In-depth Analysis: The Mavs are screwed

[50 cent]

* The Mavs now have the league's highest payroll at $105M this year. The next highest is the Knicks at $88M.

* The salary cap for the 2007-2008 season is $55.6M. That means next year's cap will likely be around $58M.

* Michael Finley's $19M comes off the books, but the Mavs have the following players under contract next year (and following):

Jason Kidd - $21.3M (final year)
Dirk Nowitski - $18.0M (3 years remaining)
Josh Howard - $9.9M (2 years, team option for 3rd year)
Erick Dampier - $9.6M (3 years remaining)
Jason Terry - $9.0M (4 years remaining)
Jerry Stackhouse - $7.0M (2 years remaining)
Eddie Jones - $2.0M (final year)
Aidier Mbenga - $1.9M (final year)
Brandon Bass - $0.8M (final year)

* That is $79.8M already committed to next year's roster when the cap will be around $58M with 8 players on the roster. The Mavs will only have the MLE (around $5.5M) to use to sign any player (or split between 2 players) because they are over the cap. The rest of the roster will have to be filled with players accepting the vet minimum.

* The Mavs do not have a 1st round pick in the 2008 or 2009 NBA draft. Their 1st pick in the 2008 draft is #51.


So let's summarize so far: The Mavs are extremely over the cap for the forseeable future, have no draft picks, and a team that immediately became the 2nd oldest in the NBA behind the Spurs the day the Kidd deal was consumated.


The only way to change this team is through trades. Unfortunately for the Mavs and their fans, they have a plethora of terrible contracts that have little to no trade value with the exception of Kidd's expiring contract worth $21.3M which could obviously be very appealing to a team looking to shed some capspace. However, since the Mavs are over the cap (and nobody is $21.3M under the cap), the salaries between players traded have to match the 125% plus $100,000 rule.

Who else is there to trade?
Jason Terry is more unmoveable than Dampier. Terry has 4 years and $41.0M left on his contract. No team is going to take that contract from the Mavs.

Dirk Nowitski has trade value obviously, but Cuban missed a potential lifetime opporotunity of getting fair value (or more) when he wouldn't consider trading Dirk when Kobe might have been available. If you trade Dirk now, you are trading for picks and expiring contracts to rebuild this team.

Josh Howard is making $10.0M a year now and has regressed now that he has gotten paid. He does only have 2 years left on his contract with a Team Option for a 3rd year, so it might be possible to move him, but I don't think his trade value is very high right now and I don't think the Mavs could get much for him in return.

Erick Dampier is on the books for another 3 years at $33.0M and he isn't going anywhere.

Jerry Stackhouse just resigned last year for 3 years, $21.0M. I don't see many teams jumping at the opportunity to pay Stackhouse $7.0M per year at the age of 34 for the next 3 years.

Eddie Jones, Mbenga, and Bass all make chump changes and would only be fillers in a trade.


So clearly, pretty much the only trade option is Jason Kidd's expiring contract. Generally, when a team wants to acquire an expiring contract such as Kidd's, they are looking for capspace and want to part with a couple of players (or 1 player a la Kevin Garnett) that they don't feel is working for them but I don't see any KGs or package of players that are they can trade Kidd for that is going to make them a contender.


It looks to me like the Mavs window has officially closed with this trade and there are no more rabbits to pull out of hats or water to turn into wine. Cuban has finagled and toyed with his picks and contracts so much that he has now backed himself into a corner. There is no capspace, no tradeable contracts, and no draft picks that can make this team better in the near future.

The West is getting better and better and the Mavs all of a sudden found themselves very old with no ability to make any manuevers.


:lmao:lmao:lmao

[FromWayDowntown]

* The Mavs do not have a 1st round pick in the 2008 or 2009 NBA draft.

Did I miss something? That's not supposed to be possible.

[eisfeld]

Did I miss something? That's not supposed to be possible.

Dallas 2008 pick is going to the nets. If the Mavs hadn't made the playoffs they could have kept their 2008 pick but then they would have owed the Nets their 2009 pick. So Dallas is giving away the 2008 and 2010 pick.

[Mitch Cumsteen]

I think that's a 2008 and 2010 pick. And somebody can correct me if I'm wrong, but the 2010 pick may not be lottery protected. As good as the West is and getting better with younger teams like Portland, that could really bite them in the ass.

But yeah... Dallas is screwed. Kidd's contract coming off the books doesn't really help them because they are so far over the cap with everybody else. The only way they can improve in the near term is to trade Kidd and take on more bad contracts -- still it's doubtful that whoever they trade for will get them over the hump. Fortunately for them, Cuban doesn't give a shit about spending money and he'll spend whatever it takes. That Devin Harris trade looked like a disaster from the get go, and it looks even worse now. What a colossal screwup.

