In this episode, we start by talking about the sad state of NBA coverage and why today’s “hot take” culture has led people like Tony Allen and Carmelo Anthony to make bold proclamations doubting Cooper Flagg’s NBA potential. We also talk about how it reminds us of the way Luka Dončić was talked about as a prospect in 2018 and even how some people discuss him now.

We then transition to talk about the Mavs options at point guard this summer, covered in our recent article. We all agree that it’s not worth the potential cost to acquire Jrue Holiday, who is 35 years old and is making a lot of money. While Lonzo Ball could be a nice fit with the Mavs, his injury issues make it necessary to acquire someone else to help shore up the backcourt. And while 40-year old Chris Paul might make the most sense to pair with Cooper Flagg, it’s difficult to see a path to signing him, with the Mavs likely only having the league minimum to offer him. Vinay suggests the Mavs exploring options outside of those three players like Anfernee Simons and Colin Sexton, both who are currently under contract with other teams, but could provide more of what the Mavs need.

Finally, we analyze Mavs CEO Rick Welts’ recent comments at a Wall Street Journal event. He had one very revealing quote from the appearance:

“We have since rethought a lot of procedures about how we’ll do things in Dallas going forward”

That quote seems to indicate that Mavs Governor Patrick Dumont’s “In Nico We Trust” approach is officially dead. After the recent public relations disaster one could assume that there are now more checks and balances in place, and that any basketball decision the Mavs make needs to not threaten their business model like the Luka Dončić trade did. Welts becoming an increasingly public face of the Mavs franchise would indicate that he has earned significant trust with Dumont, and if anyone could put the bug in Dumont’s ear about firing Nico Harrison, it might be him. In any case, time will tell.

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In this episode we are thrilled to be joined by NBA salary cap expert analyst Yossi Gozlan, making his third appearance on our podcast.

Today we focus on the Mavericks’ salary cap situation going into this pivotal summer where they will draft Cooper Flagg #1 overall and pivot their team building around him.

Yossi tells us that the Mavericks will enter this summer slightly over the 2nd apron of $207.8 million, and will probably be looking to shed some salary so they can get under that figure. They may even try to dump further money so that they can get under the 1st apron threshold of $195.9 million. In all likelihood, they will at least be over the luxury tax threshold of $187.8 million, limiting their player acquisition avenues to the taxpayer mid-level exception, and trades. In order to gain access to the full mid-level exception, the Mavericks would have to shed enough salary to get under that luxury tax threshold, which may be difficult to do with only one team (Brooklyn Nets) possessing cap space to potentially take on contracts in a salary dump.

We then discuss with Yossi whether it makes sense for the Mavs to prioritize their future with Flagg by trading Anthony Davis while his value is still high. We are all in agreement that while that is the wise decision, we do not trust Mavs general manager Nico Harrison to do it. With that in mind, Yossi walks us through avenues the Mavs can move around players on their roster to address their biggest needs this summer, namely a point guard. Yossi also tells us that while the penalties of the NBA’s “Apron era” can be harsh, there are still avenues for teams to avoid the worst effects of it, specifically frozen draft picks.

Finally, with Yossi being a Los Angeles resident, we get his perspective on how the vibe in the city has changed since the Lakers traded for Luka Dončić. He talks about how Luka reminds a lot of Lakers fans of certain Laker legends such as Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson. While we all lament the deal, we try to look forward to the new era the Mavs will be entering with Cooper Flagg.

You can follow Yossi on X/Twitter @YossiGozlan. You can also check out and subcribe to his newsletter, Third Apron . Subscribe to his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@YossiGozlanNBA.

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This episode is a continuation of Vinay’s great article covering Cooper Flagg’s scouting report. Today, Jay and Vinay discuss that in more depth.

We cover his physical traits, and how they project to shape him as an NBA player. We also discuss his special defensive talent and why that might be his defining skill going into his first year in the NBA. Between his IQ, motor, and feel for the game, he has all the tools to be a game-changing defender, without needing to be the primary defensive stopper for his team.

We also talk about his offensive skillset, and where he excels on that end of the floor. We acknowledge that his offense is where the majority of (albeit not many) questions lie about how his game will translate to the NBA level. The biggest question remains whether he can morph into the #1 option for a contending team. Between his balanced offensive game, finishing ability, and underrated playmaking, we believe Cooper Flagg can become that if he continues to improve his ball handling and three-point shooting off the dribble.

We conclude with a thought exercise on what Cooper’s career will look like if he fulfills his potential and also what it could look like if he falls short of expectations in the NBA.

