise from Milwaukee

My guess, Presti or Brad Stevens are salivating at the thought of Ryan Dunn for a late FRP

[Saberestar]

This is a real disaster for the Mavericks. How in the world they trade one of the UNTOUCHABLE players (Wemby, Jokic, Anteto, SGA and Doncic) without him asking out? It is crazy because Doncic was in the Finals with them some months ago and he is close to enter his prime.
A generational talent who probably would have been a Mavs player for all his career.

Lukas was the Mavs and the Mavs were Luka for the last 6 years. Now the Mavs has lost all their identity.

[dremill24]

Dallas has a 15m trade exception too, so they can use that to get Jimmy I think....?

I didn't think you could combine trade exceptions but who knows?

They have a 15 and a 6 million dollar one. Just use the 15 one and that's enough to bridge the gap to get Jimmy. With some other stuff of course

Not how that works

[KLEON]

This is a real disaster for the Mavericks. How in the world they trade one of the UNTOUCHABLE players (Wemby, Jokic, Anteto, SGA and Doncic) without him asking out? It is crazy because Doncic was in the Finals with them some months ago and he is close to enter his prime.
A generational talent who probably would have been a Mavs player for all his career.

Lukas was the Mavs and the Mavs were Luka for the last 6 years. Now the Mavs has lost all their identity.

That's why I think something that has nothing to do with basketball happened. It's crazy that the Mavs did this deal

[SunsRback4Good]

Who cares what the Mavs and Lakers did? How will this affect our franchise when we are going to suck for the next decade? Let them enjoy this lopsided trade it should mean nothing to our fanbase. It happened it is what it is. Relax

[sunsfan1o1]

AD and a first for Luka is not a bad trade for Dallas. What’s bad is that the Mavs could’ve gotten way more for Doncic if they let other teams know he could be had. Lakers would’ve probably given up 1 or 2 more picks.

[Slim Charless]

I didn't think you could combine trade exceptions but who knows?

They have a 15 and a 6 million dollar one. Just use the 15 one and that's enough to bridge the gap to get Jimmy. With some other stuff of course

I am calling my shot - four team trade

OKC: Ryan Dunn
Phoenix: Butler
Milwaukee: Beal and a FRP from the Suns
Miami: two FRPs from Phoenix (including one from OKC in the Dunn deal) plus whatever cap wise from Milwaukee

My guess, Presti or Brad Stevens are salivating at the thought of Ryan Dunn for a late FRP

Hopefully not. I'll be interested to see how Ishbia and the other owners handle this week. Do they sell their parts, do they go all in, does everyone stand pat and see how this plays out?

No idea. This might be the craziest trade in American sports history. At least the last 30 years or so

[Sunsdeuce]

They have a 15 and a 6 million dollar one. Just use the 15 one and that's enough to bridge the gap to get Jimmy. With some other stuff of course

I am calling my shot - four team trade

OKC: Ryan Dunn
Phoenix: Butler
Milwaukee: Beal and a FRP from the Suns
Miami: two FRPs from Phoenix (including one from OKC in the Dunn deal) plus whatever cap wise from Milwaukee

My guess, Presti or Brad Stevens are salivating at the thought of Ryan Dunn for a late FRP

Hopefully not. I'll be interested to see how Ishbia and the other owners handle this week. Do they sell their parts, do they go all in, does everyone stand pat and see how this plays out?

No idea. This might be the craziest trade in American sports history. At least the last 30 years or so

Ishbia does not see any faults of his own actions or decisions. He will never be a “seller”. That ego is so big I’m surprised his head fits through his office doors.