They were barely bad enough to tank their way into the top 5 this year. I don't see it working again even if they tried. I also think you have to be very careful about allowing the losing mindset to enter the lockerroom and stay for an extended time. Sometimes you cant snap out of it. A bit dangerous to have the key pieces to your future spending multiple years developing in an environment where you're trying to lose.

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

I hope I'm not the only Mavericks fan sick of this crap.

They interviewed Mark Cuban in Las Vegas recently and he said that their main focus was " we owed it to dirk to improve the team and compete for the playoffs this year"


I kinda wish dirk would retire. I'll always be grateful that he brought the first championship to the team, but I think they've always used dirk as an excuse to put off a rebuild.

Tanking and getting another top 5 pick to go with smith and doncic would've been awesome.

---

When you give up what will likely be a lotto pick next season to move 2 spots up for a player this draft, you are sending a message Doncic is the franchise.

The dumbest thing you can do in that scenario is surround him with **** players just to tank again. Put ok players around him... even if Deandre and Barnes aren't good enough to get the team to the playoffs with Doncic (they probably aren't) so he can develop then use the excess money you should have while Doncic is theoretically a superstar under a rookie deal and stack the team up later.

They're not gonna tank this year. They got DeAndre, and they seriously want to get off next year's pick to be done with that whole Luka trade stuff so they don't have to worry about future drafts

Doncic will deliver us back to the promised land. Keep faith.

There has been some talk that the age limit may go away by the 2020 draft. If it does, you would have all of the one-and-done kids from the 2019 class and all the elite high school kids from the 2020 class in the same draft, so it would likely be very deep with talent. It's best to just go ahead and get rid of the pick next year and then possibly get a really good player in the 9-16 pick range in the potentially deep 2020 draft.

Seven Costanza said:

---

There has been some talk that the age limit may go away by the 2020 draft. If it does, you would have all of the one-and-done kids from the 2019 class and all the elite high school kids from the 2020 class in the same draft, so it would likely be very deep with talent. It's best to just go ahead and get rid of the pick next year and then possibly get a really good player in the 9-16 pick range in the potentially deep 2020 draft.

---

Agree with this. My fear is that we may actually make the playoffs and not have a high pick in the 2020 draft. I'm expecting us to try and spend a ton of money next summer and if we are able to get 1-2 max guys, we may be picking in the 20-25 range. But it will just depend on who we are able to sign. If we aren't able to sign some great players, I hope we don't spend a lot on mediocre players. A top ten draft pick would be great in 2020 and spending on mediocre players would prevent that and not give us much upside.

Guilty. Ha

Anyone know if luka is playing tonight? I doubt he is, but havent really heard anything

Nope. His buyout with RM still hasn't happened. He can't play before then.

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

I hope I'm not the only Mavericks fan sick of this crap.

They interviewed Mark Cuban in Las Vegas recently and he said that their main focus was " we owed it to dirk to improve the team and compete for the playoffs this year"


I kinda wish dirk would retire. I'll always be grateful that he brought the first championship to the team, but I think they've always used dirk as an excuse to put off a rebuild.

Tanking and getting another top 5 pick to go with smith and doncic would've been awesome.

---

forget that.....its time to start winning.

The goal of this team should be to get to the next level and win 42-50 game and make the playoffs.

Once you are winning over 40 games you might have the team to entice a top level free agent.

Big time players don't tend to come to teams that are continually tanking.

Kellso said:

---

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

I hope I'm not the only Mavericks fan sick of this crap.

They interviewed Mark Cuban in Las Vegas recently and he said that their main focus was " we owed it to dirk to improve the team and compete for the playoffs this year"


I kinda wish dirk would retire. I'll always be grateful that he brought the first championship to the team, but I think they've always used dirk as an excuse to put off a rebuild.

Tanking and getting another top 5 pick to go with smith and doncic would've been awesome.

---

forget that.....its time to start winning.

The goal of this team should be to get to the next level and win 42-50 game and make the playoffs.

Once you are winning over 40 games you might have the team to entice a top level free agent.

Big time players don't tend to come to teams that are continually tanking.

