(12-05-2023, 03:01 PM)Scott41theMavs Wrote: I have harped on the necessity for the Mavs to avoid trading their 2027 FRP prior to the deadline this year, with the belief that if '24 conveys, then the Mavs would, this offseason, only be able to trade a single pick via the Stepien rule, that being 2031, because 2025 would be locked by the loss of '24, and '26 would be locked by virtue of '27 being conveyed to whomever we traded it to. Someone on the BR board told me that I was wrong, that we would still have '25 to trade because the Stepien rule applies only to future picks, rather than past picks. Is that true?
If he is correct, then perhaps it would be reasonable of the Mavs to trade '27, as they would still have two future FRPs for future trades. If not, as I presumed, and the Mavs would only have a pick seven years out (in which anything could happen...) to trade, then trading '27 prior to the deadline would be catastrophic for future flexibility.
If the Mavs traded '27 prior to the deadline and still had two picks to trade in the offseason, how bad would that hurt the offseason? If Siakam or OG wanted to come here, it would seem that a sign-and-trade wouldn't need three picks - perhaps only one. Hmmm.... I guess it would depend as well on if Mikal Bridges - the ideal pairing with Luka and Kai, tbh - would be available for three FRPs.
There are multiple guys on here better at this than me, but I believe we can still trade 26.
I think most of the folks (including me) arguing against trading the first are focused on long term versus this year and are skeptical that a deal will materialize this TDL that would make sense. The general line of thought is that Lively is clearly the future at center and we need to spending the majority of our assets on wings vs backup center. Unless we want to send a Kyrie package for Siakam or OG, I have not heard of a lot of deals that make sense to spend a first on. In the upcoming offseason, we will have more picks, perfect sized expiring contracts for trading, and there should be a lot more options. Its less about holding onto that pick for dear life, and more about maximizing the long term value of it.
I love Mikal Bridges, but I like OG at least as much and if I can get him in a S&T for one pick, thats a way better deal than sending 3 for Mikal. However, if OG doesn't want to come here but Mikal is an option, it would be nice to have the assets to pull that trigger.