Jalen Brunson talked on the All The Smoke podcast about his efforts to sign a contract extension with the Dallas Mavericks multiple times before and even during the 21-22 season.

"There was a chance," said Brunson on staying with the Mavericks. "I really did want to stay in Dallas. I think before the season, before my fourth season in Dallas, last season in Dallas, we tried to extend our contract. Whatever we can get... the most we could get was like four years and $55 million. Obviously, we wanted to do that and I wanted to stay there. I thought I'd be there for a long time and I liked my role there.

"It's funny, because my agent was like, 'You can get more, you can more.'

"I'm saying 'Well, I just want to be safe. I'm not trying to gamble right now. This is not something you really gamble with if it's out there.

"But they were like, 'We went to see where we're at by like 20, 25 games into the season.'

"But were like, well, if we're not going to do it, I kind of don't want to do it until after the season. I'm not trying to think about this during the season.

"So there's a period where Luka [Doncic] went out and I started to start. I was playing really well. I think I was averaging like 20 and 6 maybe. It was about that 20 to 25 mark. And so we went back, like 'If the deal is there, we're thinking about it, like, I'll do it like right now.'

"Still, it was no. It wasn't a hard no. It was just like 'We want to see, we want to see.'

"The trade deadline comes, I'm like thinking if I'm not getting extended, I'm probably going to get traded...

"The deal came on the table after the trade deadline. I was like 'No, I think I've outgrown that now. Personally, that what I thought. 'I think I've outgrown that.'"

Brunson emerged into an even bigger role when Doncic was injured at the start of the playoffs.

"So we lose in the Western Conference Finals, I remember seeing something on Twitter after the game and it was like Mark [Cuban] saying 'Hey, we can pay him the most money.'

"So, he says that in the interview. Literally right after the game.

"I'm thinking, like, I'm okay. I just.. After that, it was crickets. From my point of view, I can't speak to anyone else, and my agents, from my point of view it was crickets."

Brunson went on to sign with the New York Knicks on a four-year, $104 million deal.

Donnie Nelson's wrongful termination lawsuit against the Dallas Mavericks will go to trial on December 10.

In the lawsuit, Nelson claims that he was fired by the Mavs in retaliation for reporting that Mark Cuban's "right-hand person" allegedly sexually assaulted Nelson's nephew during 2020 All-Star Weekend.

Nelson adds that the Mavs quickly settled the nephew's claims to "sweep [the allegations] under the rug."

Nelson claims that he was in the middle of a contract negotiation when he reported the assault to Cuban.

Nelson was fired in June 2021. 

After the All-Star Game on Sunday, Nikola Jokic was asked if he and Luka Doncic could someday play together. Jokic and Doncic appeared to connect as teammates on the Western Conference at the All-Star Game.

"I don't know," said Jokic in the interview translated by Miroslav Cuk. "It's possible. I don't want to leave Denver. I like it there. It's a great organization. But if Luka gets pissed off in Dallas, he can come."

The future of Doncic with the Dallas Mavericks has come into question in recent years as they missed the playoffs in 2023 after reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2022. Doncic cannot become a free agent until 2026.

Denver owes future first round picks to the Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Donovan Mitchell and Luka Doncic have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for  Week 16.

Mitchell averaged 27.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers went 4-0.

Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to a 4-0 week with averages of 31.3 points (.513 FG%, .442 3FG%), 10.5 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.8 steals in 37.5 minutes per game.

Host Danny Leroux and Seth Partnow of StatsBomb and The Athletic discuss the NBA Trade Deadline.

They break down which teams improved the most, why there were fewer high-impact moves, the Thunder’s fascinating future, the Knicks’ place in the East hierarchy and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed. 

Spencer Dinwiddie is one of the best players that was cut loose after all the trade deadline maneuvering. Dinwiddie was waived by the Toronto Raptors after being acquired from the Brooklyn Nets.

The free agent guard is now believed to be choosing between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks for his next team. Both teams have pursued Dinwiddie after his waiver from Toronto.

Dinwiddie was spotted sitting with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka at the team's game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. Dinwiddie is a Los Angeles native, which could factor into his decision.

The Mavericks are betting on Dinwiddie's previous run with the team being enough to entice him to return. Dallas is looking to upgrade their guard depth around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

The Washington Wizards were widely touted as not seriously considering a trade of Kyle Kuzma at the deadline, but sources tell The Athletic that the came "close" to agreeing to one offer.

The offer almost certainly came from the Dallas Mavericks, who instead acquired Daniel Gafford from the Wizards as well as PJ Washington from the Charlotte Hornets.

The Wizards were seeking at least two first round picks in order to trade Kuzma. 

Washington values Kuzma's play and off-court intangibles more than what the market dictated. 

Kuzma's contract descends each year, dropping from $23.5 million for 2024-25 to $21.5 million in 2025-26 to $19.4 million in 2026-27.

The Los Angeles Lakers didn't make a move at the trade deadline, which increases the probability they can do something more significant this offseason. The Lakers plan to use the three picks available to them (2024 or 2025, 2029 and 2031) in the offseason to pursue a star via trade.

The Lakers have identified Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young and Kyrie Irving as potential targets in the offseason, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Mitchell will be entering the final season of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason and his status remains uncertain. The Cavaliers, however, have played well since the start of 2024 and he has also been strongly linked with the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat.

Young's future with the Atlanta Hawks is somewhat murky after they were unable to trade Dejounte Murray. Young is on a larger contract than Murray and would presumably fetch a larger trade haul. There are opposing front offices already speculating that the Hawks could entertain a Young trade.

Irving has been linked with the Lakers since he first considered an exit from the Brooklyn Nets in June 2022. Irving was subsequently traded to the Dallas Mavericks and re-signed on a three-year, $126 million deal. 

The tenure of Grant Williams with the Dallas Mavericks lasted just a few months as they swiftly traded him at the deadline to the Charlotte Hornets for P.J. Washington. The Mavericks sent out a 2030 swap to the San Antonio Spurs to acquire Williams on his four-year, $54 million sign-and-trade and then sent out a 2027 first round pick along with him and Seth Curry to acquire Washington.

"The fact they gave up a 2030 swap for Grant Williams and then dumped him as soon as they possibly could, which they were determined to dump him," said Tim MacMahon on the Brian Windhorst Podcast. "Not just about getting P.J. Washington, they wanted to be out of the Grant Williams' business. He rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.

"He switched from Lukas to Tatums by the way... his shoe selection.

Williams and Luka Doncic share an agent in Bill Duffy, which could have contributed to his initial arrival with the Mavericks. MacMahon also described the acquisition of Williams "a massive whiff" and that he had multiple front offices reach out to him about how Dallas improved in the short-term, but now do not control their draft capital between 2027 and 2030.

The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to acquire PJ Washington from the Charlotte Hornets for Grant Williams, Seth Curry and a lightly protected 2027 first round pick.

Washington signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the Hornets as a restricted free agent last offseason.

The Mavericks acquired Williams on a four-year, $54 million sign-and-trade in which they sent out a pick swap in 2030.

Dallas signed Curry to a two-year, $8 million deal in 2023.

The Hornets previously acquired an additional 2027 first round pick as part of their trade of Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat.