TDL Archived: The 2nd Rnd Pick Yankee Swap

[burekemde]

Was entertaining about 30 people in our house, so late to the party.  So much to cover, but this is a good place to start.


WE HAVE TWO ALL-STARS.  The price was HIGH...more than I thought it would be or wanted it to be.  But as Killer said, if you want Kyrie, you are going to have to pay.  I knew it would be SD and mentioned DFS in several posts (to the dismay of most here).  I've just had a feeling that for whatever reason, the team was going to use Finney-Smith in an effort to upgrade.  There has just been too much smoke.  The pick is what surprised me.  I would have thought those guys would be enough.  I was wrong.  But, I have no idea what else was on the table from other teams.  None of us do.  I feel a little like I did when KP was dealt, but in the opposite direction.  I thought we were a better team and that Dinwiddie would be good here.  I just wanted one more asset.  Today, I think we are a better team and I think Irving will be great.  I just wanted to give up one less asset.

NOW WHAT.  The great thing about this happening today is we have four days to do more.  I agree with the  thinking that if we are all in, we might as well go all in.  There is a clear hole in the depth chart that Dorian used to occupy.  I think Morris is a band-aid while we wait for Maxi's return.  The real need is a starting level big who defends.  I think it could be filled with a four.  It could also be filled with a five which would move Wood to the four.  My hope is it is THJ plus a pick for someone good.  We don't have any future seconds, so protected firsts that turn into seconds won't be possible.  We could do unprotected 25/27 with provisional language, but that kind of makes 27 a risky proposition for the acquiring team.  If 23 doesn't convey, it becomes 24.  The provisional 25 becomes 26 and 27 cannot convey.  It is possible to write it up that way, so I think we are still in the game for two outgoing picks right now if we want to do that.  Personally, I'd rather trade 27.  Then this summer, we could trade 24 after the draft.  Then next summer we could trade 25 after the draft.

GREEN LIGHT.  I think this is an endorsement of Josh Green.  As the first person to ever say his name and "starter" in a post (last season), I'm all for that.  His D is critical.  We have all the O we can stand between Luka, Kyrie and Wood (assuming he's not traded).  We need on ball D and some big wing/small big D.  Green fills one slot and I presume Bullock will be the backup to that in the same way that Maxi will be the backup to what I hope will be an additional starter who defends well.  The beautiful thing about Josh is he also contributes at the offensive end.  I don't know if he will start next week, but he WILL start soon.

NEXT CONTRACT.  Unless something came out while I was writing this, I have to assume my hope for a two year extension (extend and trade) is not going to materialize.  Irving wanted out of Brooklyn because they played around with his money.  It is hard to imagine we don't have an understanding about the summer (despite what is being said publicly).  I suspect that understanding is a big number.  BTW, if we do that and if we don't trade Wood, I'm not sure why we don't just give Wood his four years also.

CUBAN IS NOT CHEAP.  We hear this a lot, but the salary bill just went up $6.2mm and the LT bill now stands at $60mm for this season.  I know the doom and gloom crowd is going to find a way to paint this as a not-so-clever and asset-expensive way for Cuban to save money.  But, it doesn't feel like that AT ALL from where I sit right now.  

FINAL THOUGHTS.  There is a bit of me that is a deal junkie and I like the action and discussing the strategy of just about any deal.  I'm not in love with the cost, but I see a path to being a better team.  Kyrie is a huge upgrade over SD.  I won't call Dorian overrated as I am a fan, but I was more enthralled with him as the $4mm little train that could.  His contribution to winning is dramatically smaller this season than the last 3 and his value over a replacement player has gone from outstanding (especially for the money) to about what one would expect for $12mm.  We probably did 'sell high', but it is a little sad nonetheless.  But, did I mention that we have TWO ALL-STARS.  Mix in Green and one more Top 60ish player in the front court without giving up Maxi/Wood/Powell and we have a shot at being really good.  Tyler when you say 'Enjoy the Moment', that's what I'm doing.  I've got sugar plum fairies of next deals dancing in my head (posts for another day).  But, I definitely see a path and we are more than a couple of big steps down that path.

Great post. We are more talented team right now. And with Maxi back and more of the young Green, and the offense scoring easier and defense setting well, we will certainly be a lot tougher defending team as well. Its also not to underestimate how much this can keep Luka more fresh, near and long term. Luka could set the screens to Kyrie or play off ball, and avoid double teams like this, and still we would have an all star level player dictating the point of attack in these situations. SD was really good. But not good enough to not Luka run the play every single time, which was simply just a lot more effective than SD running the plays. Kyrie changes this entirely.