Aloha,
While I still believe that there will probably be a Kyrie trade, there is an alternative narrative in which it doesn’t happen. And it has nothing to do with the Lakers.
First I don’t think the Nets want to trade KD. I agree with Jamie that they maybe borrowing from the Lakers playbook when Kobe wanted out. The Lakers shopped Kobe asking a kings ransom in return. When nothing materialized, it was sorry Kobe we tried. KD said the Suns were his preferred destination so the Nets asked for Booker in return, knowing that there was absolutely no way that the Suns would do that. Now you could say it was just posturing for negotiating purposes but the Suns counter was built around a sign and trade for Ayton. With the Pacers set to offer a contract to Ayton, the Suns will have 48 hours to either sign and trade him, sign and keep him until December 15 or let him walk. They won’t do the latter. If the Nets were actually interested in the Suns counter they would jump in now. They have told the league they want two all stars. Most of the do not have two. Just leads me to believe that KD will play for the Nets. With a 4 year contract he doesn’t have any leverage.
When brings us to the Kyrie situation. The narrative of course is the Nets want him out. Which is not the case. There were extension talks. They couldn’t come to an agreement, for dollars or years or perhaps both. That is when Kyrie asked for a trade. He opted in realizing that it was the only way a trade could happen. Now the Nets have made moves to become more competitive. They traded a 1st for Royce O’Neil and gambled on TJ Warren. These are not the moves of a rebuilding team. What if they look at the roster and think, we have a chance. A chance to win a ring now is much more valuable then distant draft picks, even knowing that he could walk for nothing at the end of the year. Besides they know that the Laker option is there if things implode. KD and Kyrie are best friends. KD only wanted to leave because of Kyrie. KD might lean on him to play out his contract.
Like I said I still think it’s greater then 50/50 that a trade happens but I would hardly be surprised if it didn’t.
Yep. Been tooting this horn for awhile and not just because it’s an “easy” or “lazy” notion. I think it’s just as easy to throw every trade proposal that comes along up and give it it’s due even if said proposal is basically all geared to benefit the Lakers…which many, many of these proposals have been. Hearing that Utah is taking calls on Mitchell further complicates any and all efforts for the two teams with players on massive deals but few draft assets in hand to grease the wheels.
The doors are going to start closing for a Durant trade as teams have probably put their best, or fairly close to it, offers on the table. The Nets aren’t getting Booker or Bam. They either need to choose moving Durant for a lesser haul than what Gobert was traded for or hold onto him and see if something shakes loose after December 15 when all deals become trade worthy. teams won’t wait forever and most of the ones interested in KD will at least kick the Spyda tires with Utah to see what the ask is and how they feel about it.
The fact is teams looking to rebuild don’t prioritize cap space these days, they want draft picks and they want them soon. Neither Brooklyn or LA has that kind of cachet, all they have is players entering their twilight, often with injury or other kinds of availability issues. It’s not just my world that kind of deal doesn’t rock, it’s every GM in the NBA who sees those deals. Hence the “meh” reaction we’re seeing.
Durant isn’t a player on the rise, neither is Kyrie (when he chooses to play) and neither is Russ. If you’re in win-now mode you probably don’t mind the idea of adding Durant but not at the cost of the rest of the roster that you built to get to win-now mode. Only two teams went too far down the “Super Stars or Bust!” road: LA and Brooklyn. The rest of the Association has better balanced growth of role-players and , in some cases, future superstars, competitiveness in general, and their cap situation. Brooklyn went all in on a trio that barely played together, LA the same.
For the Nets they’re down to a duo + Ben Simmons and whatever he ends being able to provide. Be interesting to see if he comes back from a year off with any substantiated changes to his overall game. For the Lakers they’re going all in on a trio of some kind or another and I’m calling Russ on the roster to start the season and it’s 50/50 he’s on it come next summer. The one thing both of those teams are lacking is the kind of grease needed to make big moves in the current trade climate. Draft picks within the next 2 seasons. Brooklyn’s are mostly tied up through a variety of swap options or outright trades already, most of those for Harden…who is now gone. LA gave theirs away for players no longer on the roster or for AD.
