Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[KillerLeft]

And if Lively is not healthy (most likely scenario) then you have MoJo as the starting 5 for the next decade+

I think it's difficult to separate what's best for next year and what's best for the future. At least for me. I'm impatient and want them to make all of the necessary moves right away. We don't know what we don't know about Lively's long term health/outlook. We also don't really know the true trade value of the current Vets. Without that information it's difficult for us to have well-informed opinions.

Agreed that this 1st round investment goes a long way towards unchaining the entire franchise from dependence on Lively, which isn't a bad play, given the fast approaching contractual decision with him. This ensures they won't get stuck between a rock and hard place with him. If he's healthy this year, GREAT, but if he's not, you probably view the ending of his rookie deal as a good opportunity to get off the ride. 

But...either way, this is not the move of someone interested in keeping Gafford, imho. I think he's quite literally Gafford's replacement, and one who brings a ton more to the table, without losing the things Gafford fans love about him.