In order to completely understand the moves a team makes the timeline of events must be listed as well.

Pre Draft

• Guarantee Dante Exum and Jaden Hardy's contracts

Draft

• Trade pick 58 and 2028 Heat SRP to the Bucks for Marjon Beauchamp. This includes absorbing his contract via a TPE created by the Bertans trade last offseason

  • Explanation: Getting a wing with size who can potentially defend and score in case DJJ doesn't resign is a no brainer.

Free Agency

• Resigning Derrick Jones Jr to a 3 year 17 million dollar deal with a player option on the final year. This starts at the full taxpayer mid level exception allowing the Mavs to go into the apron throughout the year and not hard capping them.

• Trading Tim Hardaway Jr plus a 2025 Raptors pick to the Blazers in a 3 team deal that lands them Bojan Bogdanovic.

  • Explanation: While the SRP is expected to be a good one the added shooting, size, and experience will benefit them immediately

Start of Season

Starting lineup:

• Luka

• Kyrie

• DJJ

• Washington

• Lively

The bench is a bit more stable with Hardy and Exum being the primary guards off the bench. Gafford is joined by Bogdanovic in the front court giving the team a little more shooting. Josh Green and Beauchamp both bring a bit of athleticism that the team needs.

During the season

As long as Luka and Kyrie are healthy the team performs at a high level but when either of them are out with injuries they go on a bit of a losing streak. Hardy takes another step averaging double digits off the bench. Both Washington and DJJ take a bit of a step back in their shooting which causes the team to struggle a bit when teams force them to win games. Still a lock for the playoffs is never in doubt.