Yes, rebuilding teams like cap space, all teams do. But they’re not pushing up against the apron and are generally looking to move 8-15 mil deals and not 2 or 3 of them. It’s why I see the smaller trades as being the more likely. Too much cap space, especially when measured against what free agents are coming onto the market as unrestricted for the next two seasons, is just a challenge on how not to overpay a decent role-player. They want picks and they want them now and they want them unprotected.
None of those conditions are favorable to LA or Brooklyn. Neither is the sheer volume of money both teams would like to move. A trade is possible, all things are. I just see it as being less and less probable the more things settle down. It’s why I think, if they are serious about trading Russ (which, frankly, has become hard for me to buy since they’ve added all this internal obstacles to make it feasible) they need to work the Pacer angle and they need to work it quick.
Not sure why Michael and Jaime continue to believe the Lakers won’t trade Russ or why they’re so persistent despite the pundits and odds makers still believing L.A. will trade Russ to Brooklyn for Kyrie.
Do they really believe the Lakers would be better off keeping Russ? Or that we would be worse off getting Kyrie? Or do they just want to be right? Wonder if they’re hoping for the same thing as me on Twitter? Hard to be objective when you’re so invested in a position.
Frankly, it’s hard to imagine Russ returning to the Lakers or Kyrie to the Nets at this point in time. I think both of those ships have sailed and there truly is nowhere for either of them to go. That’s the bed they’ve each dugged and only a trade will save the Lakers and Nets.
It’s not hard to imagine the Nets wanting to rediscuss reuniting with KD though or even with him deciding to stay. The problem is the same the Lakers will find if they were to trade LeBron. KD is a 34-year old superstar who’s averaged 30 games per year over the last three years. He has four years left on his contract.
If he’s not happy, KD’s going to demand to be traded but will become harder and harder to trade. If he’s not healthy, he could set you back a couple of years.
And it’s true you can say the same about Kyrie. I’m no fan of the man but a grudging fan of the player and his fit on the Lakers where LeBron James is still the unquestioned King.
Kyrie is a gift from the basketball gods to takes us out of Westbrook purgatory and into Irving Heaven, if you can imagine that. Knowing Kyrie, it could also be Irving Hell.
Kyrie’s a devil but hopefully, he’ll be our devil.
Where did I say I didn’t think they would trade for Kyrie Tom? I began the post and ended the Post with they probably will. Seriously point it out where I said that they won’t. I simply stated complications that could arise. Try reading completely before putting words in someone’s mouth.
I even posted how I thought Russ would be a better fit with the Nets then he was with the Lakers. I have commented on several occasions that I like Harris coming instead of Curry but suddenly I’m always saying there isn’t going to be a trade? Geez.
I guess I got confused by the title “Perhaps There Will Not Be A Trade” or the “greater then 50/50” odds comment. My bad.
There isn’t going to be a trade…that involves the Lakers. The guy talking about objectivity is the same one who stands on sand, shifts with the winds and takes any clickbait article in support of what he’d like to see as proof positive. That’s not objectivity, that’s confirmation bias lol.
Anyhow, you consistently see what I think will happen as what I want to happen. In life, what I want to happen rarely (if ever) happens and almost never in totality.
I’d like to see the Lakers move Russ for Turner and Heild. I don’t think the Pacers will make that deal. So, if everything informing my opinion (and these are alllllllll opinions here) tells me that what I want to happen won’t happen what is the use building myself (and potnetially others) up of a fairy tale fantasy with nary a hope of it becoming reality?
I don’t want my Dr telling me that I’m gonna live if it’s more likely I’m going to die. Odds against me don’t matter, just another obstacle to overcome. But I’m wired in a way that if things look sunny and rosey I ease up. So I don’t ease up, keep the pressure on and embrace reality. Not pessimism, not a glass half empty and objective reality. 😉
To paraphrase Mongo, Call me when dinner’s ready.
That’s where I’m getting to, as well, John.