M.C. Swag said:

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AD already hurt and out for the game.

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lol man that dude sucks

DannyDuberstein said:

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To update the Street Clothes-Mavs Version injury tote board, he's at 40 games missed out of 64 since joining the team, making the guy traded for 25 year old generational talent Luka Doncic virtually untradeable 10 short months later. Cannot make this **** up

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We should be allowed to undo the trade

I can honestly say that I've never seen another player miss time due to "groin spasms".

I'm just glad they already had towel boys at the ready to wipe down the court

PatAg said:

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I see 2 IFs that are very unlikely
AD will be hurt again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again , kyrie will not be the same if he comes back

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FIFY

Chris Haynes:

(The Warriors are) contemplating making a case to acquire Anthony Davis as well. Dallas was not that fascinated with what Golden State has on its books...they would likely have to acquire some more assets or involve another team" pic.twitter.com/mJaK7J2k85

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) December 27, 2025

Chris Haynes:

"The Atlanta Hawks remain very intrigued with the possibility of acquiring Anthony Davis via a trade. If a deal was able to materialize...it would not involve Trae Young" pic.twitter.com/j9EG7IrkoU

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) December 27, 2025

Get that Pelican's pick.

"It's unbelievable! It is a miracle! ... Stranger things have happened!"

On this day in 2022, Luka Doncic hit this INSANE game-tying putback off a missed free throw to send Mavs-Knicks into OT while recording this stat line 👀

60 PTS
21 REBS
10 ASTS
Winpic.twitter.com/Gu0wEKyrsz

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 27, 2025

The Hawks interest in Anthony Davis is ‘real,’ per @TheSteinLine

“The Hawks are a real-deal suitor for Davis. Just how far, though, are they willing to go in terms of a Davis offer? Haynes also reported that Trae Young would not be included in such a swap, but that creates… pic.twitter.com/LyJYTNG7P6

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 29, 2025

I think they are going to panic trade after going 2-10 so far in December with a bottom 5 defense.

With the assumption of no Trae, Kristaps has to be included. If they are trying to get the Hawks to eat salary, you can financially do:

Kristaps, Risacher, Kennard (Kristaps/Kennard are expiring contracts)
for
AD, Jalen Hardy, DLo.

Mavs save 11M this year, Hawks go 6M into the tax, but stay below 1st apron. Mavs get within $6M of the luxury tax line. Currently 16.8M over the tax. They can probably get the rest of the way there by dumping Klay or getting value for Gafford.

As for picks, the Hawks own:

2026: Pelicans, Cleveland (their pick will be swapped to Spurs, then the Spurs pick swapped to Cleveland - complicated swap)
2027: Least favorable of Pelicans/Bucks pick, but protected 1-4 (so if both Bucks and Pelicans are top 4, they both go to NO)
2028: 2nd best pick of Utah, Cleveland, Atlanta
2029-2032: Their own pick

If they panic trade, I could see them give up this year's Cleveland pick and one other pick.

The Hawks feel like the most obvious team at this point. Jalen Johnson has turned into a real deal top 15 player in the league with the arrow pointed up, and they could use an another super star player to go along with him.

I agree with pretty much what you're evaluating the trade with. I think Risacher would have to be in it if you're the Mavs, with two future firsts (the rest would just be expirings). The only thing I would add is hell would have to freeze over before Atlanta traded that 2026 pelicans pick. The Pels are destined to finish probably top 3 worst teams even with how good Derik Queen is. There's 0.0% chance that pick is on the table, and you're right I don't think they'd lose sleep over Cleveland's pick.

That Pelicans pick won't be on the table, but I do think the Pelicans can finish above 3rd worst when teams get down to tanking. They just reeled off a 5-game win streak including beating the Rockets. I think the Pelicans end up around 6-9 worst.

They are still a deeply flawed team, but I think they will probably be active in trade talks. DeJounte Murray is practicing again, too.

The Cavs pick this year and the 2028 pick is probably what they pay. But that team is still super flawed. Johnson is putting up video game numbers, but his defense went from promising to forward Trae Young levels. He's just watching things happen.

