06-01-2022, 02:27 AM
(06-01-2022, 01:37 AM)F Gump Wrote: I like your analysis, but don't agree with the conclusion that "you don't trade Powell" or at least how broad it is.
I do agree they should not trade Powell just to trade him, in some sort of "at all costs" extermination, where they are paying someone to take him. But they should be open to, and perhaps even looking for, his summer path out of town where ...
1 They have a replacement for his minutes, either beforehand, or via the trade in which he leaves, and
2 He brings back no worse than neutral value (ie, he is cheap filler, since he is expiring) or better (ie, a team sees some value in having his energy and hustle on their team and in their lineup (some teams need that, who are looking for a spark to help them ascend and maybe learn some better habits).
If his contract simply expires next summer, it saves the team money, but it doesn't provide anything in terms of talent to move forward. If they have cap room in 2023, being expanded from his contract expiring, it is a huge fail in the interim in roster building.
I just find it hard to believe someone is going to want him beyond being an expiring in a larger move. i guess it depends if you play his game tape from the end of the season or in the playoffs. A lot of what he brings to the team isn't all that quantifiable and I'm sure a lot of teams have their Nick Collins types on the roster already or can fill that role a lot less expensive (hello, Theo). A lot of people here want to trade him to trade Powell just to get rid of him. I wouldn't pay to get off of his expiring and I think what we all need to be prepared for is Powell here in the long term under a much more friendly cap number. I think that's the worst case scenario.