(05-26-2023, 05:23 PM)omahen Wrote: Brooklyn gets 10/Reggie/McGee for Claxton/22
Phoenix gets THJ/Claxton for Ayton
Dallas gets Ayton/22 (for THJ, Reggie, McGee and #10).
I would just keep it simple and take Claxton. Leave Phoenix out.
This is replying to BKN trade conversation, and not just these comments from you.
I agree with that ^ analysis. I would want Claxton way more than Ayton. PERIOD.
I understand DS concern over him being a FA in 2024, but if you have to flee from players who will be FAs soon, because you are incompetent in navigating contracts and getting players at a reasonable number to be a part of your roster, you have the wrong FO. It feels like the same "problem" in the possibility of trading for Kyrie - "what if we can't re-sign him??" - and imo, you just have to be skilled and make the trade you need, and you're screwed anyhow if you can't ever sign your FA's. It's an expert GM's league.
Ultimately, even if we assume Claxton gets a big bump in a year, I'd much rather have Claxton (in his new deal) on the floor than Ayton. I think he would be a better fit, and more productive, and in his new deal I don't think Claxton will get anywhere near the HUGE money that Ayton gets.
The issue of course is whether BKN will even trade him. I am hopeful. I do think that getting pick 10 might be seen as a big plus for them. But I am also aware he may not even be an option.
If he is available, however, and if this is in the ballpark, there are a couple of issues I see from the BKN side.
The biggest one is that while they have a TPE, I suspect they won't want to use it. This trade idea using the TPE bumps their payroll next season by ~$7M, when they are already in the vicinity of the 1st apron and probably want to go the other way. So I think they would highly prefer a swap that is either about even salary, or may even allow them to reduce a bit.
One solution to that is my same idea - move the trade back to July and let BKN also send DFS to Dallas. The deal can be pre-arranged draft day, with the trigger pulled in July. The players coming from DAL could stay the same, or THJ could be subbed for RB, and either way BKN doesn't end up with a payroll increase. Obviously an idea like this depends on how BKN sees DFS, whether as a plus or a minus, but when you look at how he played, he might be seen as a bad contract they'd rather be shed of.
10 + RB(or THJ) + McGee
22 + Claxton + DFS