NBA Trade Rumors: taxes ranger’ Costly head coach Bruce Bochy Gamble on $53 Million dollars that Dallas Mavericks Star Dereck Lively Could Backfire in 2025 Season…..see more
The sports landscape in Texas is always buzzing, but the latest cross-league chatter has NBA and MLB insiders alike raising eyebrows. The Texas Rangers’ front office is catching unexpected flak over a high-stakes \$53 million gamble on head coach Bruce Bochy, with critics now questioning whether the team’s spending spree might have come at the cost of broader Dallas sports dominance — especially with NBA trade rumors swirling around the Mavericks and rising star center Dereck Lively II.
Last year’s World Series-winning manager Bruce Bochy was re-signed by the Texas Rangers in a staggering deal reportedly worth \$53 million over five years — an unprecedented figure for an MLB manager. While Bochy brought leadership and postseason credibility, the financial weight of that deal is drawing scrutiny amid the Rangers’ underwhelming 2025 season performance.
The Bochy contract, originally hailed as a masterstroke, is now viewed by some analysts as a “luxury tax handcuff,” preventing the team from making key player acquisitions. But what does this have to do with the NBA?
While the Rangers have committed resources to Bochy, the Dallas Mavericks may have struck gold in their own backyard with 20-year-old big man Dereck Lively II. Entering his sophomore season, Lively is generating buzz as one of the NBA’s most promising two-way centers. His defensive prowess, vertical spacing, and chemistry with Luka Dončić are giving Dallas fans hope that a deep playoff run is on the horizon.
But here’s where it gets tricky: NBA insiders report that multiple teams are quietly testing the Mavericks’ resolve on Lively. Trade rumors are heating up — especially involving teams with disgruntled stars looking to rebuild. Lively is being floated as a key asset in packages for names like Trae Young, Donovan Mitchell, or even Zion Williamson.
And here’s the twist: If the Mavericks part ways with Lively in a bold “win-now” trade — and if he becomes a star elsewhere — the city’s sports fans could be looking at a brutal double-whammy.
Critics argue that the Rangers’ Bochy deal, while unrelated in contract terms to the Mavericks’ finances, reflects a broader pattern in Dallas sports: betting on pedigree and present value over long-term youth development. If the Mavericks mirror that approach — say, trading Lively for a veteran star chasing rings — they risk repeating the Rangers’ miscalculation.
Especially if Lively breaks out into a full-fledged All-Star by 2026.
“There’s a difference between managing talent and mortgaging the future,” one NBA executive told *The Athletic*. “Lively is the kind of player you build around — not trade away like a spare part.”
The Mavericks front office, led by Nico Harrison, faces a defining decision. With Luka Dončić entering his prime and Kyrie Irving still delivering elite scoring, the franchise is tempted to push all its chips in for a title run. But removing Lively from that equation could weaken their interior defense — and their future.
Meanwhile, Dallas fans are left wondering: did the Rangers’ overspend on Bochy subtly shift how front offices across the city are thinking about risk and reward?
If the Mavs follow the Rangers’ gamble — trading youth for immediate gratification — and fail to win a title, the city might soon be asking: was it all worth it?
