Trade & FA 2023-24: Lavine Market Barely There| NOP Want Trae or Murray

[rocky164]

Thanks for this.  I need to somehow pin this location in my mind for future reference (Top of page 554, Top of page 554).

I was a little concerned DJJ might play himself past our ability to easily retain.  Of course, the post season isn’t over yet and short of a championship the season will end with disappointment and that disappointment will likely be directed at someone or a few someones who didn’t quite get it done.  So, TP MLE could still end up being in play.

Also, it takes a certain type of team to invest a full MLE contract in someone like DJJ.  Those types of teams who need that very specific role don’t tend to have money or space or the exception necessary under the current rules.  So, time will tell.  I appreciated the Moneyball article that painted some hope for retaining him from recent past examples (BTW, how smart does the Indy FO look for they way they creatively handled the Turner extension and structured the Bruce Brown deal as something that could be used as matching salary in a bigger deal without giving up anything core).

As to reacting to some of what I’ve read here.  I think it was Knutson who pointed out that trading THJ in the offseason is throwing away an asset that can be better used later.  I agree.  His expiring contract and a pick at the TDL is likely to be much more valuable than it is this summer.

Another thing I’m struggling with in some of the proposals that ship out THJ for air is we are making a trade to stand still (retain Jones).  Teams in our position tend to use outgoing assets to upgrade somewhere, not stand still.  It feels like THJ and something should be used to maximize the roster as opposed to creating space to just keep DJJ.

This makes total sense and I completely agree IF we can find a way to keep both THJ and DJJ.  If it’s one or the other, THJ has to go even if only for air.