Trade & FA 2023-24: Sexton On the Market? | ORL Likes Hartenstein?

[DanSchwartzgan]

I think the best way to lose DJJ is a THJ trade in June whose end result is someone else getting bigger money, and taking minutes. And then DJJ is offered the leftovers in July.

I think that if DJJ is the priority, he has to be treated that way. Resolve his situation with an agreement that is a TxMLE, or with an agreement that getting $__M to pay him is acceptable to him, and keeping him in the loop all the way.

I think THJ gets traded rather than kept. I have no feel for what that will look like, or what it will cost 

The good news is under the new rules Dallas will largely know where it stands with DJJ during the period of time a June deal would be done.  We've all experienced the reality that nothing is done until its done, but Dallas and Jones Jr. could come to an agreement in June while Dallas is also getting good value for THJ.  You have been as big an advocate as anyone that a TP MLE contract will be enough.  If true, I'm not sure a THJ trade 'has' to change that.

The key to not pissing off Jones is to trade for someone who doesn't threaten his playing time (as PT is the key to getting him to agree to a 1+1 with a delayed pay day).  Trading for a scoring sixth man type would be one way of accomplishing that.  Trading for someone like Dorian would certainly kill any good will (as you suggest).

On a related note, the NBA Front Office guys (Keith Smith and Trevor Lane) had a mock draft the other day.  Portland traded Malcom Brogdon into Utah's space and received pick #29.  I'm not sure one year of Brogdon at $22.5mm is dramatically better value than one year of THJ at $16.2mm.  These guys aren't idiots and they let the deal go through.  So, maybe there is hope for cap clearing THJ deal that brings back an asset.  I still think a more realistic version to get Utah to bite on taking THJ is swapping assets (like our 2025 pick for their 2024 pick) rather than us receiving an asset.  Cap space will be at a greater premium than this Brogdon trade realizes.