Challenge: Turn Dallas into a contender

[babyjax13]

Dallas has made this deal and expects to compete now. They fortunately do have some assets to trade and I think a real contender can be built around AD. With that said, what are some ideas to improve the team? Let's assume their depth chart right now is something like:

(please correct me if I have missed something)
Kyrie Irving/Spencer Dinwiddie/Dante Exum
Max Christie/Quintin Grimes/Jaden Hardy
Naji Marshall/Klay Thompson/PJ Washington/Olivier Maxence-Prosper
Anthony Davis/PJ Washington/Dwight Powell
Dereck Lively/Daniel Gafford/Anthony Davis

Tradeable picks:
2025 DAL 1st
2025 DEN/PHI 2nd (best)
2026 DAL 1st (but only a swap, they can't trade the pick outright b/c their 2027 1st is owed to CHA 1-2 protected)
2028 DAL 1st (swap, OKC has the right to swap their pick with DAL 1st, another team could have the right to swap their pick w/the pick DAL has after)
2029 LAL 1st
2030 DAL 1st
2031 DAL 1st

[Thaddy]

You forgot Thompson.

If they add Butler they could compete this season.

[NYG]

I like Cam as a target

[babyjax13]

I like Cam as a target

Cam makes a lot of sense, hadn't thought about him. Exum, Powell, and Naji works salary wise, then add the 2025 DAL 1st and a swap option in 2026? Naji gets routed to a third team for some 2nds or maybe a late first to Brooklyn? Would Phoenix do the CLE 1st in 2027 + Nurkic to get Marshall?

[HornetJail]

Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a future pick for Luka Doncic

I hear that's fair value

I am sorry

[JimmyPlopper]

I think they can get Butler with what they have.

PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, and as many draft picks as it would take.

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Max Christie / Jaden Hardy
Jimmy Butler / Quentin Grimes
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Dwight Powell

I'd then consider following that up with a trade of Quentin Grimes for a defensive big man like Poeltl (given the injuries to Lively and Powell).

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Jaden Hardy / Dante Exum
Jimmy Butler / Max Christie
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Jakob Poeltl / Dwight Powell

[Godaddycurse]

I think they can get Butler with what they have.

PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, and as many draft picks as it would take.

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Max Christie / Jaden Hardy
Jimmy Butler / Quentin Grimes
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Dwight Powell

I'd then consider following that up with a trade of Quentin Grimes for a defensive big man like Poeltl (given the injuries to Lively and Powell).

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Jaden Hardy / Dante Exum
Jimmy Butler / Max Christie
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Jakob Poeltl / Dwight Powell

Zero interest from Toronto w/o picks involved. also how are they matching salary

[JimmyPlopper]

I think they can get Butler with what they have.

PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, and as many draft picks as it would take.

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Max Christie / Jaden Hardy
Jimmy Butler / Quentin Grimes
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Dwight Powell

I'd then consider following that up with a trade of Quentin Grimes for a defensive big man like Poeltl (given the injuries to Lively and Powell).

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Jaden Hardy / Dante Exum
Jimmy Butler / Max Christie
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Jakob Poeltl / Dwight Powell

Zero interest from Toronto w/o picks involved. also how are they matching salary

Maybe switch from Poeltl to Boucher - didn't realize the salary was so far off

[babyjax13]

I think they can get Butler with what they have.

PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, and as many draft picks as it would take.

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Max Christie / Jaden Hardy
Jimmy Butler / Quentin Grimes
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Dwight Powell

I'd then consider following that up with a trade of Quentin Grimes for a defensive big man like Poeltl (given the injuries to Lively and Powell).

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Jaden Hardy / Dante Exum
Jimmy Butler / Max Christie
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Jakob Poeltl / Dwight Powell

I don't think it should take any draft picks from Dallas if they are offering three very good rotation players. TBH, I think this makes them worse.

[JimmyPlopper]

I think they can get Butler with what they have.

PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, and as many draft picks as it would take.

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Max Christie / Jaden Hardy
Jimmy Butler / Quentin Grimes
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Dwight Powell

I'd then consider following that up with a trade of Quentin Grimes for a defensive big man like Poeltl (given the injuries to Lively and Powell).

