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

[F Gump]

Frankly, I don’t think that will be necessary. I think what we are dealing with here is a group of 3 to 6 teams, who all want to accomplish something, but who all want to avoid paying tax. I honestly believe Dallas is doing everyone a solid by parking Capela’ s contract here. I think the situation is that some team would rather have THJ than Capela, and that Dallas feels the opposite way. That simple.

I think this is incredibly insightful, and it should inform our trade conversations.

We look at THJ as a negative and someone we have to bribe a team to take. Another team may actually be thinking the same way about their player, not ours. Trades are very much a perception game, and the smart FOs are looking for a partner who sees opportunity, not a bad experience, in taking your player and giving up theirs.

That applies to McGee too, as KL has noted ("ATL actually has mild interest in McGee as a backup center") and also applies to their multiple project players (Bey, Griffin, Johnson) who frustrate them because they have been in a win-now mode (as their GM is saying in Smitty's note "Landry's interview today about our young guys was eye opening. He pretty much acknowledged moving them for more playing time on another team is better for them and for us). They see flaws and want someone who is already a pro (enter THJ).

And overlaying all of that is ATL being on a major quest for Siakam.

I think there's a deal there that the Mavs can benefit from as well -- and when I noted I want McGee and a youngster included as part of the price, I don't think it's any big deal to ATL, just so long as they get whatever their main objectives would be (imo, probably get rid of Capela, and add some sort of draft capital to toss into the pot for Siakam). If the Mavs are willing to meet those needs, I think there is a great opening, so I hope they extract FULL value as they do so, because I think it's there for the taking.