2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[KillerLeft]

The goal should not be salary dump. The goal should be to use the salary in a trade for a better player.

Absolutely. And, I don't think anyone is confused enough to think they're in position to put a package together for a star right now, but I think it's possible to make 1-3 moves this summer that improve the team and get headed in the right direction. From there, you can imagine they'll get closer at the following deadline or the next summer. I think this is all more possible now that Porzingis is out and gone, as there will be more options for mixing and matching to find something that works. 

It's definitely not a great place to be, 4 years in, but at least now they can get started on the second attempt. 

Safe to say the whole "rookie contract/early cap space" part of Luka's era here was a failure on the part of the front office. I just think some of us started grieving earlier than others. I mourned all of this over a year ago when it became clear Porzingis had been an extremely expensive misfire, but held out hope that they could snag someone this past summer with the last bit of cap room. Once Giannis signed that extension though, it was all probably over in reality (I realize there were still other paths that could've led to a better place than they we are now - just saying). 

Hell, I give credit to @"ItsGoTime" and some others who knew the cap space wouldn't work out. They were right! I still think the right choices could've made that plan work for the team, it's just that they targeted the top level, who (predictably) didn't want to come play with a Euro who was barely old enough to drink. 

If they find themselves in that position again when Luka is 28 or so, I think it will be a different story, but it seems ridiculous to plan for that now - too far away. Time to start making those incremental upgrades, in the meantime. In that context, I believe it's good that KP is gone, for reasons pertaining to salary structure, hierarchy in the locker room, deal making flexibility and on-court style of play. 

Now, they can start to improve. They still have to make better choices than they have, recently, but this was a necessary first step, imho.