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

[omahen]

Its been pointed out multiple times to you how that is not the way to look at his value.  That first was for taking on his entire salary, which is different than using him as a salary match fodder as in all proposed trades involving him. 

I don't think you can look at it this way. Holmes is a negative value, that is a fact. Yes, if Sacramento would take back an equally negative value contract (as in Bertans, for example), they would not pay a FRP. But the trades we are discussing are for players that we can consider have a positive value contract. Because they are credible starters. In that case the seller naturally demands value back. Either in the form of good players or draft assets. So it is pretty logical, if you offer a negative value player, the need for draft assets increases. 

The seller is not looking to just dump their player. Seller would demand less assets if buyer wouldn't send Holmes contract back but instead just took their player into cap space or TE or even if the buyer sent expiring contract. I think from sellers perspective, the negative value of Holmes deal is basically what Mavs got for him - late FRP. I think the fact that his contract is not expiring, is a real problem for any deal. Teams prefer flexibility than having a bad contract on the books for more than one season.

I guess Mavs best bet would be to try to increase Holmes value. I don't really like the position they put themselves into, but it is what it is. But, I just hope they don't repeat the Wood mistake. Mavs were imho the ones most responsible for tanking his value to the minimum possible level, which ended with a lose-lose situation. Wood will get likely minimum salary and Mavs nothing. They were not contenders, with or without him. He was putting up stats. So, would it really hurt so much to advertise him as "one of best centers ever"?  Instead, Mavs started tanking his value immediately when they signed him by "McGee will be the starter" crap. Which became even more laughable after 5 games or so. I can understand Wood is a pain in the ass and overvalues himself. But smart move imho would be to neglect that. Not because you want to have him, but because you could perhaps get something for his expiring salary.

So I am saying once again, Mavs please make Holmes the starting center since start of the camp. The team as it is is not a contender. We know Powell is not a starting level centre.  We also know Mavs will very, very likely not trade Powel, neither would he bring some great assets. So, please Mavs, think long term. Don't repeat the Wood mistake. Even if Holmes is not a long term solution, try everything to increase his value. If you don't do that, you are just sending a very clear signal, that he is bad salary. A bad salary, that will be difficult to move. Who cares if Mavs lose a game or two more, because Powell would perhaps work slightly better. Unless Holmes has fallen completely off the cliff, he will put up stats next to player like Luka. He is probably not the best defensive solution next to Luka, but there are also teams that could value offense more than defense due to their specific team building situation.