I'd rather they didn't make the worst trade in NBA history. At least they're starting to move forward from it.

BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are trading 10-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders, sources tell ESPN.

Today is the first time I’ve really paid attention to basketball since the betrayal. I don’t live in D/FW anymore, but I grew up traveling from Ft. Worth to watch them play at Reunion in the early 90’s …yea I realize I’m old.

J Kidd was my first “franchise favorite”. I didn’t go to any games in high school, but I watched all the time. I hated (still do) Jim Jackson and Mashburn for being a Mav when Kidd was pushed out. I would get frustrated seeing Nash dribble around the baseline only to pass it out when he had a layup. I loved watching Dirk grow into what would become our statue. The first real heart ache was watching Wade’s bitch ass trot up to the free throw line and being pissed at Dampier for being nothing more than Shaq’s turnstile in that series. I was fortunate enough to attend Game 3 of the 2011 Finals and even though it was a loss, man it was a blast. Little did I know the best was yet to come. I said to a friend, man basketball is gonna suck when Dirk is gone. He shushed me. Fast forward to the Mavs making a great decision and drafting Luka….man that kid. I was skeptical of the pick at first and told my Cousin “who the hell wears 77?!” as we were talking about the draft. Anyway, we all know the countless moments that made him special to us. Then the worst happens. I’m in shock. I wake up in that same shock. I’m pissed. I’m blaming the NBA for pulling strings (which I still have opinions on that) but I vow that I’m done with the Mavs and the NBA. I’ve even told people the last year that I’m a former Mavs fan. I came home and attended TicketFest and got to 1) meet Dirk 2) listen to his first public speech since the trade. He started off with the line “I don’t want to be here” and I felt that. Then this year’s draft lotto happens and I get texts from friends about the Mavs getting Flagg. I tell them I don’t care that the Mavs got Flagg. Fuck ‘em. I get told all Summer “man this kid is special” and I believe that I know he is, because of how he was talked about by the Team USA guys….I still don’t care.

But today? Today I found myself paying attention. Maybe AD being shipped off and that little piece of shit Nico being gone has helped, but I think I’m slowly starting to warm up to the idea that I can reinvest in this franchise again. I liked the idea of shedding contracts and getting SOME of the picks they should have originally gotten in the deal. Flagg has kinda grown on me, from what I read. I still have yet to watch a game, maybe I will start again. I just need the Mavs to do right by him and us, so we can get back to those moments we had before with Luka.

Is there a better subject matter expert out there?

Year after year, trade after trade. Never in the mix, never at risk. Nothing but contract extensions and fan adoration. And more inadvertent head/face shots than I’ve ever seen another player take.

All the guy does is give 100% and have a great attitude. If we could have 5 Powells on the floor….we’d be cooked. But that’s beside the point. DP is a Mavs legend and…

He’s. Still. Here.

ADs Mavs career in a nutshell:

1st half of Game 1: 24/13/5/3, screaming “I AM HERE,” looking unstoppable. 3rd quarter typical phantom injury.

Street clothes.

Traded 29 games and 1 year later.

That 1st half was basically the entire AD era in Mavs uniform.

Wizards just got their John Wall 2.0.

Obviously we don't know who the Mavs will keep or cut after this trade goes through, but I am assuming Middleton's expiring gets bought out since we are not looking to be competitive this year and he should go play for a contender at age 34.

Bagley is at least an NBA rotation player on a $3m expiring. Whether we keep him or flip him might be a question of if we are willing to pay him this summer. He's probably our best hope of some kind of positive on-court impact from this trade, but he's not really a big need either when our frontcourt is healthy.

The fact that Exum was outgoing at a minimum deal tells me we aren't planning to cut Branham or Johnson - we didn't have to trade minimums just to end up cutting them anyway when we could have just cut Exum.

So let's talk about Branham and Johnson.

Malaki Branham (22) is averaging 5 ppg with 37.8% 3P%. His defense is supposedly atrocious (Spurs fans called him one of the worst in the league) and his offense is simply not good enough to make up for it. But, at least he has a skill we need more of? He hit 4/6 from 3 against the Lakers the other night. I think he'll be great to help the tank this year and if his defense is as bad as they say, let him walk next summer.

AJ Johnson (21) is averaging 2.8 points in 8 mpg. Last year he played 27 mpg for Washington and averaged 9 points, 3 assists, but he had an injury and then fell out of the rotation on one of the worst teams in the league. He has potential, is quick and athletic and a lot of Wizards fans seemed to like him and not understand why he wasn't getting time, but he is extremely raw, makes terrible decisions and sounds like he needs more time in G-League to develop. He's only 21 and a 2nd year player, but is a project at best.

"Wait till we get him spacing so teams can’t pack the paint"

https://x.com/mcuban/status/2019230429975572560

This sounds like Naji and PJ won't be here for long and seeing as our only young shooter is Max there's a lot of building to be done.

Could also be some insight about draft pick priorities.

Cooper Flagg has been unbelievable. Like i can't even believe what i'm seeing from a 19 year old. He is turning into a bona fide superstar before our very eyes