The Mavericks aren’t expected to engage in a full-fledged fire sale before this Thursday’s trade deadline, but the team appears to be focused on the future as they mull potential roster moves. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein (Twitter link), team owner Mark Cuban said on Monday that Dallas is willing to take on cumbersome contracts this week if draft picks are attached to those deals.
Salary-dump trades in which teams take on contracts and receive a draft pick or two for their troubles aren’t uncommon. In fact, one such deal has received extra attention this week — the Sixers and Kings completed such a swap back in 2015, with Philadelphia taking on a few contracts from Sacramento and receiving first-round swap rights in 2016 and 2017 in the deal, along with an unprotected 2019 pick. That now looks like an especially prescient move on the Sixers’ behalf.
The Mavs may not be in a position to make a deal like that, if only because the team doesn’t have the necessary cap room to absorb a salary without sending money out in return. In fact, Dallas is so far over the cap that the team is only about $1MM from going into the tax. As such, a more realistic scenario involving the Mavs would see Cuban’s club taking on an unwieldy long-term contract in exchange for a shorter-term deal, and getting a pick out of the exchange.
In addition to accommodating salary dumps, the Mavs are believed to be exploring moving veterans who aren’t part of their long-term plans, including perhaps Andrew Bogut. According to Mike Fisher of Scout.com, a league source believes that Bogut will be a fallback option for the Celtics at the deadline if Danny Ainge is unable to land a big fish.
Fisher suggests the Mavs could get a future first-round pick in such a deal, though a Boston Globe report from earlier today indicated that Boston will be reluctant to part with a first-rounder in a trade for a role player. The Bogut scenario with the Celtics would perhaps be a good spot for Dallas to take on an unwanted contract in order to get a first-round pick, but there aren’t any expendable, overpaid players on long-term deals on Boston’s roster.
trade lou for a 1st, attach that 1st to mozgov and/or deng and move those terrible deals. I doubt they take both but it’s worth a shot
The mavs can take joakim noah and the Knicks first rounder next year lol
Remember when the media narrative on Hinkie was, “any GM can lose a lot of games on purpose”?
“In fact, one such deal has received extra attention this week — the Sixers and Kings completed such a swap back in 2015, with Philadelphia taking on a few contracts from Sacramento and receiving first-round swap rights in 2016 and 2017 in the deal, along with an unprotected 2019 pick. That now looks like an especially prescient move on the Sixers’ behalf.”
Good times.
As for taking on contracts, the only team with worse contracts than the Mavericks are the Pelicans (Asik, Ajinca) and Portland (Crabbe, Turner) and Lakers (Deng, Mozgov).
And riddle me this:
How is taking on bad contracts worth a first round pick, but taking on Jahlil Okafor’s rookie deal not? If this is true, there’s something absolutely wrong with the way the Modern NBA.
True, Okafor is no defender. But for there to be no place in the league for a 21 year 6’11 kid with such scoring ability is beyond fathomable. As much as folks dissed Enes Kanter for the same reasons as Okafor, Kanter was probably the leading candidate for 6thman of the year.
Making me more confused is Washginton willing to pay a first rounder for Lou Williams a former sixth man of the year.
All that needs to be done to “gently fix” the modern game is to make the three point line uniform at 23’9. By cutting out the corner three, you still reward the best shooters, yet re-invigorate great two point scorers.
No one said first round picks. Just… picks.
Second round picks can be bought for far less than taking on multimillion dollar bad contracts. See Golden State, Patrick McCaw, #34 2017.
His scoring doesn’t make up for his terrible defense. He’s not a rim protector and he’s too slow to not be exposed on pick and rolls. Also, Crabbe’s contract isn’t that terrible. It’s not great, but Turner’s and Leonard’s contracts are both worse.
Haha Meyers Leonard’s contract is so bad