Post#113 » by JJP » Sat Oct 24, 2020 9:52 pm
I don't think anyone good gets offered a long-term contract by the Mavs in free agency. We could take on contracts through trades, but my guess is they use the MLE on good players who are left out of the long-term contracts for 2020. A lot of this is based on the presumption that Hardaway ops in - which he probably will.
I think players like Wood may be too good to miss out on a long-term contract. But you never know. Some players will have reasons to take a one-year deal and get overpaid with the MLE if they think it will be best to jump into free agency next year and seek a long-term contract when the market may be more competitive. So players like Gallinari, Justin Holiday, and Wood might actually choose a one-year deal. For the older players, I wouldn't bet on it, but each player is facing different circumstances. Also remeber, a team can offer a player a two-year contract with a "team option" for the second year. This allows a team like the Mavs to cut bait on some players if it turns out Giannis is really seeking a new destination.
In the end, I think Dallas will make trades if they can, and then use the MLE on any number of players that might accept a good situation like Dallas. Remember Dallas is a good place to boost your 3-point percentage if you're a wing and there's likely playoff potential. This is a different kind of destination now. I suspect Dallas will get good rotation help with the MLE, and possibly a starter in a trade. However, I do not expect them to offer any long-term contracts until the next free agency season.
Don't count on players like Wood, Jerami Grant, or Gallinari to sign with the Mavs for a one-year deal. And I rather doubt guys like Crowder are even a possibility since other teams will want him. It's far more likely, the Mavs get good second tier players to shore up their defense, offer the MLE for one or even two good rotation players, and hope for a good draft pick or two. Everyone is a bit star-struck on this board, but I don't really see that happening this season.
People like to grouse about "keeping the powder dry for Giannis," but the reality is that 2021 is really a better free agency season than this season. Remember, guys like Jrue Holiday will be free agents in 2021 no matter where they get traded this season. So will Kelly Oubre, Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry, Rudy Gobert, Victor Oladipo, Even Fournier, Kelly Olynk, Tony Snell, Norman Powell, Josh Richardson, etc. The free agent landscape is simply better next season than this one.
That's my humble opinion.