Asked on Thursday night whether the Mavericks will go shopping on the buyout market, general manager Nico Harrison said he believes the team’s roster is “set,” as Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News tweets.
Dallas has long been viewed as a potential landing spot for buyout candidate Goran Dragic, but the team’s acquisition of Spencer Dinwiddie and Harrison’s post-deadline comments suggest a pursuit of the Slovenian may no longer be in the cards, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
According to Marc Stein (Twitter link), Dragic and the Spurs may take a little time to negotiate a buyout agreement. If and when the veteran point guard becomes available, he’ll likely have suitors who are able to offer him a more significant role than Dallas, Stein notes.
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban explained that his team was willing to trade Kristaps Porzingis to Washington on Thursday because the deal helped address two weak spots on the roster, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “I think KP’s an incredible talent. But we needed that shooter [Davis Bertans] and we needed another ball handler [Dinwiddie] who could create a shot, and unfortunately that was the only way we were going to get them,” Cuban said. “It was that simple — getting two guys who fill roles that we really needed, and the fact that we have played OK without KP. But I think that doesn’t take anything away from KP being a great talent, and I actually think he’s going to be better with the Wizards than he was with us.”
- Mavericks star Luka Doncic described the Porzingis trade as “shocking,” but stressed that he trusts the front office to do what’s best for the team, writes ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “Obviously, we’re going to miss KP,” Doncic said. “We were building something great here. It didn’t obviously work out. I wish him the best, and we’ve got two new guys who are welcome. Bertans is a great shooter. Dinwiddie can put the ball on the floor and he can score. The NBA is a business.”
- In case you missed it, the Mavericks are set to officially lock up Dorian Finney-Smith to a four-year contract extension. Multiple reports have pegged the value of Finney-Smith’s new deal at $52MM, while others have said it’ll be worth $55MM. If the extension includes incentives, there would be a difference between the base value and the maximum value, which could explain the discrepancy between those reported figures.
Yes the move looks kinda weird for the Mavs, but i think Bertans can thrive with Luka getting the atenttion and being a great passer. Bertans will never live up to his contract but he can bring spacing, if he can get back shootin 40%3fg or near that again.
Spencer is not the same player after the injury and is overpaid IMO, but with THJ injured the Mavs needed another player that, while not efficent recently, can score a bunch.
KP was a unicorn because he is MIA all the time, talent wise he is better than what the Mavs are recieving, but still i think is not THAT bad of a move. To me its a grade B- move for the Mavs.
Agree 100% although they could sure use what everyone else in the West needs, a big banger who can score in the paint
Bertans is a bum. Softest player in the league. He will do nothing good.
He had 4 season over 58% EFG; and he is a “wing player”, he takes his shots far away from the basket, find me players that had seasons like that, at least 3. There aren’t too many. He is awfully overpaid and this season has been really bad; BUT he was playing on a garbage team without a true point guard, i think he will improve a little on the Mavs
AD would like a word about crown for softest player.
You know we will probably trade bertans on draft day. Good thing the thunder will take anyone as long as a 1st js involved lol. Porzingas had negative trade value. A lot easier to trade two guys making ~17m vs one guy making 37m. This trade is too make us players for the 2023 offseason.
The 23 offseason is a pipe dream for Dallas sadly
Hardaway Bertans Bullock Dins, DFS and possibly Brunson will all have hefty contracts on the books along with Luka’s max
I don’t know if Luka ever experiences a star via free agency with Dallas the way their cap sets up . Always trades tho but they will be sitting out the lucrative 23/24 offseason
I think everyone knew what they were doing.. KP is pretty well done and Mavs had to take on some money to move him.