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Jaden Hardy / Dante Exum
Jimmy Butler / Max Christie
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Jakob Poeltl / Dwight Powell

I don't think it should take any draft picks from Dallas if they are offering three very good rotation players. TBH, I think this makes them worse.

you don't think it should take more than three rotation players to acquire a major impact player who just happens to be at an impasse with his current team? If that was the case for Miami, I'd imagine Butler would already be gone.

[jayjaysee]

I’d hope Dallas is not considering trading the 2031 first.. But the 2025 should be available. And maybe even the 2030 first because why not?

I don’t think Dallas can really be made into a true contender, but just to make them a more fun 5th seed for a few years?

Ingram seems the low hanging fruit. Matching is easy enough. Can keep one of Gafford or PJ and duck the tax. Depends on how many minutes you promised to play AD at the PF spot. Think everyone would rather keep PJ, but that might not matter? Give Ingram a million more than anyone else will. Attach yourself to a 5 year deal with him since you can’t improve my other way?

Butler is possible. Paul George is a possible.

Wiggins is still possible and now you’re more open to trading PJ.. might help the Butler/GSW ideas honestly?

For even lesser options?

If you can match Butler, you can match LaVine. Let Chicago keep PJ’s trade value. Dallas needs a low salary rotation big back as part of the trade.. Chicago had a low salary backup big..

Going lower still?

Fix the three team with Klay/PJ for RJ Barrett? Add Grimes. Find the third team that values PJ/Grimes enough to make it work, probably keep Klay out of Toronto right? Add Dallas’ 2025 first for Portland 2nd if you want Dallas to do a trade because Nico?

Find someone that can score on their own in the playoffs though..

[babyjax13]

I think they can get Butler with what they have.

PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, and as many draft picks as it would take.

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Max Christie / Jaden Hardy
Jimmy Butler / Quentin Grimes
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Dwight Powell

I'd then consider following that up with a trade of Quentin Grimes for a defensive big man like Poeltl (given the injuries to Lively and Powell).

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Jaden Hardy / Dante Exum
Jimmy Butler / Max Christie
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Jakob Poeltl / Dwight Powell

I don't think it should take any draft picks from Dallas if they are offering three very good rotation players. TBH, I think this makes them worse.

you don't think it should take more than three rotation players to acquire a major impact player who just happens to be at an impasse with his current team? If that was the case for Miami, I'd imagine Butler would already be gone.

I think if a team were offering 3 rotation players on good contracts Miami would have traded him already, but we will see. There is also the obvious fact that Nico Harrison is an idiot, so maybe he will trade all his picks for a 35 year old malcontent who wants an extension.

[JRoy]

They should trade AD, Christie and FRP for Doncic and scrubs.

[jayjaysee]

I think they can get Butler with what they have.

PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, and as many draft picks as it would take.

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Max Christie / Jaden Hardy
Jimmy Butler / Quentin Grimes
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Dwight Powell

I'd then consider following that up with a trade of Quentin Grimes for a defensive big man like Poeltl (given the injuries to Lively and Powell).

Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie / Dante Exum
Klay Thompson / Jaden Hardy / Dante Exum
Jimmy Butler / Max Christie
Anthony Davis / Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Derrick Lively / Jakob Poeltl / Dwight Powell

I don't think it should take any draft picks from Dallas if they are offering three very good rotation players. TBH, I think this makes them worse.

Yeah, I think Dallas would need to use Gafford’s value in order to turn Klay into a two year salary.. And then Miami would be getting PJ and a bunch of bad two year money.. and then Dallas probably has to add their 2025 first?

Realistically, Dallas isn’t signed up to pay Butler with AD’s 35% max on the books. The only way they take on another big contract is if they’re getting paid imo..

[JimmyPlopper]

I don't think it should take any draft picks from Dallas if they are offering three very good rotation players. TBH, I think this makes them worse.

you don't think it should take more than three rotation players to acquire a major impact player who just happens to be at an impasse with his current team? If that was the case for Miami, I'd imagine Butler would already be gone.

I think if a team were offering 3 rotation players on good contracts Miami would have traded him already, but we will see. There is also the obvious fact that Nico Harrison is an idiot, so maybe he will trade all his picks for a 35 year old malcontent who wants an extension.

I smell something fishy about this trade that doesn't have to do with player valuation or anything else. I smell something personal. People become blinded when they (the ownership) want revenge. It's the best explanation I can come up with (regarding Nico Harrison's competence). I think Harrison was doing the same thing Kidd was doing in that press conference - trying to explain away the mistakes of his boss.

