J. Kyle Mann

D'Angelo Russell is about to get paid a lot because I believe he has a player option for next year for just hanging out.

I mean, not a lot.

About to get paid some money.

Right, you wrote about this for The Ringer.

A year later, it was time.

Yeah, my only question for the Mavs would be if they sold at the absolute lowest in order to just finally rid themselves of the emotional burden of Davis and Luka and everything that came before it.

Because ultimately, as we outlined with the Wizards, they got two picks, which aren't really much.

And they got $70 million, I think, in savings next year.

So what they traded off here is effectively Kyle's opportunity call.

The Wizards basically gave up theirs in order to fill two spots with older veterans.

The Mavs basically opened doors so that they don't feel pressured, for instance, to dump a PJ Washington, some of these other guys who are helpful players for nothing because you're up against the second apron, which they were had they kept Anthony Davis another year.

This is going to be fucking tragic.

It is.

Right.

You break up the step, Ian.

It just provides you more outs and more flexibility there.

I guess the question, if you're reading the kind of vibes of Mavs fans right now, when the dust settles, like let's say in a week from now, do you feel good that you've officially moved on from everything that happened last year?

Or do you look back on it and you're like, we got Chris Middleton too bad first and Max Christie for Luka Doncic?

Did they provide platoons or what are we doing here?

Yeah.