The NBA is the most bonkers of all the sports leagues. Gotta love this!
(06-23-2022, 05:24 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]The NBA is the most bonkers of all the sports leagues. Gotta love this!
Nellie used to call the draft and free agency "Lying Season."
Yes he did. “If my lips are moving I am lying”
So none of the rumored big trades happened. Actually, only a couple of role player vets were moved. Big names waiting for FA or will not happen at all.
(06-23-2022, 11:15 PM)omahen Wrote: [ -> ]So none of the rumored big trades happened. Actually, only a couple of role player vets were moved. Big names waiting for FA or will not happen at all.
I think you were right when you said earlier that the Brooklyn drama would have a major impact. True rebuilding teams (Detroit, Sacramento, OKC) pretty much cleaned up but everybody else is either holding their assets on the Kyrie/Durant drama or holding their assets waiting on some other team that is waiting on the Kyrie/Durant drama.
Assuming things fall apart for Nets. I would imagine they would somehow listen to Durant where he wants to go and he wouldn't name just one possible destination. What would be the best offer we could come up with for Durant? I think:
- Brunson (has to play along, Nets need to stay below hard cap which should be manageable, if they hold sort of fire sale)
- DFS+salary filler(s)
- 2025, 2027, 2029 FRP (NY needs to agree to lift protections from 2023) and pick swaps
We know GSW and Phi are highly unlikely to be even considered. I think Cha, Cle, Det, Ind, Hou, Pels, NY, OKC, Orl, Por, Sac, San, Tor, Uta and Was would have a hard time convincing Durant they can build a contender, especially after what they would have to pay Nets to get him (I doubt Nets take just bad salaries and picks). Chicago, Denver, both LA teams and Mil already spent most of their draft capital, so I don't think they can field a competitive offer.
This leaves teams with following possible options:
- Atlanta: Collins (same value as Brunson imho), Hunter and all picks is attractive offer.
- Boston: Smart, White, Williams and all picks
- Memphis: JJJ, whatever salary fillers and all picks
- Miami: Herro, Lowry and two picks (meh in my opinion)
- Phoenix: Ayton (if he play along), Bridges and all picks.
I don't see many high upside cheap players available. Even Ayton will likely be overpaid. In this regard Brunson is not that much worse than any other offer. Dallas has a pick less than most of competition. Still, I think it could be possible. Durant would have to do some recruiting to cover the hole after DFS and Brunson and it would be good if Mavs spent the TE.
(06-24-2022, 05:53 AM)omahen Wrote: [ -> ]Assuming things fall apart for Nets. I would imagine they would somehow listen to Durant where he wants to go and he wouldn't name just one possible destination. What would be the best offer we could come up with for Durant? I think:
- Brunson (has to play along, Nets need to stay below hard cap which should be manageable, if they hold sort of fire sale)
- DFS+salary filler(s)
- 2025, 2027, 2029 FRP (NY needs to agree to lift protections from 2023) and pick swaps
We know GSW and Phi are highly unlikely to be even considered. I think Cha, Cle, Det, Ind, Hou, Pels, NY, OKC, Orl, Por, Sac, San, Tor, Uta and Was would have a hard time convincing Durant they can build a contender, especially after what they would have to pay Nets to get him (I doubt Nets take just bad salaries and picks). Chicago, Denver, both LA teams and Mil already spent most of their draft capital, so I don't think they can field a competitive offer.
This leaves teams with following possible options:
- Atlanta: Collins (same value as Brunson imho), Hunter and all picks is attractive offer.
- Boston: Smart, White, Williams and all picks
- Memphis: JJJ, whatever salary fillers and all picks
- Miami: Herro, Lowry and two picks (meh in my opinion)
- Phoenix: Ayton (if he play along), Bridges and all picks.
I don't see many high upside cheap players available. Even Ayton will likely be overpaid. In this regard Brunson is not that much worse than any other offer. Dallas has a pick less than most of competition. Still, I think it could be possible. Durant would have to do some recruiting to cover the hole after DFS and Brunson and it would be good if Mavs spent the TE.
