How good will the Mavericks be now? | The Athletic NBA Show

How good will the Mavericks be now? | The Athletic NBA Show

PJ Washington goes to Dallas um and as a part of their trade for Daniel Gafford between the Mavs and the Wizards This is complicated sorry I’m trying to piece this together in my head they rope they roped OKC in and uh what’s the pick swap Andrew it was the 2028 first the

Mavericks 2028 first yeah so the Mavs didn’t don’t have any other picks to trade and so they can only trade swaps and so they have traded what I think is an unprotected swap because like the the release doesn’t say anything about a protection I don’t I don’t know if they

Can protect it because they have the 2029 is that unprotected that went out or or do they still have that pick I’m so confused I don’t yeah I don’t know uh um they could protect the swap weights but this means the the net for Dallas this means that they have the the

2027 which is could be the year after Luca forces a trade top two protected swap going out and the 2028 when Luca could have left in free agency the year before going out I again there might be protection on it that hasn’t come out yet but still those

Are th th those are those are those are big chips to to throw out there given given that it hasn’t all been exactly smooth sailing and there’s new ownership in Dallas and so I who knows which way that cuts so a some risky second straight deadline of some riskiness from from the

Mavericks I think we can say and for that so they get Daniel Gafford from from the Wizards and they get PJ Washington from the Hornets uh Grant Williams and Seth Curry going to Charlotte uh Grant Williams had an awful season in Dallas just it has not been

Very good coming off the summer injury came in out of shape see if he he you know can regain his form but really this trade I it’s about Dallas Dallas is going they’re going all in in with the rim running big and I think PJ Washington maybe we get to see him a

Little bit at at the five a little bit of small ball five stretching the floor running with Luca um how do you guys like this deal I’ll start with Mo I I mean I don’t like all the stuff they gave up um the Grant Williams stuff and

Seth Curry fine but like the pick stuff is is a massive problem with all of that stuff I kind of like PJ Washington so I don’t I don’t mind it I’d like to see him in a more competitive environment and let’s see how he kind of does in

That situation I think Gafford has a lot of overlap with Derrik Lively I don’t know if I necessarily uh would have went running for him uh in that sense but like I mean it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out for them I just think Dallas is in such a difficult position

And they’re so afraid of pissing off Luca at this point that like they’re they’re kind of just trying to all right let’s try to make these moves and hope it works and and hopefully PJ Washington’s going to be good on a good team and and and

You know we’ll we’ll be able to kind of say like look we got some pieces around us but it’s going to be a little bit tough sledding for them it’s just kind of like a it’s like a c to me like I like the player but like man I don’t

Know what else it really brings to you I I think that a lot their moves always seem like they’re half about tying up the loose end of the last move they made and and that’s always that’s always kind of a tough place to be um I agree

With Mo PJ Washington has been a player that I’ve I’ve always been intrigued by uh the idea of him as as a five has always been much better than the actuality I mean he’s a guy who can stretch the floor a little he can Rim protect a little it’s just it it has

Never really actually been that good with him at the five um and again not exactly a prime environment for how this could possibly work out for most of his career in Charlotte but um but it’s not a it’s not a slam dunk in those terms um so uh you know anxious to

See this I mean he could be I mean I think you’re hoping that he almost gives them what Maxi kba was about three years ago yeah just more consistent right like and not scared to shoot which yeah has been a Achilles heel from for Maxi uh Andrew Gafford would have been a pretty

Good guy like in my opinion he he would have been a pretty good guy for OKC you know as far as if you were going to have a big who was maybe a spot’s tall is it because he’s tall he’s also a pretty good Defender like he protects the rim

Well and this is where Dallas I think he helps them the most and him and PJ Washington can play together it’s it’s this a good pickup for them yeah I think I like C but it’s good I think I like Gafford better than PJ Washington here in Dallas just because I think he’ll

Like that role is is easy like we’ve seen it work we know what it looks like it’s going to be great PJ Washington I’m interested to see he likes to he likes to have the ball in his hands quite a bit and I just wonder what that looks

Like in Dallas because you have that that that won’t even be an option I don’t think he has to worry about that and I’m looking at the numbers I mean he’s 34% catch and shoot period it’s not great this season okay but also 33 33% free point and I know he’s gonna get

Better looks from Luca and Kyrie I I totally get that I I I’m just saying I want to see it before I feel good about PJ Washington and Dallas because it has he’s not exact he he doesn’t he hasn’t played this style really and and because we you talked about this earlier Dave

Like there’s not a style in in Charlotte and so putting him into like a style of play where it’s like hey things are going to be pretty limited like here here are the things we need you to do like we’re going to put you in a box and

You have to play in this role because this is the this is the Superstar you know the guys who play next to the superstars in Dallas this is how you have to play and maybe he thrives in it maybe he catches fire from the corners and becomes a guy that can really help

Them I also just wonder if he’s like a tweener in the wrong way in this area I I think that it’s hard for a guy that like really can’t defend fives that well and maybe can’t defend fours that well either to function in this league I feel

Like that he’s kind of like the uh he’s kind of like a Morris twin like a modern day Morris twin watch out watch your back watch your back dude is is what is what it sounded like you were describing is more of like a a like a like a like a

A Cut Rate John Collins and it’s a similar thing John Collins is a better more established player and I think that’s right and more athletic yeah and I think that’s sort of a little bit the box that John Collins has has been been

In for a lot of his career as well I I just think again there’s also a nice little uptick when you go from Charlotte to Dallas like there’s gonna be a little bit more like you know you you think about the shots he is going to get the

Opportunity in terms of when yeah he may not get to handle the ball as much but his looks are going to be a lot more open you know and if he can get that percentage up to 37% I think we’d be like damn all right this was good you

Know and I think that helps them out a bunch so it’s going to be interesting it’ll see how it plays out but it’s also just a trade where it’s like cool I don’t think this makes Dallas any more different you know in the playoffs than what they’re gonna be like I don’t see

It as like oh man now Dallas is a problem like I just don’t see that yeah I think for to to to finish up on the the Hornets guys I think I I mean as you know Andrew is alluding to that uh we’ve seen you know guys suddenly playing real

Games again like maybe we can almost call it the Boris di effect right he looked very done and so that applies I think both to PJ Washington and to to Gordon Hayward as well I think that there’s a chance that like just you know that’s got to be one of the that Arena

On a home night has got to be one of the most depressing places to go out and I warmed up and 60% of the fans are for the other team and 30% of the fans are empty seats and the other Bank of America employees yeah yeah I mean the

Only the only the only promise though is is Brandon Miller he’s been really good for them like if you watch him lately he’s been really good and I think like that’s their promise you know like let’s I kind of wish they got rid of everybody like literally just just said man like

Everybody gone like just save the boat no like I kind of just wish they did they they and said we’re going to just focus kind of what Toronto tried to do like we’re just going to focus on Brandon Miller and that’s and that’s our guy now like because I think you see a

Lot there in that sense like there’s a chance for Charlotte I just hope they figure that out

The Athletic NBA Show discuss the trades the Dallas Mavericks made.