03-08-2021, 11:51 AM
(03-06-2021, 10:14 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: To be sure, this is just tea leaf reading. I'm not envisioning "pennies on the dollar". I'm envisioning the two sides are relatively close. Maybe it is the question of which pick (Minnesota's or GS's own). BTW, there is only about a 50/50 chance the Minnesota pick conveys this year. It could be Wiggins vs. Oubre as the filler. There is a relatively finite number of options.
I LOVE the upside of Wiseman. With that said, the more practical and immediately helpful deal is probably the Atlanta deal centered around Collins. I'd call Collins an average defender. But, I think he's a better scorer than KP at all 3 levels...rim, mid range and 3. I think you can find a defensive center more easily than we can find that perfect guy to fit next to KP (2 years in we still don't know what that is). I think we need a better version of JRich to run a 3 man guard rotation alongside either Luka or Brunson. I like Bogdonovic in that role a lot. So, one trade solves two issues and you still have lots of flexibility this summer. You can get to max money to replace THJ at SF and move DFS to the bench. Or, you can retain THJ and use the MLE on a center.
This all makes a lot of sense, but I find myself not terribly excited about either of these moves. KP can be a tricky fit, but I'm not sure Collins is any better. He operates in the paint more, and is a worse defender. Not sure it will be that easy to find a perfect fit for him. Plus, it seems like both guys might be disgruntled with their ball hogging point guards. Not sure how swapping them makes this any better.
Wiseman has upside, but this only works out for Dallas if he turns into a high quality defender. Feel like there is a lot of risk there. Not sure how that compares to the risk of KP being able to stay healthy.
To be honest, my preference of all of these options is for KP and Luka to work it out and see what this starting lineup could do this year. Then reassess in the summer. I would like to trade Johnson for something, and I am not worried about losing free agency options as there is not much out there I think we can reasonably get. Love does not make much sense on this team (especially if we still have KP) but I would be interested in a Johnson/Powell/(maybe Green) trade for Horford.