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

[cow]

I've been saying this all along.  Why would we not only help them get out of their predicament, but then trade places into said predicament?

I can see the outcome being framed as the same but what we are trading to get to that outcome is different.   Granted, Ayton isn't the quality of Durant or Beal, but our pu pu platter of outgoing assets isn't near the quality that Phoenix shipped out.

I don't like Ayton and don't particularly want him on the team, but if all it cost was THJ, Holmes and Reggie, I personally think Ayton is more valuable than that combined rotation.  

My guess is that the MBT/Phx discussion occurred before the draft and before we acquired Lively, which probably makes this entire discussion moot.

edit: I also hate THJ (the player) so I have my bias.