2022-23 Team Developments: News / Trades / Free Agents / Rumors

I’m struggling to find a team that would work with us.

The two teams that have cap space to absorb a big chunk of Westbrook’s contract are Indy and Spurs. Utah is blowing it up and we can help but they’re being ran by Ainge.

Nets don’t exactly hate us but any Kyrie trade is dependent on KD’s trade and that seems unlikely to happen.

The one team I thought that would help were the Hornets but they’re in limbo now with the Bridges situation.

There were practically no “reports” on the Kyrie situation today. Lets hope thats a sign of things happening in the background and not because everyone was distracted by Ayton.

If Russ is still on the team by training camp thats a failed offseason. And also a wash of a season. Hopefully THAT will jumpstart Jeannie to consider FO changes and start straying away from Lebron and Klutch.

 

at this point I think KD will take "KD only won because of Steph" over "KD never won anything after leaving GS".

 

KD will look like a dumb-a$$ going back to GS no matter what. And at some point, Draymond will make some comment about it and KD knows that. Nothing could make you look more foolish than leaving of your own accord (immediately after 2 championships) and then returning of your own accord (or approving the trade essentially). I would have even less respect for KD than I do now for piggy-backing GS in '16. He went from being just about my fav player until 2016 and became a 6 out of 10 and if this happened he'd be 2 out of 10 in my mind. No Kobe in him whatsoever. The Blank Mamba. Surprised Kobe was so big on those 3 Oklahoma kids. They all turned out Mamba-less.

 

The trade demands this year are just ridiculous

 

LOL @ Jazz

 

That's a lot of money for Ayton, don't think he's worth it. He doesn't move the needle for Phoenix moving forward.
He missed some time this year and the team was playing the same with Biyombo and McGee.

 

Completely agree. They definitely wrecked the market.

 

Massive, massive overpay. But I kind of get it from management's perspective. They 100% gave up too much, but they struck gold with Edwards. Showing him they're willing to go all-in and build him a "contender" may be their best chance to get him to re-sign. With his personality they have to be nervous about him in a big market some day.

 

anyone still think AD was an overpay?

 

Gobert trade was definitely an overpay, but I am not sure the Wolves could have traded for anyone who would allow them to make that next step more then he can. They were dreadful in rim protecting, and with that young unit he is exactly what they need

 

LOL….6 PICKS!? Did Kobe, MJ, and LeBron morph into one person!?

 

We knew Ainge was insane but wow

 

Ainge doing what he does. Then he’ll sit on his assets and attempt to Rob someone else by offering one player and one pick for an all star.

 

No one knows or will likely ever know if the Wolves-Utah deal is an overpay. Ainge doesn't do s*** with his picks when he gets them and him drafting Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum were BPA picks. Even his fleece of the Sixers went nowhere in the end for the C Bags.

 

second part of the master plan has never really come together for him. unless his buddy was running the other team, of course.

i paradoxically hold two opinions on these pick demands:

1. that's insane. it's just a bargaining position intended to change the market and can't be considered good faith negotiating. is it punishment for not including barrett in an offer?

2. what are you going to do with 58 picks in three years, okc thunder and other wannabe okc thunders? offer 7 of them for kevin durant? answer will still be no. there's a bit of a crypto feel to the draft pick market. it's not really built on anything. maybe that's part of the point ainge is (perhaps unwittingly) making.

anyway, my questions are always about protections on these picks. i'll give up 6 protected picks for an allstar, no problem. the chances i'll select an allstar from 6 non-lotto picks is lower than 15%, i think.

the other issue is how long your future is tied up. was utah asking for 3 swaps and 3 picks, essentially tying things up for 6 years? that's a long time to be handcuffed.

 

I also think the picks thing has gone overboard. The argument is "well, in any given draft they can overpay to get the guy they want." If the Spurs win the lottery next year and have the opportunity to take Wembanyama, OKC could offer them 10 future unprotected firsts and they'd say no. No one is giving up a shot at a blue-chip guy. Sure, you can trade into the middle of the first round like they did this year. But the success rate on those is pretty low, odds are you just cashed in a handful of your assets for a role player.

 

I feel like the deal for Gobert was FINE, in a sense that I think that makes sense for him, but like….I don’t think you expect MORE for someone of the same “caliber” with someone else. 5 “picks” was lucky, there’s no way you’ll get more than that. Keep that as your ceiling and then DONT ask for that much ever again. Let them talk themselves up.