05-28-2023, 06:34 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-28-2023, 06:41 AM by DanSchwartzgan.)
(05-26-2023, 05:54 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: I'm very curious why you're confident Kyrie is leaving at this point? Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of smoke pointing to Kyrie to LA (especially given the report that the Mavs might not offer the max). But what in this week tipped you over the edge?
Here is the latest from Stein:
"A popular topic all week, in the wake of Denver sweeping the Lakers out of the Western Conference finals, was the notion that L.A. could emerge as a potential sign-and-trade destination for Dallas’ free agent-to-be Kyrie Irving.
While we await a clear indication about the Lakers’ intentions there, with no verifiable signal to date that pursuing Irving is among their offseason priorities, league sources say that the Mavericks would have no interest in a sign-and-trade with the Lakers that features D'Angelo Russell as the primary Dallas-bound player. All indications are that the Mavericks remain intent on re-signing Irving."
I think there are reporters out there (Stein and Jake Fischer are among them) who have some picture of what is going on. You can go back once all the dust settles from the TDL and Free Agency and see they got some things right or were on paths that came close. You can read Stein here and the main takeaway might be that Dallas WILL NOT center a package around D-Lo. The fact that Stein is even discussing what a package might look like (or not look like) makes me feel like Kyrie staying is anything but settled. Dallas won't do this...OK, what will they do is where my mind goes. If the door was completely closed, Stein would write it differently.
Earlier this week, Fischer gave us a list of teams that were interested in Beasley at the TDL. One near miss was Beasley and Vanderbilt for John Collins. Maybe the package for Irving is Beasley, Vanderbilt and Rui (plus 2029) with Beasley and Vandy being moved on for someone else.
It feels to me that Dallas and Phoenix are also negotiating an Ayton deal in the media (with Stein also being the mouthpiece). None of this means this will or won't happen. Hundreds of things that don't happen get discussed. But it all makes me feel it is on the table at the right price.
Edit: Is there a world where our front court is Ayton (or Allen) plus Collins and Rui?