---

There was a recent 3 or 4 year period where the Mavericks " walked the treadmill" of mediocrity.

In the NBA, you want to be either really good or really bad.

The big fish strategy has been tried before and it didn't work for the mavs, lots of teams will have cap space next year. I guess I'm skeptical that it's going to work out for them.

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

Kellso said:

---

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

I hope I'm not the only Mavericks fan sick of this crap.

They interviewed Mark Cuban in Las Vegas recently and he said that their main focus was " we owed it to dirk to improve the team and compete for the playoffs this year"


I kinda wish dirk would retire. I'll always be grateful that he brought the first championship to the team, but I think they've always used dirk as an excuse to put off a rebuild.

Tanking and getting another top 5 pick to go with smith and doncic would've been awesome.

---

forget that.....its time to start winning.

The goal of this team should be to get to the next level and win 42-50 game and make the playoffs.

Once you are winning over 40 games you might have the team to entice a top level free agent.

Big time players don't tend to come to teams that are continually tanking.

---

There was a recent 3 or 4 year period where the Mavericks " walked the treadmill" of mediocrity.

In the NBA, you want to be either really good or really bad.

The big fish strategy has been tried before and it didn't work for the mavs, lots of teams will have cap space next year. I guess I'm skeptical that it's going to work out for them.

---

But be glad it didn't work because the Nets are paying 5.5mm to Deron Williams this year and next year and $23.8mm to Dwight Howard.

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

Kellso said:

---

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

I hope I'm not the only Mavericks fan sick of this crap.

They interviewed Mark Cuban in Las Vegas recently and he said that their main focus was " we owed it to dirk to improve the team and compete for the playoffs this year"


I kinda wish dirk would retire. I'll always be grateful that he brought the first championship to the team, but I think they've always used dirk as an excuse to put off a rebuild.

Tanking and getting another top 5 pick to go with smith and doncic would've been awesome.

---

forget that.....its time to start winning.

The goal of this team should be to get to the next level and win 42-50 game and make the playoffs.

Once you are winning over 40 games you might have the team to entice a top level free agent.

Big time players don't tend to come to teams that are continually tanking.

---

There was a recent 3 or 4 year period where the Mavericks " walked the treadmill" of mediocrity.

In the NBA, you want to be either really good or really bad.

The big fish strategy has been tried before and it didn't work for the mavs, lots of teams will have cap space next year. I guess I'm skeptical that it's going to work out for them.

---

So keep losing?

t - cam said:

---

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

Kellso said:

---

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

I hope I'm not the only Mavericks fan sick of this crap.

They interviewed Mark Cuban in Las Vegas recently and he said that their main focus was " we owed it to dirk to improve the team and compete for the playoffs this year"


I kinda wish dirk would retire. I'll always be grateful that he brought the first championship to the team, but I think they've always used dirk as an excuse to put off a rebuild.

Tanking and getting another top 5 pick to go with smith and doncic would've been awesome.

---

forget that.....its time to start winning.

The goal of this team should be to get to the next level and win 42-50 game and make the playoffs.

Once you are winning over 40 games you might have the team to entice a top level free agent.

Big time players don't tend to come to teams that are continually tanking.

---

There was a recent 3 or 4 year period where the Mavericks " walked the treadmill" of mediocrity.

In the NBA, you want to be either really good or really bad.

The big fish strategy has been tried before and it didn't work for the mavs, lots of teams will have cap space next year. I guess I'm skeptical that it's going to work out for them.

---

So keep losing?

---

Like I said before,

I think one more lottery pick would be great. Doncic and smith are a good start, but we've seen in the past that the "big fish" want to be convinced that they're the missing piece. If they come, a championship could be had.

I don't think we're in any position to convince a big fish to come here.

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

t - cam said:

---

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

Kellso said:

---

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

I hope I'm not the only Mavericks fan sick of this crap.

They interviewed Mark Cuban in Las Vegas recently and he said that their main focus was " we owed it to dirk to improve the team and compete for the playoffs this year"


I kinda wish dirk would retire. I'll always be grateful that he brought the first championship to the team, but I think they've always used dirk as an excuse to put off a rebuild.

