NDA's aren't magic and the NBA exists in part because of its brand.

A person finds out the lottery is definitively rigged, but signed an NDA. They tell everyone. The NBA sues. The NBA has taken what was a bad story to begin with and monumentally exacerbated it by suing the whistle blower.

The lottery is not leaving the leagues earnings up to chance. Great players persist for more than a decade. It is important for the profitability of the league that more than just Miami, LAL, Boston and the Knicks are good so they allow some randomness, because those teams are inherently advantaged in free agency.

Explain how they reliably rig the lottery.

Following

hph6203 said:

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NDA's aren't magic and the NBA exists in part because of its brand.

A person finds out the lottery is definitively rigged, but signed an NDA. They tell everyone. The NBA sues. The NBA has taken what was a bad story to begin with and monumentally exacerbated it by suing the whistle blower.

The lottery is not leaving the leagues earnings up to chance. Great players persist for more than a decade. It is important for the profitability of the league that more than just Miami, LAL, Boston and the Knicks are good so they allow some randomness, because those teams are inherently advantaged in free agency.

Explain how they reliably rig the lottery.

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Exactly. All the big journalists are there for the drawing. Is Zach Lowe signing an NDA when his job is reporting on the NBA?

Love the position the Mavs are in. With a skilled GM, we could start setting the table for a long run at the top.

Obviously this has to start with firing Nico. Obviously he can't be trusted.

Build up with the Flagg pick. Trade AD for point guard help. Fill in the blanks.

Spitballing this trade idea now that yall have a glut of forwards, but need a PG.

Mavs get Collin Sexton (1y left, 19M)

Spurs get: PJ Washington (1y left), Naji Marshall

Jazz get: Devin Vassell (4y left)

Mavs lineup:

Lively/Gafford
AD / Martin
Coop / Klay
Klay / Max
Sexton / Brandon Williams until Kyrie comes back

Honestly, I don't know how they would rig it. But there is hard evidence they've done it before. And none of what you're saying changes the context surrounding this or past lotteries. Want to take a crack at any of the questions I posted?

Yes, because if there's one thing we know from recent political revelations, journalists here are beacons of integrity.

Guitarsoup said:

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Spitballing this trade idea now that yall have a glut of forwards, but need a PG.

Mavs get Collin Sexton (1y left, 19M)

Spurs get: PJ Washington (1y left), Naji Marshall

Jazz get: Devin Vassell (4y left)

Mavs lineup:

Lively/Gafford
AD / Martin
Coop / Klay
Klay / Max
Sexton / Brandon Williams until Kyrie comes back

---

Is this a trade that makes the Mavs better or is this an ideal Spurs trade? Hard no.

Guitarsoup said:

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Spitballing this trade idea now that yall have a glut of forwards, but need a PG.

Mavs get Collin Sexton (1y left, 19M)

Spurs get: PJ Washington (1y left), Naji Marshall

Jazz get: Devin Vassell (4y left)

Mavs lineup:

Lively/Gafford
AD / Martin
Coop / Klay
Klay / Max
Sexton / Brandon Williams until Kyrie comes back

---

Good lord

shack009 said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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Spitballing this trade idea now that yall have a glut of forwards, but need a PG.

Mavs get Collin Sexton (1y left, 19M)

Spurs get: PJ Washington (1y left), Naji Marshall

Jazz get: Devin Vassell (4y left)

Mavs lineup:

Lively/Gafford
AD / Martin
Coop / Klay
Klay / Max
Sexton / Brandon Williams until Kyrie comes back

---

Is this a trade that makes the Mavs better or is this an ideal Spurs trade? Hard no.

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I mean, maybe if picks were involved to balance it out.

Mavs also have 2 other picks that are tradeable, the 2026 first rounder and LAL's 2029. I'm looking at Chicago for Coby White.

DANManman said:

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Again, because perception is reality. It can't be too, too obvious. There would be no point in owning a smaller franchise if they all would forever stay in the basement.

Just ignoring all past apparent controversies, does it really make more sense that:

A group of billionaires care more about "fairness" than making money, only when it comes to sports (despite making billion-dollar purchases of franchises)?

A guy whose previous job was literally marketing athletes somehow missed how marketable his franchise superstar was (despite copious advertising across the metroplex pointing to the contrary)?

The same guy not only trades said young star for an aging one (who, let's call a spade a spade, isn't nearly as marketable), who often gets injured (with the exception of the last few years), and in fact was out at the time with an injury, over "conditioning concerns," but does so to receive an underwhelming package in return, far below what was considered market value, at the cost of the reputation of him and the franchise he works for, just to be nice to his old pal in LA (which just so happens to be one of the two largest media markets in the US)?

And finally, that the team of this same guy, which previously had never even moved up in the lottery before (but also just so happens to be in a large media market), somehow defied the worst non-zero odds to land the #1 overall pick?

The disbelief can only be stretched so much. If this was a movie plot, it'd be too unbelievable for the Hallmark channel.