Be sure to tune into our podcast Thursday, May 22 for a special episode on the salary cap implications Cooper Flagg and how the Mavs can improve the team around him during the 2025 offseason.

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In this episode, we welcome back our old friend Rohan Bhatt to discuss the Mavericks winning the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery and the #1 overall pick, the first time they have ever done so. With this, they will have the right to select Cooper Flagg out of Duke University, widely regarded as one of the best prospects in recent history.

We talk about the wild series of events that have transpired for the Mavericks, starting with the trade of Luka Dončić to the Lakers and culminating with the lifeline of all lifelines in the #1 overall pick in a good draft. This development has opened up a world of possibilities for the Mavericks that didn’t exist for them 36 hours ago.

We go over Flagg’s scouting report and break down what makes him such a special prospect. Vinay talk about where he can improve as a player, and what position he best fits at.

We also discuss how the Mavs should proceed building their roster around Flagg, and what they should do with veterans Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford. Mavs governor Patrick Dumont should still fire Nico Harrison and hire a General Manager who is committed to developing and building around Flagg, not treating him as an accessory around Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.

Overall, it was a momentous day for the Mavericks franchise, which has given them new life and a future that didn’t exist earlier in the week. It’s on them to not squander it this time.

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In this episode we discuss the end of the Mavericks' season, as they lost in the second play-in game to the Memphis Grizzlies. We focus mainly on recent reporting from Mavs insiders around the dysfunction surrounding the team, namely with the training staff. We also cover Nico Harrison's season-ending press conference with the media, in which he repeated many of the tropes he's been parroting over the past few months. Finally, we talk about how the best course of action for the franchise is firing Nico Harrison and embracing a full rebuild with a focus on the future.

In this episode, we discuss the Mavs' 120-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings in 9/10 game of the Play-In Tournament to advance to the second Play-In game against the Memphis Grizzlies for a chance to make the 2025 NBA Playoffs as the 8th seed. We talk about Klay Thompson's inspiring 23-point performance, exorcising his demons of past Play-In games. We also discuss Anthony Davis' up-and-down performance, in which he finished with 27 points and 9 rebounds. We also talk about the defensive frontline of Davis and Dereck Lively and how that might stack up against Memphis' front court of Zach Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr. We then pivot to talking about the closed door media event held by the Mavs in which Nico Harrison and CEO Rick Welts addressed select members of the media with cameras prohibited. It was an embarrassing moment and yet another PR disaster in which Harrison still could not properly justify his bizarre decision to trade Luka Dončić to the Lakers two months ago. We talk about how this might be the first signs that Mavs Governor Patrick Dumont may be realizing the scale of the crisis Harrison created for his franchise.

In this episode we react to Luka Dončić returning to the familiar confines of the American Airlines Center to face the Mavericks as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Vinay was at the game and gave us his impressions of a raucous Dallas crowd that was cheering for Luka the entire game, along with ruthless "Fire Nico" chants at every opportunity. We also discuss how this game reopened a lot of the wounds that were beginning to heal from the trade.

In this episode Jay and Vinay ramble over the recent happenings with the Mavs, which include Anthony Davis' recent return from an 18-game absence due to an adductor strain. They talk about how he has looked slow and tentative in his two games since returning, despite the Mavs winning three of their last four games. They talk about how it is too late for the Mavs to tank for draft position, but also how they likely do not have a path to advance to the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Overall, they lament the situation the team is in and vent about the dark times on the horizon for the Mavericks.

In this episode , we talk about Luka Doncic's first game against the Mavs as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a weird, emotionally charged night as Mavs fans got to see their hero suit up against Dallas for the first time ever. Despite a relatively quiet scoring night, Luka picked apart the Mavericks, recording a triple-double of 19 points, 15 rebounds, & 12 assists. Though it wasn't the monster night many were expecting from #77, this game represents how dangerous the Lakers are with a healthy and motivated Luka Dončić, and how glaring of a hole the Mavs offense has in his absence.

In this episode, Jay is joined by his girlfriend, Shaili, a Warriors fan to recap the Mavs' 126-102 loss to the Golden State Warriors. They discuss how Jimmy Butler gives the Warriors a new element they were lacking before, as well as some of the notable moments between the two franchises over the years: The 2007 "We Believe" First Round series, Harrison Barnes joining the Mavs, and mist recently, Klay Thompson signing in Dallas . They also discuss the implications of Luka Dončić being in the Pacific Division, with the Lakers and Warriors having to play 4x per year. Finally, they talk about how different NBA history would have been if Andre Iguodala had signed with the Mavericks in 2013, instead of signing with the Warriors, kickstarting their dynasty.