Also could be a bigger part of a 3-team trade, which becomes even more difficult to predict.

I think the defensive stuff is a lot of guys mid-year NBA. Just lacks intensity. At least Johnson could probably turn it up a notch when it matters. Some guys like Luka just aren't or can't.

Overall though I agree that if the Hawks were to offer up Risacher, Cleveland's pick this year and maybe the bucks pick next year, you probably take it in some capacity.

Quote:

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Overall though I agree that if the Hawks were to offer up Risacher, Cleveland's pick this year and maybe the bucks pick next year, you probably take it in some capacity.

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Especially if you can cut DLo and Hardy's salary, which the Hawks would be wary of doing because they never pay the tax. But that's the price to pay to get your defensive anchor. Now they can roll:

AD-Okongwu-Johnson-Daniels-Trae with NAW as 6th man

That looks like a much more reasonable team for the 8 games after the AS break that AD plays.

Trade AD, and then try to trade Klay for an ending contract. You could trade to Orlando for Jonathan Issac and Issac's contract is only 8M guaranteed next year and unguaranteed after. Orlando gets a healthy player that can shoot and Dallas saves 9M next year by just cutting Issac and saves another 2M this year.

Or send Klay + Martin to Miami for Rozier's contract. Clear's 27M next year. Martin was a good role player for them previously and they could add more shooting, especially if they made a trade where Herro is gone.

Klay is bright, so maybe Utah would want him for Niang+SloMo.

If Milwaukee can't move Kuz on anyone else, Kuz for Klay+Martin. That's nasty for both teams, but Klay is at least a better shooter and smarter player for Giannis. Kuz has 1y 20M left, so about 8M cheaper than Klay+Martin next year.

A few ways to dump off Klay and get some cap space next year. I think the Miami trade makes the most sense if Miami would take on Martin.

If the Mavs dumped Klay+Martin on Miami and did the Hawks trade above, there would be 129.7M spent on

C: Gaff, Lively
PF: PJ, Naji
SF: Coop , Risacher
SG: Christie
PG: Kyrie

FAs: Nembhard (gets a contract mid-season), Williams, Exum, Powell

The Cap is supposed to be 166M next year, so having 130M on the books, plus cap holds, probably gives Dallas some actual working room above the MLE, depending on where the draft picks hit. Cavs pick is currently ~16th and Mavs is ~8th.

So draft Kingston Flemmings from Houston and Cameron Carr from Baylor for the guard depth or maybe Ngongba from Duke and dangle Lively since he is never healthy. And that's without lottery luck.

In my opinion, we'd be so fortunate to get off of Klay at any price. He's so hard to watch. He's off to his notoriously slow start, with no signs of showing coming out of it. He's also shooting super weird long 2s a ton. He creates no separation anymore and he's a complete turnstile on defense. He's shooting 40% on 2s, the worst of his career.

I've also noticed that he just has issues grabbing the ball on loose balls and rebounds. He can't bring it in and he knows it so he tries weird taps to teammates who aren't expecting it because they expect a grown adult in his situation to grab the ball. He's a complete basket case.

He has a -17 net rating and it is extremely apparent when you watch. The only player who gets any minutes with a worse offensive rating is Caleb Martin

The Mavs would be a better basketball team just by getting rid of him. It would be a miracle if a team decided to take him off our hands with that contract.

Playing around with trades, made this big stupid one for Dallas. I tried to find a way to include Caleb Martin, but I just don't see a good path for that.


DAL Receives:

* Tingus Pingus (ATL ending contract)
* Luke Kennard (ATL ending contract)
* Jett Howard (ORL ending contract)
* Jon Issac (ORL, only 8M guaranteed next year, future years unguaranteed)
* Kelly Olynyk (SAS ending contract)
* 2026 FRP Cavs (From ATL)
* 2026 SRP Blazers (From SAS)
* 2028 FRP Swap (From ATL, Mavs pick is swapped with OKC; Mavs get to swap the OKC pick for most favor of CLE or ATL)
* 2030 FRP Swap (From SAS - Mavs get their pick swap unwound, so full control of it back; Spurs keep their pick)
* Saves 11M in salary this year, plus about 25M in luxury tax, for total savings on 2026 payments (salary+tax) of about 36M.
* Saves 80M on next year's cap by dumping AD, DLo, Klay, and Hardy. Mavs would have total salaries of 132M on a 166M cap before cap holds and draft holds, but the Issac salary could be stretched to create more space if needed. Or they could keep Issac because defense wins championships.