Tanking and getting another top 5 pick to go with smith and doncic would've been awesome.

---

forget that.....its time to start winning.

The goal of this team should be to get to the next level and win 42-50 game and make the playoffs.

Once you are winning over 40 games you might have the team to entice a top level free agent.

Big time players don't tend to come to teams that are continually tanking.

---

There was a recent 3 or 4 year period where the Mavericks " walked the treadmill" of mediocrity.

In the NBA, you want to be either really good or really bad.

The big fish strategy has been tried before and it didn't work for the mavs, lots of teams will have cap space next year. I guess I'm skeptical that it's going to work out for them.

---

So keep losing?

---

Like I said before,

I think one more lottery pick would be great. Doncic and smith are a good start, but we've seen in the past that the "big fish" want to be convinced that they're the missing piece. If they come, a championship could be had.

I don't think we're in any position to convince a big fish to come here.

---

How about the right fish? Your probably right for steph, Durant or harden but that might not be what's needed in the post warriors / LeBron NBA.

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

t - cam said:

---

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

Kellso said:

---

Grapesoda2525 said:

---

I hope I'm not the only Mavericks fan sick of this crap.

They interviewed Mark Cuban in Las Vegas recently and he said that their main focus was " we owed it to dirk to improve the team and compete for the playoffs this year"


I kinda wish dirk would retire. I'll always be grateful that he brought the first championship to the team, but I think they've always used dirk as an excuse to put off a rebuild.

Tanking and getting another top 5 pick to go with smith and doncic would've been awesome.

---

forget that.....its time to start winning.

The goal of this team should be to get to the next level and win 42-50 game and make the playoffs.

Once you are winning over 40 games you might have the team to entice a top level free agent.

Big time players don't tend to come to teams that are continually tanking.

---

There was a recent 3 or 4 year period where the Mavericks " walked the treadmill" of mediocrity.

In the NBA, you want to be either really good or really bad.

The big fish strategy has been tried before and it didn't work for the mavs, lots of teams will have cap space next year. I guess I'm skeptical that it's going to work out for them.

---

So keep losing?

---

Like I said before,

I think one more lottery pick would be great. Doncic and smith are a good start, but we've seen in the past that the "big fish" want to be convinced that they're the missing piece. If they come, a championship could be had.

I don't think we're in any position to convince a big fish to come here.

---

You dealt what's probably going to be a lottery pick to go get Doncic.

The Mavs think Doncic is eventually going to be the big fish, not that they are going to go lure one,

You guys are arguing two sides of the same goal...the Mavs future rests in Luka & DSJ's development. If they turn into all-stars, other all-stars will want to join them. Big fish attract big fish. (KD meet GS. Lebron meet Miami. etc)

M.C. Swag said:

---

Nope. His buyout with RM still hasn't happened. He can't play before then.

---

Doncic's buyout is complete. He still needs a letter of release from FIBA and then undergo NBA physical and sign contract with the Mavs. The holdup is the letter from FIBA apparently, and since it's the weekend and they're so ****ing Euro, they weren't gonna do anything this weekend

True Anomaly said:

---

M.C. Swag said:

---

INope. His buyout with RM still hasn't happened. He can't play before then.

---

Doncic's buyout is complete. He still needs a letter of release from FIBA and then undergo NBA physical and sign contract with the Mavs. The holdup is the letter from FIBA apparently, and since it's the weekend and they're so ****ing Euro, they weren't gonna do anything this weekend

---

Does it matter?

Sign him on Monday. Lol

True Anomaly said:

---

M.C. Swag said:

---

Nope. His buyout with RM still hasn't happened. He can't play before then.

---

Doncic's buyout is complete. He still needs a letter of release from FIBA and then undergo NBA physical and sign contract with the Mavs. The holdup is the letter from FIBA apparently, and since it's the weekend and they're so ****ing Euro, they weren't gonna do anything this weekend

---

semantics. point is he cant play until all that is sorted.

M.C. Swag said:

---

True Anomaly said:

---

M.C. Swag said:

---

Nope. His buyout with RM still hasn't happened. He can't play before then.