[Brutalis]

The Mavs are in deep shat. But they been through so much now... it's beating a dead horse hating them for it when the whole thing is out of their hands.

[T Park]

Said this back in February, but the Maverick fans told us to shut the fuck up and mock us with "Devin Harris is Oscar Robertson" childish bullshit.

[50 cent]

I think that's a 2008 and 2010 pick. And somebody can correct me if I'm wrong, but the 2010 pick may not be lottery protected. As good as the West is and getting better with younger teams like Portland, that could really bite them in the ass.

But yeah... Dallas is screwed. Kidd's contract coming off the books doesn't really help them because they are so far over the cap with everybody else. The only way they can improve in the near term is to trade Kidd and take on more bad contracts -- still it's doubtful that whoever they trade for will get them over the hump. Fortunately for them, Cuban doesn't give a shit about spending money and he'll spend whatever it takes. That Devin Harris trade looked like a disaster from the get go, and it looks even worse now. What a colossal screwup.

You are correct. It is the 2010 first round pick, not 2009. I am very curious about if the 2010 pick is lottery protected.

Imagine if they won the fucking lottery and the pick went to NJ. They would never recover.

[mavsfan1000]

Mavs are fucked. I knew this and was so pissed when I heard about this trade. Fuck Dallas's Front Office.

[DarrinS]

I see Brandon Bass is in his final year of his contract. Interesting.


He reminds me of a young Malik Rose.

[50 cent]

Brandon Bass will be in the final year of his K next year.

[Allanon]

I think the Mavs are screwed long term indeed. But I don't see them being screwed in the near term. I've never been impressed with Harris, he's very hot or very cold.

And you can't count the Mavs out yet this year...Hornets are 0-13 or something like that in Dallas. This series will very likely come back to New Orleans tied 2-2.

The Mavs can't win a championship as constructed but they can possibly reach the WCF as they are now. Mavs weren't winning a championship this year with the talent they had prior to the trade anyways.

For $105 Million, I would think they'd have a MUCH more talented team...really on this squad, the only guys you would covet would be Dirk and JKidd. In comparison, Spurs have a much lower salary but easily 3 guys you would covet. Cuban's getting robbed by his mediocre players.

[mavsfan1000]

I think the Mavs are screwed long term indeed. But I don't see them being screwed in the near term. I've never been impressed with Harris, he's very hot or very cold.

And you can't count the Mavs out yet this year...Hornets are 0-13 or something like that in Dallas. This series will very likely come back to New Orleans tied 2-2.
Well you're wrong. Harris and Diop were intangible parts. Even when hot and cold. They were always necessary for our defense and fastbreak opportunities.

[Allanon]

Well you're wrong. Harris and Diop were intangible parts. Even when hot and cold. They were always necessary for our defense and fastbreak opportunities.

I can understand that they were good assets to have, I just don't see them as being part of a "no trade clause". I don't know if JKidd is better than having them two..no real evidence one way or the other... still a toss up but it gives them a chance at a championship.

Do you think with Diop and Harris you would have won the championship this year?

[mavsfan1000]

I can understand that they were good assets to have, I just don't see them as being part of a "no trade clause". I don't know if JKidd is better than having them two..no real evidence one way or the other... still a toss up but it gives them a chance at a championship.

Do you think with Diop and Harris you would have won the championship this year?
Nope but I think with this trade we are finished. I guess the only hope we have now are Kidd's expiring contract.

[m33p0]

you could have gone with the thread title and be done with it. :lol

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Man, the Mavs are so fucked right now, that its taken all the joy out of making fun of them... I actually feel sorry for them.

[mavsfan1000]

Man, the Mavs are so fucked right now, that its taken all the joy out of making fun of them... I actually feel sorry for them.
Thanks man. I guess I'm glad we're not hated as much. We don't have to worry about being rivals anymore. Of course if some stupid team trades their franchise player for garbage like Memphis did than things will change. lol

[atxrocker]

Said this back in February, but the Maverick fans told us to shut the fuck up and mock us with "Devin Harris is Oscar Robertson" childish bullshit.

how unlike mav fan :lol

[atxrocker]

I actually feel sorry for them.

:lmao:lmao:lmao

[mavsfan1000]

how unlike mav fan :lol
Don't judge us by our worst fans who don't know shit.

[rAm]

The Mavs are in deep shat. But they been through so much now... it's beating a dead horse hating them for it when the whole thing is out of their hands.

good lord, who's sweet ass is that in your sig.

oh yea, and the mavs are screwed.

