(02-01-2024, 08:38 PM)F Gump Wrote: There is a wide gap between LA getting "a bunch of nothing" and "all the assets" from a trade partner, and I don't think it would be either extreme. I think they will get a strong return, but don't think it will be as strong as you are theorizing. IF he is traded, of course.
I think Lebron will have significant input, refusing to go to a stripped down team, and that Luka-Kyrie-Lively will be off the table, if the Mavs and LA start fashioning a deal.
One factor in a deal will be the salary match, and the number of bodies, which will force some choices. Matching LBJ's $47M takes multiple salaries, and when you include small ones (Hardy, Omax, Lively, etc), LA has to waive a bunch of their roster when including small salaries to do the deal. In addition, LA and DAL are both slightly below the tax line, so neither will want to incur a bunch of added payroll. The point is, for DAL, a trade for LBJ would be tricky and probably require plenty of flexibility and creativity on both sides.
A very basic trade which I think is satisfying all the tax and cap limitations you mentioned (didn't bother to add picks). I don't know how to share a trade from fanspo, so I am just writing it down:
LAL: THJ, GW, Holmes, Lively (-4.8 salaries), picks
Dal: LBJ, Reddish, Hayes (+4.8 mil salaries)