Kyrie is gone for this season and most of next season, and AD is also gone this season. With KD no longer being an option to trade for, there is uncomfortable reality that Dallas has traded Luka for Christie, a 20+. pick in 2029, and a singular game of AD. His agent is Rich Paul, and Dallas are not going to have a winning period, and AD has a final of 3-4 years at top level left.

With Thunder not a team having to rush AD of current injury like Dallas, and Hartenstein-Chet lineups are not necessarily being the best team can offer, Thunder could go in for a more suitable big to pair up with Chet at 5, and be undeniable favorites for a 3-4 year period with minimal package paid for a top 15-20 player. For Mavs, this could be the best they can get for a potentilly upset AD with no title hopes or contention hopes on sight, and Hartenstein/Joe are players you can further gain packages from other teams.