---

Doncic's buyout is complete. He still needs a letter of release from FIBA and then undergo NBA physical and sign contract with the Mavs. The holdup is the letter from FIBA apparently, and since it's the weekend and they're so ****ing Euro, they weren't gonna do anything this weekend

---

semantics. point is he cant play until all that is sorted.

---

1) summer league is boring


2) I saw that they were planning to rest him and not play him in summer league because he's already played tons of games in his other leagues this year.

M.C. Swag said:

---

True Anomaly said:

---

M.C. Swag said:

---

Nope. His buyout with RM still hasn't happened. He can't play before then.

---

Doncic's buyout is complete. He still needs a letter of release from FIBA and then undergo NBA physical and sign contract with the Mavs. The holdup is the letter from FIBA apparently, and since it's the weekend and they're so ****ing Euro, they weren't gonna do anything this weekend

---

semantics. point is he cant play until all that is sorted.

---

K, you win

That Brunson has something... hope he can develop into something.

M.C. Swag said:

---

You guys are arguing two sides of the same goal...the Mavs future rests in Luka & DSJ's development. If they turn into all-stars, other all-stars will want to join them. Big fish attract big fish. (KD meet GS. Lebron meet Miami. etc)

---

One thing to consider is giannis little bro was picked for a reason. He may be an attainable big fish.

t - cam said:

---

M.C. Swag said:

---

You guys are arguing two sides of the same goal...the Mavs future rests in Luka & DSJ's development. If they turn into all-stars, other all-stars will want to join them. Big fish attract big fish. (KD meet GS. Lebron meet Miami. etc)

---

One thing to consider is giannis little bro was picked for a reason. He may be an attainable big fish.

---

Yea unfortunately Giannis isn't a Fa until 2021. So that's a long term play. But hey, if Kostas makes the squad and we're able to use him as a lure for Giannis 3 years from now, that's a huge win.

Thats a great article. Excited to see this kid develop.

DONCIC TIME

LEGOOOOOO

Maybe the Mavs want to pull a Lakers/Griz and trade little brother for big brother

Speaking of Kostas

Just bought my season tix! Luka's debut + Dirks departure? Sign me up! Can't wait for the schedule release!

While obviously very ready to see Doncic hit the court, is it bad I'm more excited about DSJ's second year? Hoping to see big things from him this year.

Also, Mutombo said Deandre can get 20-30 boards a game if we use him right, which is wild.

COAg15 said:

---

While obviously very ready to see Doncic hit the court, is it bad I'm more excited about DSJ's second year? Hoping to see big things from him this year.

Also, Mutombo said Deandre can get 20-30 boards a game if we use him right, which is wild.

---

I've said it before....I actually haven't been this excited for the Mavs since 2011. DSJ is definitely high on my 'pumped for' list.

I'm hoping Dwight Powell makes another leap. I think the dude can be really good and showed a ton of flashes last season.

I'm trying to temper my expectations because the West is ludicrously stacked, so the odds of the Mavs even earning the 8 seed is slim..but man...if Luka can adapt to the game early...watch out.

DJ has averaged 13.5 or more boards a season since getting starter minutes, and he's averaged a double double over that same time period. He's been named to the all-NBA team 3 times, the all-defense team twice. He has two rebounding titles. He's lead the league 5 times in FG percentage.

The only player Dallas has had in the last 20 years at center that's even close is 2011 Tyson Chandler, who averaged 10 and 9. After that, who? Erick Dampier? Sam Dalembert? One season of David Lee in 2016?

He should never leave the block, unless it's to screen. Otherwise, he should be camping and ball hawking about 8 DReb and 5 ORebs a game while everyone else drives and dishes or puts up jumpers. Now, 30 is a nuts number, but I don't think 15+ is.

It's past time for the NBA to do the playoffs by record alone and not seeding.

If they want a safeguard for the puny east, they could make each division winner automatically make the playoffs , but I'd rather see the 1 seed play the 16th seed and on down the line regardless of conference.

The east is a total abortion without Lebron and the only time I watch an eastern conference team in the playoffs is during the nba finals because the East sucks so bad.