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Yes. It does make more sense that Nico made a terrible, stupid, incompetent move and then the Mavs got very lucky two nights ago.

That is much more likely than the NBA engaging in illegal activities that could jeopardize the future of the league.

Wasn't my idea at all. Framework was suggested by Sam Vecenie for the Mavs to use their forwards to go after Sexton or Anfernee Simons to hold down the fort for Kyrie since there is obviously a need there.

Can you explain how that makes more sense, then? Even an incompetent guy would still, at minimum, want to keep his job, right? Did any of those moves or subsequent statements scream "I care about my job" to you?

And how exactly would it be "illegal," or even unethical (from a financial standpoint)? Is there a law that states the NBA lottery must be legit? And even if it was, do you really think a group of billionaires are above skirting the law? Especially when they can deny any wrongdoing if it came to it?

DANManman said:

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Honestly, I don't know how they would rig it. But there is hard evidence they've done it before. And none of what you're saying changes the context surrounding this or past lotteries. Want to take a crack at any of the questions I posted?

---

Don't think you know what hard evidence means. There's zero hard evidence and lots of empty speculation from people that almost certainly don't actually know the lottery process start to finish. What questions? The ones surrounding whether or not its simpler for a GM to be stupid or a group of people that are involved in the process solely as a representation of their capacity for integrity/recognition in the market committing a con? It's way simpler for Nico to be just stupid.

The amount of money E&Y makes off the NBA draft lottery is not substantial enough for them to fake it.
The amount of money the lottery administrator makes off of it is certainly not enough for them to risk their business administering state lotteries with millions of dollars involved.


Nico is just that dumb and it's stupid to let some internet speculation allow him to get off the hook as a shrewd operator.

DANManman said:

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Can you explain how that makes more sense, then? Even an incompetent guy would still, at minimum, want to keep his job, right? Did any of those moves or subsequent statements scream "I care about my job" to you?

And how exactly would it be "illegal," or even unethical (from a financial standpoint)? Is there a law that states the NBA lottery must be legit? And even if it was, do you really think a group of billionaires are above skirting the law? Especially when they can deny any wrongdoing if it came to it?

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People have egos. Egos make people do stupid things. Nico has main character syndrome. He thinks the Mavericks made it to the WCF and subsequently the Finals after years of mediocrity because of his brilliant dealings.

Nico told Luka what to do. Luka said I'm not doing that. Nico got irritated, because he understands Mamba Mentality and traded Luka while taking advantage of a new owner that doesn't know dick about sports or the business around them.


One guy being an egotistical idiot is a far simpler story than the complexity you're proposing where you simultaneously require journalists to be so bound by integrity that they wouldn't break an NDA and yet so devoid of integrity that they would involve themselves in a fraud. That E&Y is willing to risk their reputation by associating with a sham process and that the lottery machine manufacturer/administer of the lottery is willing to risk their actual money making business (operating state/interstate lotteries) over some comparatively small segment of their business is crazy. They get caught faking the NBA lottery their actual lottery business is done. Entirely stupid risk to take if it were actually happening. Way dumber than Nico being stupid.

If Nico truly knew he was getting #1, he wouldn't have dogged Luka like he did. I think it's rigged, but more about the league bailing out the ownership group, and it's nothing to do with Nico. Nico could be fired eventually, but this ownership group was forever going to be group that okay'd the trade.

hph6203 said:

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DANManman said:

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Honestly, I don't know how they would rig it. But there is hard evidence they've done it before. And none of what you're saying changes the context surrounding this or past lotteries. Want to take a crack at any of the questions I posted?

---

Don't think you know what hard evidence means. There's zero hard evidence and lots of empty speculation from people that almost certainly don't actually know the lottery process start to finish. What questions? The ones surrounding whether or not its simpler for a GM to be stupid or a group of people that are involved in the process solely as a representation of their capacity for integrity/recognition in the market committing a con? It's way simpler for Nico to be just stupid.

The amount of money E&Y makes off the NBA draft lottery is not substantial enough for them to fake it.
The amount of money the lottery administrator makes off of it is certainly not enough for them to risk their business administering state lotteries with millions of dollars involved.


Nico is just that dumb and it's stupid to let some internet speculation allow him to get off the hook as a shrewd operator.

---

1.8% chances Dallas gets the #1 pick

Oh wait!!!!

I'm done. Believe what you want, I stop at insults. Nothing you or I say on Texags is presumably going to affect a millionaire's employment. It's just not that serious.

DANManman said:

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And how exactly would it be "illegal," or even unethical (from a financial standpoint)? Is there a law that states the NBA lottery must be legit? And even if it was, do you really think a group of billionaires are above skirting the law? Especially when they can deny any wrongdoing if it came to it?

---

Fraud is the short answer. And why would this group of billionaires take the risk? A make good to the Mavericks? To save Nico? These shadowy machinations to get Luka to a big market team offer a big risk for very little reward. Their TV rights are locked in for the next decade plus.

