01-16-2023, 01:38 PM
Reading tea leaves...
I think the THJ to Cleveland talk is real. Let's call it LeVert plus a second. But, LeVert doesn't really do us much good longer term. So, it (probably/hopefully) requires a third team.
I think Collins ends up in Indy. BTW, that is a pretty nice remake in a short amount of time...Turner/Collins/Hield/Mathuran/Halliburton.
Indy has extra late firsts this offseason. They can eat all of the Collins money and still be a hair under the cap. HOWEVER, part of the strategy of bringing in Collins to play PF would be to do a 'Renegotiate and Extend' with Turner. So, they need to send enough outgoing money to get that deal done. For instance, if they send out $10mm in a Collins deal, they can use the cap room to renegotiate Turner to $28mm this season and extend based on that number. I have no idea what Turner is asking for, but I'm going to assume sending out $10mm in the Collins deal gets you in the neighborhood.
I could see Atlanta ending up with LeVert-plus in a deal for Collins. LeVert wipes the salary off the books for the new front office team. They need something that looks and smells like an asset to sell to their fans. Indy has draft capital...18, 24 (Cleveland), 30 (Boston) and 31 (Houston 2nd). There is also some willingness to move on from Duarte...maybe he is the developmental guy who is still there after LeVert expires and you add some of the Indy draft capital.
So, I've got THJ to Cleveland, LeVert/Duarte and a pick from Indy and the Cleveland second to Atlanta and Collins to Indy.
The Collins to Indy part is obvious and the THJ to Cleveland part is rumored. The question is what does Dallas get for THJ and what else does Indy send out to get the Turner money right? To me, the benefit of moving THJ is opening up PT for Green and Hardy. So, it probably needs to be PG's and Big's as the incoming. If all Dallas wanted was expiring money, they could just keep LeVert, so there has to be some future to the incoming asset (though probably not a future star...we are talking about THJ here).
Indy has bigs for days even before adding Collins. So, something from among J. Smith, I. Jackson, Theis and Bitadze. There is reporting out there that Indy is wiling to work with Bitadze (Schwartz...RFA this summer) to find him a new home. Theis (one year left plus TO) and I. Jackson are both represented by CAA. With Collins coming in, one would need to be moved to clear PT for the other. PG's who might be available include A. Holiday (UFA this summer), V. Krejci, Nembhard, McConnell (one more year plus $5mm Partial Guarantee in 24-25). With an open roster spot, Dallas could take back two players.
Lot's of combos here, all of which keep Cleveland under the tax and create the needed room for Indy to renegotiate and extend Turner.
Tax savings route: Bitadze and A. Holiday.
Dividing THJ into intermediate term contracts: McConnell and Theis.
Younger guys: I. Jackson and Nembhard.
Or just about any combination. Too many moving parts to land on any one, but in any case, there are ways to get value for THJ, move Green and Hardy up in the rotation and add something of value that is greater than just expiring LeVert. Why do Indy and Atlanta need Dallas at all? Because LeVert is an expiring contract who can play that Indy can't manufacture on its own while also retaining the space needed to extend Turner now.
I think the THJ to Cleveland talk is real. Let's call it LeVert plus a second. But, LeVert doesn't really do us much good longer term. So, it (probably/hopefully) requires a third team.
I think Collins ends up in Indy. BTW, that is a pretty nice remake in a short amount of time...Turner/Collins/Hield/Mathuran/Halliburton.
Indy has extra late firsts this offseason. They can eat all of the Collins money and still be a hair under the cap. HOWEVER, part of the strategy of bringing in Collins to play PF would be to do a 'Renegotiate and Extend' with Turner. So, they need to send enough outgoing money to get that deal done. For instance, if they send out $10mm in a Collins deal, they can use the cap room to renegotiate Turner to $28mm this season and extend based on that number. I have no idea what Turner is asking for, but I'm going to assume sending out $10mm in the Collins deal gets you in the neighborhood.
I could see Atlanta ending up with LeVert-plus in a deal for Collins. LeVert wipes the salary off the books for the new front office team. They need something that looks and smells like an asset to sell to their fans. Indy has draft capital...18, 24 (Cleveland), 30 (Boston) and 31 (Houston 2nd). There is also some willingness to move on from Duarte...maybe he is the developmental guy who is still there after LeVert expires and you add some of the Indy draft capital.
So, I've got THJ to Cleveland, LeVert/Duarte and a pick from Indy and the Cleveland second to Atlanta and Collins to Indy.
The Collins to Indy part is obvious and the THJ to Cleveland part is rumored. The question is what does Dallas get for THJ and what else does Indy send out to get the Turner money right? To me, the benefit of moving THJ is opening up PT for Green and Hardy. So, it probably needs to be PG's and Big's as the incoming. If all Dallas wanted was expiring money, they could just keep LeVert, so there has to be some future to the incoming asset (though probably not a future star...we are talking about THJ here).
Indy has bigs for days even before adding Collins. So, something from among J. Smith, I. Jackson, Theis and Bitadze. There is reporting out there that Indy is wiling to work with Bitadze (Schwartz...RFA this summer) to find him a new home. Theis (one year left plus TO) and I. Jackson are both represented by CAA. With Collins coming in, one would need to be moved to clear PT for the other. PG's who might be available include A. Holiday (UFA this summer), V. Krejci, Nembhard, McConnell (one more year plus $5mm Partial Guarantee in 24-25). With an open roster spot, Dallas could take back two players.
Lot's of combos here, all of which keep Cleveland under the tax and create the needed room for Indy to renegotiate and extend Turner.
Tax savings route: Bitadze and A. Holiday.
Dividing THJ into intermediate term contracts: McConnell and Theis.
Younger guys: I. Jackson and Nembhard.
Or just about any combination. Too many moving parts to land on any one, but in any case, there are ways to get value for THJ, move Green and Hardy up in the rotation and add something of value that is greater than just expiring LeVert. Why do Indy and Atlanta need Dallas at all? Because LeVert is an expiring contract who can play that Indy can't manufacture on its own while also retaining the space needed to extend Turner now.
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