Aloha,
One of the fun aspects of the NBA off season is all the speculation as to where different players could be traded to different teams. Writers look at a player that a team wants to move or the player themselves wants out and they come up with trade scenarios that excite fans and insure clicks, especially if it’s the Lakers. The big problem of course is these trades never look at why both teams would do the deal. And if they rarely ever happen.
When Pincus wrote an article on how the Lakers could move Westbrook, he made it clear that these were just examples
of what could be done, not anything that was in the works. He pointed out that the Pacers had 2 contracts in Brogdon and Buddy, that may no longer fit in their plans and they may be willing to dump. This took the internet by storm. Before long a slew of writers were parroting the same trade. In many fans minds this was a done deal. But no one was really asking why the Pacers would just dump two quality players with value on the market. As it turns out the Pacers are good business people and moved Brogdon for 4 players and more importantly a first round pick in next years draft, not two distant picks that the lakers have to offer. They can cut 3 of those players and it would cost them 3 mil. Theis was the fourth and he is a very good backup center that they can keep or trade. Plus they still have Buddy for the bench or a future trade. Good shooters have value in this league.
OKC was another popular destination among writers, because OKC has a history of taking on salary for draft picks. But we are talking 47 mil here. OKC only had 18 mil in bad contracts that they had to send back but both were expiring deals. And could be traded in smaller deals or cut for far less. So the suggestion that they would take on an additional 30 mil for one 1st in 5 years seemed a absurd to me. Especially when considering that beginning in 2026 they have 2 first round picks each year through 2029.
The only proposal I actually took seriously was the Hornets rumors because those were actually coming from the Hornets camp. Plus MJ is a terrible owner and talent evaluator. Even worse then Magic. Alas now that Bridges has been charged with felony abuse any trade for Hayward or Oubre is probably off the table until this situation is resolved.
There were other proposals but those were the most realistic. We never were going to get Randle for Russ or Grant for THT and Nunn alor other crazy things.
This brings us to Kyrie. Like I’m fond of saying, never say never, still dumping him, while bringing in even more salary would not be good business. And including Joe Harris and THT in the deal would be criminal, considering he could be moved for something useful. In this case a lot of what happens, depends on what happens with KD. Neither Kyrie or KD have played much and the Nets don’t owe them anything. The Nets are in a position to play hardball. KD is under contract for 4 years. So if they don’t receive a package they like, they have the next couple of years to find one they do. A KD trade is the only way I see Kyrie being dumped. Now this is about as real as these click bait proposals get. Still, like I’m also fond of saying, I’m not holding my breathe.
The articles leading up to the draft/free agency are 90% bullsh!t. Guys like Woj & Shams don’t have any real “inside” info…they’re just parroting what they’ve been spoon-fed by the agents & GM’s and the bloggers take it & run with it. None of these “journalists” are actually in the room.
As for the hardball question…you can play hardball all you want but these players & agents all talk to each other and that stance can bite you in the azz down the road when you’re trying to get free agents to your franchise. That’s one of the main reasons the superstars usually get their way in these things and the teams rarely get equal value in return. Like one analyst said yesterday…in the NBA, 4 quarters don’t necessarily equal a dollar.
💯
The other thing everybody forgets when they talk about teams not wanting to help the Lakers or Kyrie Irving is that the Nets will do what is best for them, including trading Kyrie to the Lakers for Russ if that is the best deal they can get for Kyrie. They may not go out of their way to help the Lakers or Kyrie but they’re clearly not going to do anything but what is best for the Nets.
I don’t parrot that stuff, it’s mainly from when we traded Shaq and ended up with not Dwayne Wade. Also from the failed Kobe trade demand. You have to look at why a team not named The Los Angeles Lakers would make a trade. The problem with the whole period between being booted from contention and the opening of free agency is anyone with a job as sports writer needs to fill content. They can’t just take a few weeks. Since the league cracks down on teams and players for prediscussing anything at all they frame it all as semi or actual fact and then fans repeat it as being even more of a certainty. This is why a lot of Laker fans get worked up when they would be better off just being objective.
*No trees were killed to spread this nonsense.–The Internet World of News.
