Team Tank 2022-23

[DanSchwartzgan]

s&t kyrie for a package of assets seems the best scenario to me, it would give us good flexibility for future operations, rather than lock up our cap space with some timing bomb.

The obvious destinations (Phoenix and LAL) are difficult for S&T's because of the salaries those teams already have.  

People tend to think of Houston as an outright signing, but if Kyrie is going there, it won't just be him and the kids.  He'll want a buddy (like Green, Grant or Harden).  Houston has about $64mm in space when you account for their picks.  That's only $32mm each for Kyrie and his friend.  But, if they send out some salary, it isn't hard to get that number up to the low $40's for each player.  It makes sense for Houston to 'go for it' this summer.  They don't have their own pick in 2024, so the tanking is over.  Their newish ownership gave management a 3 year window to rebuild, and that time is up.  Also, there are some good veteran coaches on the market who are more experienced for the next phase of Houston's ascension back to relevance.  

I'm thinking something like Porter Jr. (younger Dinwiddie) plus Garuba or Eason (younger and bigger DFS) and a future first to kind of replicate what we gave up.  Unfortunately, Houston would be in a strong bargaining position as they could S&T with one team and do an outright signing with the other.  Given our history of emotional intelligence when FA's want to leave, nothing says we'd be the team to get the package.  Something like that would also create a TPE in the mid $20's.  If the alternatives for Kyrie going to Houston are $30mm in cap room (he left for nothing), $42mm TPE (S&T for a future second) and the package above, I take that package.

KPJ is Houston's highest paid player and has a super flexible extension after this first season.  He'd most certainly be in the deal.  People can argue about what else, but it really depends on what happens in the lottery.  I really like Garuba and Eason as future PF's.  I'm envisioning the future first being packaged with 2027 for a starting center.  In such a scenario, I think the draft shifts to defensive PG Wallace with #10 to be the third ball handler with Luka and Porter Jr.  We still need a starting center like we were already planning (hopefully).  Hopefully that can come from among Turner, Siakam and Claxton.  Wallace, Hardy, Green and Garuba make you much younger and KPJ isn't exactly old.   You'd still have Luka, hopefully a strong center, THJ, Maxi and Reggie to mix and match with the youngsters.  I like Kyrie and my base case is he's coming back.  But if he doesn't, I'd prefer we go younger than try to stop-gap our way to something in the name of keeping Luka happy.  Winning makes Luka happy and the timing isn't just 2024.  He'll stay long enough to get his $300mm Super Max.  That's the point at which you need to be winning by.