As for the trade, I think I just disagree with you about the impact of these three rotation players vs a guy like Butler for a team hoping to win.

[HartfordWhalers]

They should trade AD, Christie and FRP for Doncic and scrubs.

Don't do this.

[winforlose]

I still think Fox might be the guy Dallas brings in. PJ is a four who has been displaced by AD. Klay is trade bait at this point. In a different thread I added Lively to that and perhaps the LAL first and got Fox for the Mavs. The questions are whether Fox would stay in Dallas, and whether Dallas is willing to be a tax team? If Fox will not stay you don’t trade for him. If Dallas is not willing to pay the tax, I doubt they contend, especially as AD ages. This franchise might be better off trying to trade for as much of its own picks as it can (27-30,) and trading AD for as big a package as possible. Contending with this bad a return for Luka is… unlikely.

[winforlose]

you don't think it should take more than three rotation players to acquire a major impact player who just happens to be at an impasse with his current team? If that was the case for Miami, I'd imagine Butler would already be gone.

I think if a team were offering 3 rotation players on good contracts Miami would have traded him already, but we will see. There is also the obvious fact that Nico Harrison is an idiot, so maybe he will trade all his picks for a 35 year old malcontent who wants an extension.

I smell something fishy about this trade that doesn't have to do with player valuation or anything else. I smell something personal. People become blinded when they (the ownership) want revenge. It's the best explanation I can come up with (regarding Nico Harrison's competence). I think Harrison was doing the same thing Kidd was doing in that press conference - trying to explain away the mistakes of his boss.

As for the trade, I think I just disagree with you about the impact of these three rotation players vs a guy like Butler for a team hoping to win.

Dallas didn’t trap Luka in Charlotte or Washington, they sent him to LAL. If this is revenge, it wasn’t exactly mission accomplished. Also I know they say dig two graves, but the only thing that got buried here is the Mavs franchise. This is the kind of return that only gets accomplished in dark rooms with money changing hands and something very much unrelated to basketball behind it.

[JimmyPlopper]

I think if a team were offering 3 rotation players on good contracts Miami would have traded him already, but we will see. There is also the obvious fact that Nico Harrison is an idiot, so maybe he will trade all his picks for a 35 year old malcontent who wants an extension.

I smell something fishy about this trade that doesn't have to do with player valuation or anything else. I smell something personal. People become blinded when they (the ownership) want revenge. It's the best explanation I can come up with (regarding Nico Harrison's competence). I think Harrison was doing the same thing Kidd was doing in that press conference - trying to explain away the mistakes of his boss.

As for the trade, I think I just disagree with you about the impact of these three rotation players vs a guy like Butler for a team hoping to win.

Dallas didn’t trap Luka in Charlotte or Washington, they sent him to LAL. If this is revenge, it wasn’t exactly mission accomplished. Also I know they say dig two graves, but the only thing that got buried here is the Mavs franchise. This is the kind of return that only gets accomplished in dark rooms with money changing hands and something very much unrelated to basketball behind it.

I entertain a lot of conspiracies, and I won't deny what you say is true. But it's not my leading suspicion at this stage. If its all rigged behind that scenes, that would be deeply disappointing.

[winforlose]

I smell something fishy about this trade that doesn't have to do with player valuation or anything else. I smell something personal. People become blinded when they (the ownership) want revenge. It's the best explanation I can come up with (regarding Nico Harrison's competence). I think Harrison was doing the same thing Kidd was doing in that press conference - trying to explain away the mistakes of his boss.

As for the trade, I think I just disagree with you about the impact of these three rotation players vs a guy like Butler for a team hoping to win.

Dallas didn’t trap Luka in Charlotte or Washington, they sent him to LAL. If this is revenge, it wasn’t exactly mission accomplished. Also I know they say dig two graves, but the only thing that got buried here is the Mavs franchise. This is the kind of return that only gets accomplished in dark rooms with money changing hands and something very much unrelated to basketball behind it.

I entertain a lot of conspiracies, and I won't deny what you say is true. But it's not my leading suspicion at this stage. If its all rigged behind that scenes, that would be deeply disappointing.

The loop being closed and the lack of additional assets suggests the Mavs wanted Luka in LAL for a sub optimal return. Explain a competing theory for why the Mavs go along with it?