The Mavericks have intensified their efforts to open up room below a second-apron hard cap to sign free agent guard Dante Exum, according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, who report (via Twitter) that those efforts have centered around finding a new home via trade for forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper.
Dallas reached an agreement to re-sign Exum to a one-year deal way back in July 2, but the transaction still hasn’t been officially finalized. That’s because the Mavericks’ team salary for apron purposes currently sits at approximately $206.2MM, which is about $1.6MM below the second tax apron ($207,824,000).
The Mavs hard-capped themselves at the second apron by using the taxpayer mid-level exception to sign D’Angelo Russell last month. That means their team salary can’t surpass $207,824,000 at any point for the rest of the 2025/26 league year. A minimum-salary deal for Exum would carry a $2,296,274 cap hit.
With training camps still over a month from getting underway, there has been little urgency for the Mavs to resolve the apron crunch to this point. However, it sounds as if they’re ramping up their attempts to find a solution, and trading Prosper has long been considered a path they’ll explore.
The 24th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Prosper has played a very limited role during his first two years in Dallas, averaging 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game across 92 regular season outings, with a .396/.260/.658 shooting line. Given that he’s buried on the depth chart and isn’t owed any guaranteed money beyond his $3MM salary for 2025/26 (his deal includes a $5.3MM rookie scale team option for ’26/27), the 23-year-old is the team’s most obvious trade candidate to make room for Exum.
Dallas has the ability to send out up to nearly $8MM in cash in a trade, which would more than cover Prosper’s 2025/26 salary, but potential trade partners will likely be seeking a second-round draft pick in order to take on that $3MM cap hit. The most recent trade completed this summer, for example, saw the Heat send a future second-rounder to the Nets along with Haywood Highsmith and his $5.6MM expiring salary in order to get below the tax.
The Mavs only have two tradable second-round picks: Philadelphia’s 2030 selection and their own 2032 second-rounder. If they don’t want to give up any draft equity and can’t find a trade partner willing to accept cash, waiving and stretching Prosper’s $3MM salary would be an option, though it would have to be done by this Friday to ensure he clears waivers on August 31. That would spread his cap hit across three seasons at approximately $1MM per year, opening up an extra $2MM in room below the 2025/26 second apron.
The Mavs are currently carrying 15 players on guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts for ’25/26, so moving off Prosper (or another player) is also necessary to open up a spot for Exum on their projected 15-man regular season roster.
Trade martin or hardy instead…..
They have multi-year deals. Prosper doesn’t.
Hardy: 12M (2 years)
Martin: 29M (3 years)
Prosper: 3M
You tryna trade a 2nd or a 1st?
probably going to cost them a 2nd round pick to a team that is below the cap. There is no reason for a team to trade for a player that need playing time in the G league.
arc89, yeah, no better than a 2nd round pick. He may benefit from some time in the G-League to get his offensive game going, but he’s been a consistently excellent defender in his 1st two seasons. Highly switchable
Offensively, because of Dallas’ injuries to their centers, he played so many minutes last year out of position (he’s not a 5). He shot the ball well enough in college and summer league to make NBA people assume this part of his game will come around when given the chance.
the way the article reads its just to shed some payroll. So Mavs do not want to bring in payroll.
I’d bet a bunch of GM’s have likely been watching the Prosper situation in Dallas with Cooper Flagg joining and PJ Washington being extended. If Prosper is benched for his 3rd year, he’ll lose all trade value. Getting him cheap may turn out to be a steal…
Prosper is a dog with high-end athleticism, strength, and length. Few 6’8”, 230lb guys can move their feet as well as Prosper. I could see him flourishing in Miami, in NYK under Mike Brown, Golden State…but he needs a defined role.
Yes I’m sure there are teams chomping at the bit to offer him a
*checks notes*
Two-Way contract
He’s a 23-year-old PF with a career 49 TS%. He makes Ben Simmons (who fits all your above criteria) look like a dynamo.
Obviously you don’t know Prosper’s circumstances in Dallas and haven’t seen him play. Comparing him to Ben Simmons says it all.
I scout all players for the content I make.
At Rim: 39-60 FG (65%)
Outside of 3 feet: 27-105 FG (25%)
That’s pretty Simmons-esque.
Simmons has comparable defensive strengths and he’s a significantly better passer. And he’s a free agent for a reason. Precious Achiuwa is another better comparable player sitting on the sideline.
Pretending you watch OMP with any regularity is just as laughable as suggesting he would be in demand as a free agent. He’s on the wrong side of the Mendoza line.
You missed the part about the guy’s defense. The NBA is not a video game
Simmons and Achiuwa are bad defenders?
You mocked the guy saying no team would be interested in signing him. Maybe. But I don’t think so.
His first 2 seasons he’s hardly played. We’re talking about a 23 year old first round draft pick. He played as an undersized center last year because Lively and Gaffird were out. His future is ahead of him. Achuwa has been in league 5 years. Simmons 10.
He’ll get a two way (in the event that he’s waived). Nobody is lining up to give him a standard contract. Nobody is picking up that 4th year option either.
People really perk up about the weirdest topics, it’s really strange.
Most late 1st rounders are not coming into an NBA situation with a specific role in mind and minutes set aside for them. Rather, most have to grow and learn how to find a way to impact the game when they are gifted an opportunity through injury or roster reconfiguration. OMP was gifted this opportunity last year and didn’t impress his employer. Whatever he did in summer league or college is really worthless compared to NBA minutes.
In the era of switch everything and positionless basketball, saying someone played out of position is a really pathetic excuse. You act like he never guarded fives in practice or ran with a unit as a five on offense.
Mavs attaching a pick to him to ship him out in order to sign a 3 ACL tear, 30 year old Australian combo guard really reveals all you need to know. Everything else is just silly noise.
@druu that’s the longest post on this thread. Take the lead on getting perked up :—)
You gotta be perked up to say it’s “pathetic” to say that a 2nd year player who never played C before would struggle.
When Mavs drafted Omax 2 years ago (same draft as Lively) they had Luka and kyrie and no athletic forwards. They didn’t have PJ, Gafford, AD, or Cooper Flagg back then. Suddenly Mavs have deepest front line in the league. Not a gift for OMax.
Meanwhile Mavs suddenly have weak backcourt. Luka gone, Kyrie injured. Prosper out. Exum in.
It’s pretty much there
Would be a great fit in BKLYN.
Is there anyone under the age of 25 who wouldn’t be a great fit in Brooklyn?
True. Brooklyn and Washington are the unofficial G-League teams this year. Hornets and Trail Blazers are in that group as well.
Agree, BKLN would be a good fit. They’re going to need athletic defenders.
He fits on the Kings roster. Waive Cardwell
This guy is a SF not a PF!!!!!!!! Tired of undersized players in this undersized tweener era (Draymond Green and PJ Tucker are the only exceptions who belong)
If only he could shoot well enough to play the three. He makes Isaac Okoro look like a marksman.
Hopefully he learns to knock down threes at a respectable clip…
I’ll give you what’s left in this bag of chips