Trade & FA 2023-24: Stein-Ingram Trade Inevitable| LAL Want Lebron Back On Any Terms

[Dundalis]

Going in with an offer of 1+1 with a 2+1 take it or leave it attitude is guns a blazin.

Yeah it is, but that's me going in guns blazin based on what I do, I'm not expecting the Mavs FO to go in like that (though I'd love it if they would). I was just reassured by their comments that they wouldn't go the other end and just offer him max money and max length.

Honestly incredible points but I do want to suggest that I think you're underrating Kyrie's offense.

Kyrie as a 6'2 guard has been one of the most efficient offensive players of all time. In fact, running a Kyrie Irving iso play has been the 12th most efficient play of the last 15 years. This year he had 247 possessions and a whopping 1.28ppp on isolations. If he qualified for possessions it'd be just behind a Steph offball screen with KD on his team.

https://twitter.com/CrumpledJumper/statu...15617?s=20

That kind of offensive firepower has never been on our team. Even Brunson at his peak this year hasn't come close (1.10ppp). 

Just framing Kyrie's offensive brilliance. I do agree giving him an extension would be a perilous endeavor and his reputation precedes him. Where I diverge is if the Mavs fail to turn Kyrie into 2-3 rotation players, then they're pretty F'd. I'd rather they negotiate from a position of leverage, get Kyrie on a ~40 mil deal, and see how it works out. If it works then they're in the green and they just have to pray Kyrie doesn't be Kyrie. If it doesn't then they can flip him to the highest bidder.

I agree, but he's done that in many places and I think there is something to the impact that Kyrie has had in a negative way to other teams in terms of the team chemistry aspect (as well as the defensive issues I mentioned). Particularly in Boston, and talk about his locker room presence after he left weren't great. When there is smoke, there's usually fire and multiple players have intimated he's been an issue. He's also mostly always had great starts with teams he's gone too before things start to go off the rails. Maybe it's a bit more off court than on. If Kyrie had zero baggage and wasn't a proven head case I'd be much more onboard with offering him more and for longer.

Being able to turn Kyrie into some decent players in return is why I'm not for offering him too much length on his contract. Honestly, the moves the Mavs make (or don't make) going into FA and trades, will probably influence how much I feel keeping Kyrie is necessary to keep the team on track to where it needs to be. I think I'm putting too much faith in someone like Hardy (though I think he could score close to 20 a game next season on solid efficiency given the minutes and shots), and whatever reinforcements we get before the season starts, to where I think we can do fine without him. This team does not have to be top 5 in offense (which it should easily be with Luka and Kyrie) to be a contender if the defense looks more like it did in 21-22. It could be say top 10-12 in both categories and be a better team than last year.