And what about the media who witness the drawing? And Ernst & Young? Are they all in on it, risking their reputations? Or is the league crafty enough to pull it off right in front of both without them realizing it?

Come on.

Who is being defrauded? Does the NBA sponsor bets on the lottery? Does anyone have to invest in it? I'm honestly asking.

Yeah, E&Y's involvement is why I think it's on the up and up. They aren't risking ruining a reputation over this nonsense. It was just 1 in 50 ridiculous luck. Hilarious timing but not exactly insurmountable odds. They are the dude that put his last chip on the roulette wheel and hit. It happens. I mean, they nearly blew being in the lottery at all

DannyDuberstein said:

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Yeah, E&Y's involvement is why I think it's on the up and up. They aren't risking ruining a reputation over this nonsense. It was just 1 in 50 ridiculous luck. I mean, they nearly blew being in the lottery at all

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You don't have to get both Ernst & Young, just Ernst can do damage by himself.

shack009 said:

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Mavs also have 2 other picks that are tradeable, the 2026 first rounder and LAL's 2029. I'm looking at Chicago for Coby White.

---

Coby white would be incredible. I dont think that it happens due to price but that might make this team a championship contender instantly

"I'm told the Mavericks will be pursuing a point guard," said Shams Charania. "Whether that's in the trade market, or in free agency. That's a big priority for them. Kyrie Irving is targeting sometime in January to make his return. We'll see which point guard they can have as a plug and play for them."

4 hours ago via RealGM

Guitarsoup said:

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Spitballing this trade idea now that yall have a glut of forwards, but need a PG.

Mavs get Collin Sexton (1y left, 19M)

Spurs get: PJ Washington (1y left), Naji Marshall

Jazz get: Devin Vassell (4y left)

Mavs lineup:

Lively/Gafford
AD / Martin
Coop / Klay
Klay / Max
Sexton / Brandon Williams until Kyrie comes back

---

Absolutely not. Naji Marshall is as close to 'untradeable' as a role player can be on this roster. His contract is insanely under valued and his 2 way versatility, ballhandling and self creation are precisely what the team needs and they cannot afford to trade that away.

If the Mavs can't re-sign Exum they should go after Coby White, Dennis Schroeder, Malcolm Brogdon, or *quietly whispers* ben simmons

Sexton would also be a good target but not if it requires Naji Marshall.

Guitarsoup said:

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"I'm told the Mavericks will be pursuing a point guard," said Shams Charania. "Whether that's in the trade market, or in free agency. That's a big priority for them. Kyrie Irving is targeting sometime in January to make his return. We'll see which point guard they can have as a plug and play for them."

4 hours ago via RealGM

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I'm told water is wet

I just threw naji in there for the salary to match but Hardy fits. So swap Hardy and naji

Guitarsoup said:

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I just threw naji in there for the salary to match but Hardy fits. So swap Hardy and naji

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Then yes, I'd do that trade.

M.C. Swag said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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I just threw naji in there for the salary to match but Hardy fits. So swap Hardy and naji

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Then yes, I'd do that trade.

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Washington and Hardy out with Sexton in Saves the Mavs about a million dollars but they're still over the tax level.

Would still have enough money to use the taxpayer mid-level exception I believe

M.C. Swag said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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"I'm told the Mavericks will be pursuing a point guard," said Shams Charania. "Whether that's in the trade market, or in free agency. That's a big priority for them. Kyrie Irving is targeting sometime in January to make his return. We'll see which point guard they can have as a plug and play for them."

4 hours ago via RealGM

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I'm told water is wet

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I thought the January comeback sounded great. I thought it would be longer

I was responding to Sham's 'I'm told the mavs are targeting a PG'...like no **** lol

Guitarsoup said:

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M.C. Swag said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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"I'm told the Mavericks will be pursuing a point guard," said Shams Charania. "Whether that's in the trade market, or in free agency. That's a big priority for them. Kyrie Irving is targeting sometime in January to make his return. We'll see which point guard they can have as a plug and play for them."

4 hours ago via RealGM

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I'm told water is wet

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I thought the January comeback sounded great. I thought it would be longer

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Surely it will be very limited minutes until AS break

zgolfz85 said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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M.C. Swag said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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"I'm told the Mavericks will be pursuing a point guard," said Shams Charania. "Whether that's in the trade market, or in free agency. That's a big priority for them. Kyrie Irving is targeting sometime in January to make his return. We'll see which point guard they can have as a plug and play for them."

4 hours ago via RealGM

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I'm told water is wet

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I thought the January comeback sounded great. I thought it would be longer

---

Surely it will be very limited minutes until AS break

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I think Kidd will take it slow, especially if they pick up someone decent as a stopgap.

tariffs so high we had to go domestic this time https://t.co/bVGS5RgWge

— kyriefan77 (@lebronfan77_) May 13, 2025