ATL Receives:

* AD (DAL)
* Tyus Jones (ORL ending contract)
* Dwight Powell (DAL ending contract)

ORL Receives:

* Klay (Mavs)
* Jaden Hardy (Mavs)
* DLo (Mavs)

SAS Receives:

* Risacher (ATL)
* Kyle Anderson (UTA)

UTA Receives:

* Sochan (SAS)

jeffdjohnson said:

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Mavs are in such a weird position right now. Their entire next decade of basketball will effectively be determined by the decisions they make with AD and how some ping pong balls bounce in the next few months. Mavs are 8-8 with AD and 4-14 without him. He is clearly still a guy who moves the needle. However, the Mavs should not want him to move the needle right now. Mavs currently are on the 8th pick with 26% odds of a top 4 pick, but they are only 2 slots away from the 6th pick and 37% odds.

It is looking like the Clippers (no incentive to tank) will pass them shortly. Maybe New Orleans too as they have been friskier and also have no incentive to tank. If I were in charge, AD doesn't play another game for the Mavs this year, and probably ever. Unfortunately you will be selling low, but that is the hand that Nico dealt you. Risacher, expiring's, and a mid-first is the play if its on the table. If ATL (or anyone else) won't even throw a pick in, then I just sit AD until next year. Either way, AD can't be out there helping win games right now. Mavs need that top 10 pick badly. If they get lucky and hit Top 4 again that is a franchise changer as all of those guys are elite prospects. Even still, picks 5 though 10 are great prospects. You have to get one.

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Yep. It's really hard to be a fan when you're not sure what to be rooting for. I'm personally rooting for us to lose, but a lot of Mavs fans are still rooting traditionally. Just get AD out of here asap for something reasonable

I don't think anyone would disagree with you, it's just super risky laying your eggs in the draft. Again, the Mavs cannot afford to bad next year, and the year after that etc. They don't have their own picks for like half a decade. Like you said; whatever they do right now could affect them for the next decade.

I know we all hate AD and think he's pretty much a trash can, but he's still an asset that they need to get something to build with long term.

I think this is a better and deeper draft than most years.

Currently Mavs are 8th worst, but like said above, the Clippers and Pelicans aren't trying to suck and the Mavs are only 2 games up on the Clippers and 4 games up on the Pelicans.

IN the 8th spot, there is a 26% shot at top 4 and about 66% at 8 or 9. But if you can get below the Clippers, Pelicans, Nets and Hornets, then you can be 4th worst. Mavs are 1 game over Hornets and 2 games over the Nets.

Getting to that 4th slot means: 48% chance at top 4, 25% at 6 and 17% at 7.

If you can get to 3rd worst, you only have a 7% chance at falling outside top 6.

This draft is pretty deep and the top 4 are pretty much set in stone and I think all work perfectly on the Mavs. Then there are PGs like Kingston Flemmings and Mikal Brown that would be great long term replacements for Kyrie. LaBaron Philon is kind of small, but he is on fire so far this season at Bama. Mullins, Ament, Stirtz, or isaiah Evans for a wing. Hard to say who shakes out where this early before conference play.

But ****ing around and ending up in the 9-14 range is the absolute wrong move. West is tough this year, take the lump and move on.

In the best case scenario, maybe you can land a top 4 with you own pick, trade AD for the Hawks and get their Cavs pick and get a solid pick in the teens like Cameron Carr to replace Klay. That's clearly the best thing for the team long term. Especially when OKC is so ****ing good at the top of the West. We aren't going to have a Jimmy Butler miracle play-in run to get to the Finals by anyone.

I mean hell yeah where do you sign up for that?