(06-25-2023, 03:14 AM)ItsGoTime Wrote: Ok, if they said that on radio or after the draft, that’s fine. Doesn’t explain the way you described them going in there guns a blazin style, but sure, negotiations might be a bit less desperate than sign him at all costs.
I think the $40M flat salary represents plenty of give and take from both sides (if they can negotiate it down to $40M declining, even better). I stand by my original post.
I didn't say they would go in there guns blazin style, I said I personally don't value Kyrie being here longer term as necessary for the team to reach it's goal, and I merely intimated that the FO is showing signs they might at least be thinking more along those lines than the straight let's sign him for whatever he wants cause he's a superstar. It's also not really the annual amount that concerns me (as long as we keep the full MLE I don't care too much). It's the length.
If things don't work out well, either on or off court wise, or both, I think we are going to see that play out next season. And I think the chances of that happening are a lot higher than people are accounting for. Kyrie Irving on a 2+1 contract is gonna be way way easier to move than Kyrie Irving on a 4-5 year max deal. Literally the difference between us potentially getting some assets in return vs literally having to add good assets to get rid of him. And I just think there is plenty of evidence that this team has just as much potential to go all the way surrounding Luka with great pieces, as having a second superstar, and in particular a second superstar that IMO isn't really close to the ideal fit next to him. The fact that the FO is proving they are competent at making good intelligent moves to improve the team makes me even more confident we'd be just fine building the team without Kyrie.