Trade & FA 2023-24: Stein-Ingram Trade Inevitable| LAL Want Lebron Back On Any Terms

[Branduil]

I’ll admit from the start that this is a bit of tin foil hat theory.

It has been reported that Brooklyn would not trade Kyrie to LA (or if they did, the price would be dramatically higher than trading him anyplace else).  If Dallas was just a stopover on the way to LAL, the way to do this isn’t in free agency this summer.  It is extend and trades before 7/1.  Think in terms of the discussion FG and I (and others) had regarding Draymond recently.  

Yes, there is a limitation on years in this scenario, but are we sure there is a contract out there for more than $84mm over two years?  The reporting is Brooklyn didn’t want to fully guarantee him as his extension number.  That number is now larger because of his trade kicker.  Are we sure Russell will find more than $67mm over two years?  I’m not sure either guy gets those numbers…especially from a contender.

So, how might this work out for Dallas?

We gave up Dinwiddie and get younger Russell
We gave up DFS and get younger Vanderbilt
We gave up 2029 and get Lakers 2029
We gave up a 2nd and get a future second from LA

It isn’t hard to make us whole (and younger).  Vanderbilt is under LA control right now (as are Beasley and Bamba), so this doesn’t have to get into all of the other FA’s on the LA roster.  Dallas is getting Russell and Vanderbilt for $10mm less than the Kyrie max.  It fills two spots on the roster and enhances out ability to stay under the tax and use the full MLE.

As an alternative, maybe we take LA’s pick in this years draft instead of 2029 giving us more flexibility to trade for a center since Vanderbilt covers the ‘big wing who can defend’ need that we have.  Maybe you draft Lively with 17 and use 10 plus 2027 for Turner and take back Indy’s early 2nd.

Turner, Lively, McGee
Vandy, Maxi
Green, THj
Russell, Bullock
Luka, Hardy

One last note…the timing of all of this is in the current season before 6/30 (or before 6/29 if Bamba or Beasley are involved).  So, it avoids all of the restrictions of the new CBA.

I mean this is a fun theory but does ANYONE believe Mark Cuban is capable of something like this, vs. just trading for an aging star because he can. I think we all know the answer