Mavs trade deadline and draft thread

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

It's just strange to me that a team can significantly improve its roster on both ends of the floor and yet the national media can still say they're trade deadline "losers."

I haven?t seen anyone call the moves as losers. Well except Bill Simmons homer ass. Seen like warm opinions to great moves. And let?s be honest most of these people don?t watch the Mavs and know how undersized this team is.

When you add up Wood for a first, Grant for a first, and now PJ for a first, on the outside looking in without context, that doesn?t look great overall.

But we all know this team just got better. I honestly think they could roll with this group for the next 3-4 seasons.Wel see what happens with Kyrie but if he left you can obviously get a package back so I?m not worried there.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

I haven?t seen anyone call the moves as losers. Well except Bill Simmons homer ass. Seen like warm opinions to great moves. And let?s be honest most of these people don?t watch the Mavs and know how undersized this team is.

When you add up Wood for a first, Grant for a first, and now PJ for a first, on the outside looking in without context, that doesn?t look great overall.

But we all know this team just got better. I honestly think they could roll with this group for the next 3-4 seasons.Wel see what happens with Kyrie but if he left you can obviously get a package back so I?m not worried there.

I forget the exact outlet, but I did see one national outlet list the Mavs as losers. And I'm seeing a lot of "D" letter grades.

But whatever. Fuck 'em. Anyone who actually watches the Mavs knows how desperately we needed a quality backup 5. We're quite good when Lively is on the floor, and quite terrible when he isn't. That should no longer be a problem. PJ has some concerns as well, but I don't think anyone would question that he's better than Williams. At the very least, he's way more athletic, is bigger, and can create his own shot.

[Scoobay]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

I forget the exact outlet, but I did see one national outlet list the Mavs as losers. And I'm seeing a lot of "D" letter grades.

But whatever. Fuck 'em. Anyone who actually watches the Mavs knows how desperately we needed a quality backup 5. We're quite good when Lively is on the floor, and quite terrible when he isn't. That should no longer be a problem. PJ has some concerns as well, but I don't think anyone would question that he's better than Williams. At the very least, he's way more athletic, is bigger, and can create his own shot.

https://theathletic.com/5264863/2024...lysis-2023-24/
The Athletic - excerpt on the Mavs:

Which team helped itself the most during this trade-deadline cycle?

David Aldridge: Dallas. Most people don?t watch the Washington Wizards regularly, and I get that. But I do, and Daniel Gafford has been Washington?s best player this season. (I know ?best? is doing a lot of work in that sentence.)

He?s a great finisher on lobs; Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving will love tossing it up high to him; he has very good hands. When he shoots, he doesn?t miss; he?s top 10 in the league among regular rotation players in both effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage. He attacks the offensive glass. He?s undersized, but he battles on every defensive possession.

He blocks shots, he blocks out bigger opponents, he tries to take charges ? and he talks, something he struggled with earlier in his career. He will help both Dereck Lively II and the Mavs; if Dallas stays out of the Play-In Tournament and is a top-six team in the West, Gafford would be a big help for the Mavs against OKC or the Clippers in a first-round series. I know there?s, uh, debate on our pages about the play of P.J. Washington, but having another long, lively body to surround Dončić and Irving can?t hurt.

Darnell Mayberry: I love the aggressiveness the Mavs continue to show. They have a generational talent in Dončić, who?s having an amazing season, and aren?t wasting his years waiting for player development or a so-called right time to strike. Management in Dallas is going to great lengths to build a championship contender.

They didn?t land a star at the deadline, but the Mavs fortified their frontcourt with the additions of Washington and Gafford. They?ll give Dallas needed stability at the four and five and offer Dončić immediate help with their impactful play at both ends. Washington must find his shooting touch to be a true weapon for Dončić on kickouts. Gafford will thrive working with Dončić as a lob recipient while giving Dallas more rim protection. The Mavs might now be set up to make a deep run.