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

[DanSchwartzgan]

I know that we have heard "several contenders interested" in Olynyk. Supposedly. I take that as an Ainge declaration to try to drum up interest, frankly.

I have no issue with moving Hardy, but others may. I've never been all that impressed with his shoot-at-all-costs and no-defense profile, and not sure he wants to work to truly change. And for a guy who wants to shoot every time, he's not very good at it, which is cringe-worthy stuff.

I wouldn't give much of anything for Drummond. To me a pick is too expensive a price. He's always been a guy whose stats are more attractive than his actual play.

I'm really hoping for a way to turn Holmes into an expiring, and to perhaps get some short-term use from the expiring.

Yes to all of this.  Olynyk would be helpful on the court and would provide flexibility in the summer.  It won't be easy to find an expiring guy in the right salary range who can also help on court.  For instance, Fournier would help in terms of clearing salary, but probably not in games and certainly not as a backup big.

We could look for a deal that helps another team's finances in the current season.  For instance, Holmes for Marcus Morris would get Philly under the LT this season.  It doesn't work because Morris is a role player on a contender.  But is there something else out there like that?

I think another possibility would be to find a cheaper salary than Holmes that isn't necessarily expiring.  Someone like Nick Richards gets you another $7mm of savings compared to Holmes and that extra money puts you far enough below the first apron to use most or all of the MLE (DJJ or whoever).  Richards makes $5mm next season and, unlike Holmes, could contribute backing up Lively.  The salary doesn't match directly, but Charlotte has the Thor contract that could be added to the outgoing.  Dallas could send Hardy along with Holmes and the numbers work.  You and Omahen can argue about how many seconds that might take and who would get them.  Charlotte is a place where Hardy would probably get a chance as they don't have a SG who is tearing it up by any means.

BTW regarding Hardy.  AJ Lawson has been stealing some of his minutes lately.  Since 12/1 Lawson is shooting .589 TS%.  Hardy hasn't been over .500 TS% in any month this season.  Between Seth and Lawson, I'm not sure we'd miss Hardy all that much.