MAVERICKS 139, PELICANS 107

[KillerLeft]

I feel like the time to trade him has passed.  If we had traded him during or prior to this last offseason, we would have had the flexibility to fill in the holes.  The perfect starting center match for Luka (Holmes) was available for 12 mil a year.  Depending what you traded KP for, you could tackle other holes.  You likely would have enough cap left over to sign DeRozan, who addresses the need for another player who can create for themselves and others.  Then you focus on 3&D guys to fill out the roster.  A Holmes/DFS/DeRozan/Luka core is better than a KP/DFS/Luka/THJ core.

But now?  Our big rotation is already an issue, and removing KP generates a gapping hole.  We don't have another starting quality center.  After Luka extension we have no cap to upgrade in free agency, and we have limited assets for trading.  You would want to get significant value out of a KP trade now or it makes little sense.  I don't see that happening any time soon.

This is a great post and point. 

And, I agree, to a certain extent. I think it would have been better to trade him in at a time when there was still flexibility with cap room to approach the pivot in a variety of ways. No doubt. 

But, I also think we might still see stretches in which KP's presence on the roster literally makes the team worse, as it did last season. I fully admit that has not been the case this season, so far, and I'm really happy about that. I would still be tempted to trade him now, even though I agree with your points. It's just that now you much more badly need to trade him for something useful, I guess.

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You would want to get significant value out of a KP trade now or it makes little sense.  I don't see that happening any time soon.

Ultimately, you're probably right on target here.