The Detroit Pistons and Dallas Mavericks signed contracts this offseason that show two opposing strategies of building a player’s trade value.
The Mavericks chose to reward center Daniel Gafford with a three-year/$54 million deal and extended PJ Washington with a lucrative contract worth $90 million over four years.
That’s about market rate for players in their respective tiers and both players figure to have large roles in the Mavs’ rotation next season.
But Dallas also knows they have a bit of a logjam at the four with Cooper Flagg coming in, so eventually they may have to deal one of their big men to make space.