[Elraptor]

Yep, there in huge trouble. And in a big hole.

[mavsfan1000]

At least we are humbled now. I admit I was arrogant a couple years ago. It kinda goes with the territory of having a great team. We know now we can't win it. Good luck to the Spurs. Hope you beat down Chris Paul.

[Thompson]

I might have already mentioned this, but ESPN a few weeks back was speculating over where LeBron might go when he opts out of his contract in a few years.

There were sources who said he was interested in Dallas... until they traded Devin Harris! :lol Seriously, did anyone else see this report? It was on a Sunday about two weeks ago.

I feel sorry for some of their fans, but I'm going to laugh when I see Cuban throw his temper tantrums (if he doesn't sell the team).

[Spurs Dynasty 21]

Mavs will rebound next season I feel

[Findog]

I think the Mavs are screwed long term indeed. But I don't see them being screwed in the near term. I've never been impressed with Harris, he's very hot or very cold.


That.

You don't know what the fuck you're talking about TPark. Mavs were screwed before and after the trade.

[Findog]

I might have already mentioned this, but ESPN a few weeks back was speculating over where LeBron might go when he opts out of his contract in a few years.

There were sources who said he was interested in Dallas... until they traded Devin Harris! :lol Seriously, did anyone else see this report? It was on a Sunday about two weeks ago.

I feel sorry for some of their fans, but I'm going to laugh when I see Cuban throw his temper tantrums (if he doesn't sell the team).

Uh, LeBron doesn't seek out Devin Harris to play with. That's just silly.

[Allanon]

Uh, LeBron doesn't seek out Devin Harris to play with. That's just silly.

Hahah. Seriously though, there's only a few places that LeBron is going to:
1) New York Knicks
2) New Jersey Nets
3) Chicago Bulls
4) Miami Heat
5) Los Angeles Lakers

No way in the world Lebron plays for a small market team, he would lose way too much money in endorsements.

[Obstructed_View]

Uh, LeBron doesn't seek out Devin Harris to play with. That's just silly.

That's what ESPN reported. Take it up with them.

[san antonio spurs]

At least we are humbled now. I admit I was arrogant a couple years ago. It kinda goes with the territory of having a great team. We know now we can't win it. Good luck to the Spurs. Hope you beat down Chris Paul.
You can root for a great team and stay classy. You don't have to be cocky and arrogant like you guys were. Karma came back to bite you in the ass. There was a time it was impossible to have a discussion on this site without having mavs fans derailing it.

[Findog]

That's what ESPN reported. Take it up with them.

Then nothing to put stock in.

[mavsfan1000]

You can root for a great team and stay classy. You don't have to be cocky and arrogant like you guys were. Karma came back to bite you in the ass. There was a time it was impossible to have a discussion on this site without having mavs fans derailing it.
I understand man. There will always be those type of fans for any successful team that is a threat and a rival. We were one of the teams that knocked you off, though it was close.

[ShoogarBear]

50 cent, did you get this from somewhere or write it yourself?

[phyzik]

I understand man. There will always be those type of fans for any successful team that is a threat and a rival. We were one of the teams that knocked you off, though it was close.

I dont think it was a big deal, I knew things would correct themselves eventually.... :downspin:

Regardless, its not like we dont have our share of arrogant, aloof and disrespectful fans... God knows I've played that roll a few times myself. :fight

[KidCongo]

I might have already mentioned this, but ESPN a few weeks back was speculating over where LeBron might go when he opts out of his contract in a few years.

There were sources who said he was interested in Dallas... until they traded Devin Harris! :lol Seriously, did anyone else see this report? It was on a Sunday about two weeks ago.

I feel sorry for some of their fans, but I'm going to laugh when I see Cuban throw his temper tantrums (if he doesn't sell the team).

Theres something about LeBron leaving in the media everyday...

I mean Devin Harris is the 2nd coming, who wouldn't want to play with him haha

[Findog]

Theres something about LeBron leaving in the media everyday...

I mean Devin Harris is the 2nd coming, who wouldn't want to play with him haha

:lol

According to Spurs fans he is. And Diop is the next Bill Russell. LeBron needs to get his ass to Brooklyn pronto!

[KidCongo]

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=802~841~885&teams=5~5~6&te=&cash=

[Findog]

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=802~841~885&teams=5~5~6&te=&cash=

Trash for Trash! Probably would solve both team's problems. Mavs would have no offense left after that.

[50 cent]

50 cent, did you get this from somewhere or write it yourself?