I know how good KD is, but that's so much to give up to get him.
I also think, it would be more fun to win one Chip with our group of guys, than two with KD.
About Brunson ...
The repeated media notes of NY chasing Brunson seems bizarre to me. I doubt the Knicks are actually saying over and over that "We made this move to get Brunson" (because mentioning Brunson even once would be tampering), which means the Knicks are doing things and everyone is assuming the target is Brunson, and writing it as such.
Think about it. It's being written like it's a foregone deal that Brunson goes to NY when the Knicks hit a certain number, which is just dumb. "They're getting more, they're almost there, one more move to have enough to land Brunson." But just because NY gets cap room doesn't mean Brunson wants to go there. The NBA doesn't ever work that way, so why would NY be able to do what no other scrub team can do? Sure, the Mavs don't have actual control, but if Brunson likes Dallas and Dallas likes Brunson, then it's just a matter of agreeing on a number ... and whatever NY is doing is just noise.
Not sure where the Knicks are going with this. Maybe "Brunson quest" is giving them PR cover to strip the roster down and get rid of lots of junk, I dunno. But I do think there's a hidden agenda that's driving the NY moves way more than JB is.
(06-24-2022, 11:25 AM)F Gump Wrote: [ -> ]About Brunson ...
The repeated media notes of NY chasing Brunson seems bizarre to me. I doubt the Knicks are actually saying over and over that "We made this move to get Brunson" (because mentioning Brunson even once would be tampering), which means the Knicks are doing things and everyone is assuming the target is Brunson, and writing it as such.
Think about it. It's being written like it's a foregone deal that Brunson goes to NY when the Knicks hit a certain number, which is just dumb. "They're getting more, they're almost there, one more move to have enough to land Brunson." But just because NY gets cap room doesn't mean Brunson wants to go there. The NBA doesn't ever work that way, so why would NY be able to do what no other scrub team can do? Sure, the Mavs don't have actual control, but if Brunson likes Dallas and Dallas likes Brunson, then it's just a matter of agreeing on a number ... and whatever NY is doing is just noise.
Not sure where the Knicks are going with this. Maybe "Brunson quest" is giving them PR cover to strip the roster down and get rid of lots of junk, I dunno. But I do think there's a hidden agenda that's driving the NY moves way more than JB is.
Aren't Rose and the Brunson family pretty close? I wonder if it's as simple as Rose doing them a solid by ensuring that Brunson does get paid by floating that Brunson is the target while actually looking at someone else (Mitchell, Kyrie, etc). If Knicks then get that person then NY media celebrates how the Knicks were able to get a "better" player than Brunson, Brunson gets paid like he deserves, NY and Dallas both get the players they want, and everyone leaves happy.
(06-24-2022, 11:36 AM)Jmaciscool Wrote: [ -> ]Aren't Rose and the Brunson family pretty close? I wonder if it's as simple as Rose doing them a solid by ensuring that Brunson does get paid by floating that Brunson is the target while actually looking at someone else (Mitchell, Kyrie, etc). If Knicks then get that person then NY media celebrates how the Knicks were able to get a "better" player than Brunson, Brunson gets paid like he deserves, NY and Dallas both get the players they want, and everyone leaves happy.
This is my hope as well.
I agree with @"F Gump" that the way the national narrative jumped all over it like it's a foregone conclusion is silly but I don't disagree that Brunson is the obvious name that they would be going after. I would have felt a lot better if they just grabbed those three protected picks and not used one to simply dump Kemba because it does signal SOMETHING.
My only real concern is that Brunson wants the ball in his hands more and that will never happen here and he knows it. He has the fullest belief in himself and I could honestly see him believing that he can lead this Knicks team to the promised land so no matter how much WE think the Knicks pitch is dumb, all that matters is what HE thinks about it.
With NYK clearing cap space, we could lose Brunson without getting anything back in a S&T, right?