Connecting some Boston Dots (Flexibility)

[DanSchwartzgan]

Yeah, I wonder whether the deal with OKC happened when it did specifically BECAUSE Nelson and Carlisle had just left Dallas. As in, because Boston was left with only one team offering a center for Walker.

WILD speculation, obviously, but the thought crossed my mind.

Yeah, that crossed my mind also and it probably makes more sense.  If Boston only had two active paths for getting rid of Kemba...Dallas and OKC...and Dallas is a mess all of a sudden, then grab the other while you can.  I get that.  There is some reporting that the Hayward TPE will expire earlier than the full 365 days because the NBA is moving back to a more normalized calendar.  Basketball Insider estimates the TPE may expire around 8/16 (their estimate) even though the Hayward trade was done on 11/29.  It could just as easily expire on 8/18 or 8/19 since it is a made up date.  Rushing the Kemba deal may have been an attempt to be able to aggregate Horford in a deal that is done before the TPE expires.  It doesn't mean it has to be Dallas-centric.  It doesn't prevent it from being Dallas-centric either.

It is far easier to believe Boston was simply acting in its best interest (Horford is easier to move than Kemba + 16 and fits better if you have to keep him), than to believe some convoluted two-stage arrangement that occurs over a two month period.  But, that doesn't mean the two teams don't already know there might be some synergies here.  If Dallas has already decided to move on from KP because the relationship with Luka is worse than we know, they don't have to wait for a new GM to do that.  Especially if it can be done while adding flexibility to the roster.  If I were coming in fresh and could grab total flexibility while also adding Smart, Horford, Satoransky, Batum and Thompson to Luka, THJ, DFS and Maxi, I'd probably do that.  The point isn't the specific names.  The point of the thread (my 4th in 19 months on this board) is the clean slate, though I would contend Smart, Horford, Satoransky, Batum and Thompson > KP, Powell, JRich and Brunson...No?  And as I said in the OP, I think KP is a good fit in Boston.

I thought the Thompson/Mosley relationship and the Powell and JRich fit with the TPE to be interesting.  There are smaller deals to be had here that don't have to revolve around KP.  Is there anyone who wouldn't turn Powell into expiring Thompson (emphasis on expiring)?  Would Chicago pay us something to move Satoransky into the Powell TPE?  Is one year of JRich better for Boston than multi-year for Fournier?  And all of that is before getting into agent relationships that might bring in Robert Williams or Nesmith.

Speaking of which, I completely understood your other question.  You can't presume the relationships will remain the same...especially if the Forde firm gives us a strong outsider for the top spot.  That person will bring a whole new set of relationships to the table.  But, it is a trust business and relationships are very important.  Cuban still has relationships (good and bad).  It isn't/wasn't 100% Donnie.  I don't think you can assume the Schwartz thing died with Donnie's departure.  Tyler made a really good point the other night that I intended to respond to regarding Duffy.  I believe the formula is Cuban/Duffy = Bad (at least historically)  It can certainly change with time, but I suspect there will always be some strain there.  Donnie/Duffy = Good.  Carlisle/Duffy = Bad.  Tyler theorized that removing Carlisle from the equation might be more valuable than losing Donnie.  My theory is the one remaining relationship...Cuban may still be Bad.  I don't know for sure.   

Duffy's first job is to get the extension done.  If Luka fires Duffy tomorrow, Duffy doesn't get a piece of the extension...only what Luka earns on contracts signed while Duffy was the agent.  His second job is to make Luka a global icon...the next Lebron.  It is in his interest to help Dallas get better...at least for now.  If it doesn't happen within a reasonable time, his job will be to get Luka somewhere it can happen.  Dallas is well positioned globally.  There is no NEED to go to the coast for Luka to be the most famous player on the planet.  The 24-25 season is the critical one.  Once we get to the summer of 25, Luka will be a year away from possibly walking for nothing (I'm assuming he gets the PO in the fifth year).  Dallas has to be humming before then.  The point of this thread was really about a path to flexibility sooner than would be possible if we trade for Kemba or Bertans or Wiggins or Hayward.  Something with Boston gives us a great opportunity to clean the slate and let Cuban and Duffy and whoever the new GM is get to work.  The clock is ticking.

Finally, thanks to Clutch and others for the kind words.