12-22-2023, 11:45 AM
(12-22-2023, 09:19 AM)surfpuckmd Wrote: I have a moonshot bet on the Magic to win the NBA championship so I'm a Magic fan this year as well as the Mavs. I've watched most of their games..
Goga has been awesome this year. and has been one of the best defensive centers in the NBA.
It's difficult to determine his value but I think he would also also require a first round pick to acquire. Teams like the Pelicans and Thunder really need another center and can casually offer a first plus some additional assets.
Also, I believe if we did trade for him we would only have his early bird rights. My understanding is we would only be able to offer him the league average salary this coming summer which seems to be around $10 million per year. I believe he'd receive offers elsewhere on teams where he could start and make significantly more money.
We'd likely be renting him for just this season. As I don't think we're a contender here, I probably wouldn't offer a first for him.
He would be great as a platoon center here though. He's a better version of Gafford.
You are correct about his EB status. He was waived by Indy last season, but Orlando did a deal with him that ran the rest of that season and the current season. He is a Schwartz guy, so I assume we’d be able to trust them if nothing else. Also, even as a “starter” in Orlando, Goga was only getting 20 minutes a game.
To me, Orlando would be a logical trading partner. They have 3 viable centers and should probably cash one of them in. Unlike some of the other teams we talk about trading with, they aren’t likely to go big game hunting. They have stars, they just need them to marinate some more. They have expiring contracts in case Dallas wants to create more room under the first apron next summer. And, and a I’m not sure if this is positive or negative, they have a coach who knows some of the players we might send out very well. The trick for them is improving their O without harming their really good D.