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

[KillerLeft]

I don't know that I'm warning of anything.  Clearly there is some price that is just stupid.  It is a waste of time to engage in this discussion if people aren't willing to acknowledge that.  I'm mainly trying to set out truths that I think are self-evident:

1.  Moving THJ cheaply isn't a slam dunk and probably won't be cheap.  We are in a different environment for this kind of move than in years past.  There are limited teams with the ability to take his contract.  There is more competition than usual for that kind of space with some good teams trying to better manage their cap sheets.  And, some of the teams with space or TPE's appear ready to seek upgrades to their own rosters rather than being facilitators for other teams.

2.  It is abnormal for good teams to use assets to stand pat.  We are constantly proposing this type of trade around here where a team gives us something good for our trash and it never happens.  That's because the other team is also trying to improve.  Often, instead of taking our trash, they pair the player we want with something else to create an upgrade.  With the Play-In, almost everyone is trying to compete.  Detroit and San Antonio even appear poised to try to upgrade things.  Who knows what Ainge has up his sleeve.  The more that teams take the mindset of using their cap space to benefit their current ability to compete, the less room there is for all of us trying to grab that space.

3.  I don't think think DJJ is indispensable.  I also don't think he's so good that he can't be improved upon.  I went back and looked at some posts right after we signed him.  Many put him 4th on the PF depth chart (behind rookie Omax).  I knew he could defend wings well.  The question was always his ability to shoot.  Now our group-think has gone 100% in the other direction.  I'd like him back.  I'm willing to pay him the NT MLE and I suspect other teams will be willing to do the same.  What I'm not willing to do is give up too much to do it when Nico has shown an ability to turn assets like THJ's expiring contract and picks into something much more positive.  It is a matter of opportunity cost.  Why would I pay to stand still if I can pay (maybe something similar) to get better.  If we don't win the championship, we are all going to be looking for ways to improve.  The paths are limited and THJ/2025 is one of our best paths.

Yeah, I agree with all of this in principle, and I am certainly one of those who was not a believer in the signing at the beginning of the season. I’ve been following this particular player for a while, and I had no idea he was going to fit here like he has. It took me until like halfway through the Minnesota series before I believed he was going to continue hitting those corner threes, for example.

I think where are you and I might differ, and I think this is reasonable, is on what constitutes standing pat versus getting better versus getting worse. I could be convinced to let Jones go in a certain set of circumstances, but not if his replacement, even temporarily, was Josh Green. I know you feel differently, and that’s fine. But from that perspective, retaining Jones seems easier than improving upon him. Not easy, but easier.