The Mavs have committed to being bad for the rest of the year and to building around Flagg this offseason. In this trade, they move off of Marshall, who has been great for them besides post All-Star break. They capitalize on his value and get a mid-20s FRP, a future SRP, and Zeke Naji, who is famously on one of the worst contracts in the NBA. Additionally, the Mavs cut around 1.0 million from their salary cap this year, but do take on an extra year of salary. My thought process here is to help clear out more vets to make room for the players the Mavs are planning to draft. Even if it is a late pick this year, the immense talent available throughout this draft makes this trade acceptable IMO.

In this scenario, the Nuggets have concluded they will be unable to retain Watson because of his stellar play this year. He will demand a large contract this offseason that other teams can afford, but not the Nuggets, because Braun's extension kicks in this offseason. Sadly, I do see him signing with the L*kers because that fit next to Luka would be glorious :(. The nuggets Pivot and move their pick for a guy they know will help them win now, and get off one of their worst signings in the 2020s. This helps them maintain the commitment to solidifying their bench at a reasonable price point. IMO Marshall offers a jack-of-all-trades skill set that will empower the more specialized bench players the Nuggets currently have, such as Hardaway Jr. and Valanciunas. As a final financial note, yes, they are slightly more expensive in the short term, but they save one year of salary compared to Naji.

Let me know what y'all think! Is this trade unreasonable for either side? Does Marshall garner more than this package? Or does his recent play justify this level of deal?