Wrote it myself after investigating it for another forum full of moronic Mavs fans that think Cuban will just go get more players and make more trades no matter what and have no understanding of the CBA.

[Indazone]

No Mavs are gonna suck for one more year. Then they got all those 2 year contracts down to 1 year. Guess what, those 1 year expiring contracts are gold for other teams to get. They all want expiring contracts to clear their own books. So Dallas has a lot of room to make trades but they will suck for one more year. They will make the playoffs but with the exact same cast as this year.

[Findog]

[b]
Dirk Nowitski has trade value obviously, but Cuban missed a potential lifetime opporotunity of getting fair value (or more) when he wouldn't consider trading Dirk when Kobe might have been available.

Kobe was NEVER available. The Lakers were NEVER going to deal him until they absolutely had to, which was this coming summer around the time of the draft, one year before he could opt out and when he would have the most leverage available to him. The only thing that would've changed that was if he refused to suit up, which was his only play available to him this year. Once the team got off to a good start, Bynum continued to develop and Gasol came aboard, the need to trade him dissipated.

And Kobe put Dallas on his list of suitors because he wanted to play WITH Dirk. He was not coming here to play with Josh Howard and Jason Terry. There was never an offer of Dirk for Kobe made by the Lakers. It was Kobe campaigning to come play WITH Dirk. That's partly the reason no scenario could be worked out for any of the teams rumored to be in the running for him: the Lakers wanted something to build around for a post-Kobe team, while he didn't want to get traded to a bare cupboard.

[ShoogarBear]

Wrote it myself after investigating it for another forum full of moronic Mavs fans that think Cuban will just go get more players and make more trades no matter what and have no understanding of the CBA.

Well done, both the research and the writing. Better than 95% of the crap people are putting out there.

[ducks]

so if they get a new coach how will that really help the mavs

[Findog]

so if they get a new coach how will that really help the mavs

They'll be a better-coached team.

[ShoogarBear]

Maybe Nellie will come back.

[ducks]

how do people know a new coach will be better then aj?

who great out there will take the gig?
who wants cuban to their boss and dirk to be the superstar choker

[Indazone]

Realistically, that's the only thing the Mav's can do next year. Get a new coach. They have no room for trades unless it's a straight up sign and trade. They can't dump any salary to go under the cap. They have no picks.

[Findog]

^ They have the MLE, Bass and Josh. That's it. The pick is in the late twenties, wake me if more than 10-15 guys from this draft are in a rotation by the end of next season. It's the unprotected 2010 pick that will hurt.

The trade at worst was a lateral move. Kidd is not the reason they're losing that series. Harris has been torn up by Paul plenty of times himself.

[Deimosfobos]

Man, the Mavs are so fucked right now, that its taken all the joy out of making fun of them... I actually feel sorry for them.

I have to agree with that... don't like rivals doing too bad, since it loses its appeal.

[Indazone]

I have to agree with that... don't like rivals doing too bad, since it loses its appeal.


ughh much as I hate saying this but I too agree.

[mavs>spurs2]

how unlike mav fan :lol

So very Kingfan-like of you

[mavsfan1000]

^ They have the MLE, Bass and Josh. That's it. The pick is in the late twenties, wake me if more than 10-15 guys from this draft are in a rotation by the end of next season. It's the unprotected 2010 pick that will hurt.

The trade at worst was a lateral move. Kidd is not the reason they're losing that series. Harris has been torn up by Paul plenty of times himself.
Paul is shooting 10% higher with Kidd guarding him than Harris. Harris wasn't shutting him down but he at least could keep him to his season averages while he became Jordan with Kidd guarding him.

[ambchang]

They made that decision consciously with the Kidd trade.
Speaking of which, I am thinking that may be Harris would help guard Chris Paul right now.

[Thompson]

Uh, LeBron doesn't seek out Devin Harris to play with. That's just silly.

Yeah, I actually thought so too when I heard it. At the time the Harris-Kidd trade was really starting to look bad, and as ridiculous as it sounded it was like adding insult to injury. People were talking about the following:

1. Kidd is old and overpaid.
2. The Mavs won't make it with this team.
3. They won't have the salary-cap flexibility to bring in any good free agents.
4. They traded away two of their next 3 1st rounders (2010 is unprotected, who knows how high that pick will be. In any case, they can't rebuild through the draft.
5. Many of their players are on bad contracts, and aren't likely to be traded.

To top it off, "Lebron wanted to go to Dallas... but now that Harris is gone he doesn't."

I thought the idea was a little silly, Harris isn't that good, but it was really piling it on. As a Spurs fan I thought it was funny, so I mentioned it.

[Admidave50]

as if we didn't know it already..