(05-23-2023, 07:25 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: I was working hard to maximize money for Kyrie using the 110% rule and missed the most simple version of all of this (which is where Zach Lowe went in his podcast). The simplest version of this is LA letting its NG contracts go (Beasley and Bamba) and trading Vanderbilt, #17 and 2029 for Kyrie at about $34mm. That gets Dallas the largest possible TPE a replenishment of its 2029 pick and a DFS replacement. We aren't getting a Dinwiddie replacement in this, but the TPE (or the $20mm in cap room we'd have) and #17 allows you to pursue what you want.
LA would operate as a room team, could keep the $2mm cap hold on Reaves and would have the Room MLE. Retaining Rui isn't possible in this scenario. So, their team would be Davis, LeBron, R-MLE, Reaves and Irving and everyone else would be minimums. Doesn't seem smart to me, but Le-GM hasn't always made the smartest long term decisions.
Assume all the required disclosures again. Correct, this doesn't make us better. Yeah, the report said we already have a deal. Yeah, Kyrie isn't taking $34mm. The question, if he really wants to leave, is whether Dallas would want the stripped down version of this or some of LA's stuff. For instance, Rui could S&T into this eating up some of the TPE. Would you split $30mm between Rui and someone else or just keep the $30mm TPE and go shopping? The deal can't be done until July, and picks would already be made. So Dallas (or a third team) would need to like the pick made at 17 (or the pick Dallas made at 10). The TPE would allow you to bring back someone without forcing matching salaries on the other team...Collins, Herro, maybe Draymond. With 10/17/2027 and 2029 (LA), you are also back in the game for OG or any of the big name guys out there.
I am very sceptical LA would consider moving all of that plus both picks for Kyrie. Including 2023 pick also brings huge complications and possibilities of tampering allegations. From Dallas perspective, I don't think you could hope for a better outcome in case Kyrie would want to leave.
Stein has this on Lakers:
Harrison Faigen on Twitter: ""League sources continue to say that L.A. is determined to retain Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura in free agency. There is frankly no scenario, based on what I know, that Reaves won't be a Laker next season." - @TheSteinLine in his latest Substack column. https://t.co/RTpi0yXKuL" / Twitter
Edit: although, couldn't Lakers basically just clear cap space and sign Kyrie to basically same deal? Keeping Vandy and both picks. In both cases they lose Bamba, Beasley and Russel, while keeping Reaves caphold. In the SnT case they also lose Vandy and both picks. Seems like a very high compensation for a couple of million higher salary Irving receives. If he agrees to the deal, Lakers could still try to negotiate SnT for a very small compensation (Mavs get TPE and Lakers get to use MLE).