Now what?

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

I still don't get Brunson wanting to be "the man" while being cool with teaming up with Murray anyway. Made no sense unless he just didn't like Luka.

There doesn't seem to have been a personal issue between them, at least nothing that's been reported. What I have seen though are reports of Brunson's "camp" thinking that he would never fulfill his true potential playing next to "the most ball-dominant player in the league." And I've also seen reports saying that there were "hard feelings" over the Mavs not giving him the extension he wanted. Zach Lowe said that Brunson wanted the Mavs to "outbid" the Knicks, and that execs Lowe spoke to said "if the Knicks offer $25 mil, the Mavs should offer 30."

It sounds like it's a combination of things. I think the biggest factor of all though and the only one that really matters is that the Knicks clearly want him a lot more than the Mavs do. If the Mavs wanted to keep him that badly, they could. But they have their "walkaway price," at 22 million.

Again, I'm not in love with Brunson's game, but there are two really inexcusable failures here by the Mavs. #1- not giving him the extension early on, enabling the Mavs to keep him at a mere fraction of what he costs now, and #2, not working a S&T with the Knicks once it became clear the the Knicks were willing to pay more than the Mavs were.

Losing him is one thing. Losing him for nothing is another.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

There doesn't seem to have been a personal issue between them, at least nothing that's been reported. What I have seen though are reports of Brunson's "camp" thinking that he would never fulfill his true potential playing next to "the most ball-dominant player in the league." And I've also seen reports saying that there were "hard feelings" over the Mavs not giving him the extension he wanted. Zach Lowe said that Brunson wanted the Mavs to "outbid" the Knicks, and that execs Lowe spoke to said "if the Knicks offer $25 mil, the Mavs should offer 30."

It sounds like it's a combination of things. I think the biggest factor of all though and the only one that really matters is that the Knicks clearly want him a lot more than the Mavs do. If the Mavs wanted to keep him that badly, they could. But they have their "walkaway price," at 22 million.

Again, I'm not in love with Brunson's game, but there are two really inexcusable failures here by the Mavs. #1- not giving him the extension early on, enabling the Mavs to keep him at a mere fraction of what he costs now, and #2, not working a S&T with the Knicks once it became clear the the Knicks were willing to pay more than the Mavs were.

Losing him is one thing. Losing him for nothing is another.

I don't get what the motivation for the Knicks giving us value would be?

Why would the Knicks give us talent/picks for a guy they could just sign for free?

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

I don't get what the motivation for the Knicks giving us value would be?

Why would the Knicks give us talent/picks for a guy they could just sign for free?

Well NOW they don't have any incentive, because they cleared the cap space to sign him outright. But they had to trade multiple players to do that. They traded Noel and Burks to Detroit just to clear the cap space. I don't know what the conversations were like behind closed doors, but common sense tells me if the Mavs wanted to facilitate this, they could have. Burks and Noel would have been a fine return for Brunson. I would have been happy with that.

[purplefrog]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

Well NOW they don't have any incentive, because they cleared the cap space to sign him outright. But they had to trade multiple players to do that. They traded Noel and Burks to Detroit just to clear the cap space. I don't know what the conversations were like behind closed doors, but common sense tells me if the Mavs wanted to facilitate this, they could have. Burks and Noel would have been a fine return for Brunson. I would have been happy with that.

Yup. Especially if the reports that the Mavs knew JB was likely departing for the Knicks two weeks ago. If that is true, then you either have to up the ante to your offer or look for a SnT. I am just not sure what to make of all this. Again, feels like old times.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by purplefrog

Yup. Especially if the reports that the Mavs knew JB was likely departing for the Knicks two weeks ago. If that is true, then you either have to up the ante to your offer or look for a SnT. I am just not sure what to make of all this. Again, feels like old times.

Precisely. It feels like the Mavs were indecisive here. Like, they thought they could maybe re-sign him a the price they wanted, so they waited, and then were caught with their pants down when the Knicks went all-out. That's just my impression.

They should have decided very early on to either keep him at all costs, or get something for him. If they wanted facilitate a sign and trade with the Knicks, I think they could have done it easily. But they waited until the Knicks got what they needed elsewhere, and now we get nothing.

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

I don't get what the motivation for the Knicks giving us value would be?

Why would the Knicks give us talent/picks for a guy they could just sign for free?

If you?re the Mavs and you know JB wants to go. Would you have taken Burks/Noel and a 2nd? 2 2nds like Detroit got? Absolutely I would. Honestly I?d prob do it with no picks attached because I think both those players are rotation guys. Kinda seems like the Knicks weren?t interested in engaging with us for a SnT. Maybe a Cuban said we don?t want your trash. Who knows

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by BPo001

If you?re the Mavs and you know JB wants to go. Would you have taken Burks/Noel and a 2nd? 2 2nds like Detroit got? Absolutely I would. Honestly I?d prob do it with no picks attached because I think both those players are rotation guys. Kinda seems like the Knicks weren?t interested in engaging with us for a SnT. Maybe a Cuban said we don?t want your trash. Who knows

We could not have gotten Burks/Noel because of BYC.