Aloha, Michael,
I still see Kyrie logically ending up on the Lakers and Russ leaving. Sometimes, you just have to believe something good is going to happen instead of always expecting the worst. Of course, it’s hard not to have those feelings considering the hole the Lakers have dug for themselves.
Odds are heavily in favor of the Lakers ending up with Kyrie. Doesn’t mean something could spoil the ending or that Kyrie won’t be a huge disappointment due to his weird personality and behavior.
Just means thay the Lakers are favorites to get Kyrie and he is a superior player and fit than Russell Westbrook. That’s why I think it’s silly to continue to post negative expectations when things are looking up.
What you call negative, Tom, I call realistic. There is a reason none of these proposals ever happen. They don’t have a balanced approach and look at both sides to see if there is value for the other team. And If the other team could do better. You told me that teams would line up for Russ to dump salary. You literally guaranteed that the Pacer deal was a done deal at one point to me. There is nothing wrong with posting these proposals but I do think it’s silly to talk down to people along with your lol’s and Lmao’s sprinkled in when someone disagrees. Like I said in my post I took the Hornets semi seriously because it was coming from the Hornets camp, not a random writer. At this point I don’t know if the Hornets will do anything at this time because of the Bridges situation. They may still, but I could see them keeping Hayward in the short term until they can sort out a plan to move on without him. I also never said a Kyrie deal will not happen. It could but again I think my caution is realistic. Im not privy to the Nets discussions. It could happen this summer or it could happen at the trade deadline or not at all. A lot depends on KD, and word is they just upped their asking price after the Gorbet trade to the T-Wolves. They have him for 4 years so I’m sure they will take their time to find the right deal. That could take time. And they really do need that sorted out. Like I said I never say never. But I try to stay realistic and look at all sides of a transaction. Who knows, there could even be a team that is willing to give up something better then Russ and his 47 mil even if it’s for a one year rental. Perhaps a team could make a deal sending less in salary, not more. Along with a draft pick in the next year or two. Probably won’t happen but it could, and if it does the Nets would do it. These trade proposals happen every singe year, and every single year they don’t happen. I will save me excitement for when it does happen.
You make excellent points, Michael. What you call realistic is just pessimistic to me but that’s why we blog. I surely don’t mean my lol’s or smh’s to be talking down to you. Just expressing my amazement at your constant negativity, excuse me, ‘realism.’
In the end, no NBA team is going to offer the Nets more than expiring contracts and two unprotected first round draft picks to trade for Kyrie Irving. That’s why Russ will be leaving and Kyrie will be coming. It’s just a matter of time and addressing the KD situation. Something wild related to that is the only way to derail Kyrie to the Lakers at this point IMO.
Tom I truly hope you are right this time. And it does help for me that the Nets are actually talking. Most of the proposals are just dreamed up by writers Looking for clicks. It would be huge if a deal is made and Kyrie can stay on his meds and not slip into crazy mode😂 It’s a contract year so he needs to behave himself if he wants to get paid.
Thanks, Michael. I don’t remember if it was you or Jamie who said something like the only thing that could save the Lakers’ offseason might be something crazy happening that shook the league. Now that was a prescient statement because that’s exactly what happened.
Seriously, the Los Angeles Lakers did almost everything wrong last offseason but through a fluke of good fortune, the Brooklyn Nets imploded and Kyrie Irving was left with nowhere to go but to the Lakers. There’s a good chance we’re going to be able to turn Russ into Kyrie. And no, even a glass overflowing guy like me would not have predicted that.
It’s funny. I always loved Russ from his UCLA days so it was easy to get behind him when he became a Laker. Just like it was easy to get behind LeBron when he became a Laker. It won’t be as easy with Kyrie, whom I’ve ridiculed and laughed at for the chaos and dysfunction he causes, as exhausting as Russ’ shot selection and carelessness with the ball.
LOL. You’re right, Michael. Swapping Russ for Kyrie saves us from sure disaster but could expose us to future disaster. The best part of any deal is we’ll have a year to see how this works before having to commit to Kyrie long term. And this should assure that LeBron signs the extension so we have two sure years of he and AD. Fingers crossed.