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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