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

[F Gump]

Now, look at how great MOST of us (not all of us) feel about this off-season, wherein the Mavs simply had a pick and the MLE to deal with, just like most teams. Look at what they were able to do with all of that. They turned the pick into three assets, each bringing varying degrees of promise and optimism for the next few seasons. They were able to use the MLE to leverage a sign and trade for probably the best Luka-fitting FA on the market. 

Maybe others feel differently. I might have felt differently 5-7 years ago. But, where I am right now is this: if they just did THIS kind of work EVERY summer, or at least like three out of every five summers, they would be a contender in no time without any of these big risks. AND, that type of organic contention is sustainable over a longer period of time.

It's this truth that I think has been missing in your predictions of gloom and doom in 2029 - which is, the approach of adding a really good piece here, and another there, can change everything. And there's a current indication that they may be heading in that direction. It's very doable.

The point being, while you look at 2029 as doomed because "Kyrie won't be here," you also have to look at 2023-2029 as a time span so long that it can easily provide numerous opportunities to add and develop MULTIPLE players who can be difference-makers, such that Kyrie isn't really missed (assuming he's gone). 

Aren't they already starting to put some building blocks in place around Luka, who can be really good by the time we get to 2029? For example, what if Lively, OMax, and GWill all develop into key starters who turn out to be as good next to Luka as we think they will be? What if Green takes another step or three in his game? What if Hardy becomes Kyrie-Light by the time Kyrie's contract ends? What if Kyrie as he starts to age out likes it here, and re-signs to play as your 6th Man, a walking bucket off the bench like Jamal Crawford or Lou Williams did in similar age bracket?

And what about players they don't have yet, but that will get in 2024, 2025, and 2026 and who will have the opportunity to make an impact by the time we get to 2027, 2029, and 2029?

Can't this team grow, so that 2025-2029 will be even BETTER than 2023-2025?