NBA TRADE TALK: TDL over

[DanSchwartzgan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IWiADg7IiU

^ Great relatively recent video on Smart and his defensive prowess. 

I wouldn't mind him. His extension doesn't even take him near the 20mil mark till the last 2 years of the deal, which isn't that bad.  

I thought this was a good place to respond to the Smart commentary that I've seen (double entendre intended).  Number one, if Boston is shopping him, it isn't for DFS.  They need a PG, so the core of what they want from Dallas is JB.  Before we even get into the Smart vs. Brunson fit in the starting lineup, let's get into the rest of the deal.

For me, THJ has to be part of the outgoing for salary matching purposes..  With that as the base of the deal, Boston is still $10mm over the tax.  They don't really have a smaller contract that works (no, not JRich again).  So, let's upsize and add Horford and Powell to the deal.  Horford is only $14mm guaranteed next season and Boston is committed to R. Williams at center.  So, with their tax situation, they won't keep Horford anyway.  Powell plays like Williams and makes sense as a backup.  Horford would give Dallas a big expiring deal this summer to add to a pick(s).  He'd be great as the big off the bench role that Powell has been playing and could take the starting role on those nights KP needs a rest.  He's Boston's leading player by LEBRON and EPM.  He is not insignificant for a team looking to make a run.

The obvious choice for the third outgoing player from Boston in a DP/THJ/Brunson for Smart/Horford deal is Schroeder since we'll need a backup PG (Smart can't run the second team like Brunson can).  He's another player Boston can't keep, so why not cash him in.  Of course, Dragic might come available, so I'll point out that Nesmith played for Stack at Vandy and there was some interest in him at the draft.  He's an Excel guy.  Grant Williams is a Duffy guy and has one more season before he's RFA.  PJ Dozier is also a Duffy guy.  Any of those guys could be the third Boston player.  My money would be on Grant Williams as Maxi won't be here forever.

So, the elephant in the room is Smart vs. JB.  As I showed in a post this morning, Brunson is a negative player defensively and a great positive offensively.  Smart is basically the invert and slightly more highly rated overall in LEBRON and EPM.  The real question is who fits better with Luka.  Some eye tests don't agree, but for January the Luka/JB combo has a net rating of 2.4.  It is Brunson's second worst pairing behind THJ.  In that same time frame, Bruson is by far Luka's worst pairing.  This is concerning since it is the most success the team has had in the Luka era.  Meanwhile Smart is a Kidd wet dream.  If the team has any concerns about retaining Brunson, Smart wouldn't be a dumb alternative (see what I did there).