Run it Back or Upgrade?

[bstein14]

Without our first round pick, I'm putting like zero effort into learning about draft prospects this season. Really strange because it's been a huge part of the offseason for the last half decade.

[Snakebites]

Without our first round pick, I'm putting like zero effort into learning about draft prospects this season. Really strange because it's been a huge part of the offseason for the last half decade.

The draft has been the biggest day of the year for us in most of the last 15 seasons- other than the years we didn’t have a pick.

It’s refreshing that this isn’t the case this year.

[Rip32]

I still would like us to trade back into round 1 if a stretch 4 big is there. We need someone who can shoot and rebound

[Phenomenonsense]

I have a rudimentary understanding of our cap space, but next year Duren and Ivey will be up for extensions and the year after that Ausar will be commanding a lot of money. Other than Now I don't foresee a lot of opportunities to have some cap space or flexibility. Seems to me now is the time to take either a young guy like Jabari that will also be moving into a big contract when Jaden/Jalen are or when Ausar is, or take a big contract now. Next offseason Tobias and Font can come off the books, but they're more useful as expiring contracts for trades than they are coming off our books with two young player extensions kicking in.

[flow]

Goal: Upgrade without disrupting the team chemistry & core.

Solution: Sign Acquire Lari Markkanan. He improves the team & adds offensive dynamic instantly without disrupting team chemistry/identity. He has also played for JB and knows the system. He bloomed under Bickerstaff in 2021-22, the year of the Cavs sudden rise. He was a big part of that year's team and became the key player in the Donovan Mitchell trade that off-season. JB would suredly love to have him back.


.

[GreekAlex]

Goal: Upgrade without disrupting the team chemistry & core.

Solution: Sign Lari Markkanan. He improves the team & adds offensive dynamic instantly without disrupting team chemistry/identity. He has also played for JB and knows the system. He bloomed under Bickerstaff in 2021-22, the year of the Cavs sudden rise. He was a big part of that year's team and was the key player in the Donovan Mitchell trade that off-season. JB would suredly love to have him back.

It's a no-brainer.

.

Bad news amigo, Lauri isn’t a free agent until 2029-30.

[flow]

Goal: Upgrade without disrupting the team chemistry & core.

Solution: Sign Lari Markkanan. He improves the team & adds offensive dynamic instantly without disrupting team chemistry/identity. He has also played for JB and knows the system. He bloomed under Bickerstaff in 2021-22, the year of the Cavs sudden rise. He was a big part of that year's team and was the key player in the Donovan Mitchell trade that off-season. JB would suredly love to have him back.

It's a no-brainer.

.

Bad news amigo, Lauri isn’t a free agent until 2029-30.

My bad. Acquire Lari Markkenan.

[GreekAlex]

Goal: Upgrade without disrupting the team chemistry & core.

Solution: Sign Lari Markkanan. He improves the team & adds offensive dynamic instantly without disrupting team chemistry/identity. He has also played for JB and knows the system. He bloomed under Bickerstaff in 2021-22, the year of the Cavs sudden rise. He was a big part of that year's team and was the key player in the Donovan Mitchell trade that off-season. JB would suredly love to have him back.

It's a no-brainer.

.

Bad news amigo, Lauri isn’t a free agent until 2029-30.

My bad. Acquire Lari Markkenan.

Sounds good in theory, but try matching his $46M salary and coming up with a package that Ainge would accept.

I don’t think it’s possible to get a positive ROI based on the assets it would take.

[SuperBad]

Run it back on paper for two years, that’s not really anything, let see where Ausar, Holland, and Ivey get to during that time. If the pieces aren’t right near the end of those two years, and nothing good has come your way, all these guys will bring in at least a starting level player by then to fit the bill.
It could work out

Cade
Ivey
Holland
Ausar
Duran

Sasser
Klitman
Stew
Primarily in the end 3 years from now if things went our way with development.

[tmorgan]

Bad news amigo, Lauri isn’t a free agent until 2029-30.

My bad. Acquire Lari Markkenan.

Sounds good in theory, but try matching his $46M salary and coming up with a package that Ainge would accept.

I don’t think it’s possible to get a positive ROI based on the assets it would take.

Lauri is the pricey Robin I’m agreeable to acquiring.

The issue is Utah’s perception of his value, vs. our perception.

Utah sees the guy that was a monster the two previous years. They made the space to extend him, he got paid what he was worth after two straight big years, and was then told Utah planned to stealth (and sometimes not even stealth) tank this whole year, after only tanking at the end of the previous two years. Lauri was told to work on new moves, don’t worry about the results much, and made to sit out while healthy quite a few times. It made his season look ishtty by his recent standards, but Utah got what they wanted out of the season, a shot at Flagg and player development.

Detroit sees a guy that would be a great fit, but expensive to the point of preventing us from keeping all the players we’d like to keep. It’s also hard not to be a bit worried about him playing up to his contract. Salary matching won’t be easy, either. Tobias would obviously have to go, maybe they’d take Tek back, but that’s still a 10 mil payroll increase and we haven’t really paid much value yet.

What do we give up? I’m fine with Ivey in there, but Utah doesn’t need a SG/secondary ball handler. If we try to get Sexton in the deal (to make Ivey fit better) that’s even more salary issues for us. Ivey’s not enough anyway. They’d likely want 2 firsts, largely unprotected. Is it worth the risk? Depends on what you think Lauri looks like on a team trying to compete as the true second option.

[Phenomenonsense]

The only way to make Lauri work is either trading Tobias and Stewart, and likely Ron Holland + a unprotected 1st, or signing some people to new deals and hoping the number make sense at the trade deadline.

[GreekAlex]

My bad. Acquire Lari Markkenan.

Sounds good in theory, but try matching his $46M salary and coming up with a package that Ainge would accept.

I don’t think it’s possible to get a positive ROI based on the assets it would take.

Lauri is the pricey Robin I’m agreeable to acquiring.

The issue is Utah’s perception of his value, vs. our perception.

Utah sees the guy that was a monster the two previous years. They made the space to extend him, he got paid what he was worth after two straight big years, and was then told Utah planned to stealth (and sometimes not even stealth) tank this whole year, after only tanking at the end of the previous two years. Lauri was told to work on new moves, don’t worry about the results much, and made to sit out while healthy quite a few times. It made his season look ishtty by his recent standards, but Utah got what they wanted out of the season, a shot at Flagg and player development.

Detroit sees a guy that would be a great fit, but expensive to the point of preventing us from keeping all the players we’d like to keep. It’s also hard not to be a bit worried about him playing up to his contract. Salary matching won’t be easy, either. Tobias would obviously have to go, maybe they’d take Tek back, but that’s still a 10 mil payroll increase and we haven’t really paid much value yet.

What do we give up? I’m fine with Ivey in there, but Utah doesn’t need a SG/secondary ball handler. If we try to get Sexton in the deal (to make Ivey fit better) that’s even more salary issues for us. Ivey’s not enough anyway. They’d likely want 2 firsts, largely unprotected. Is it worth the risk? Depends on what you think Lauri looks like on a team trying to compete as the true second option.

If I’m going to part with Ivey and 2 firsts, I want a consistent proven commodity.

It’s cool to buy into Lauri “sandbagging” it but not if I’m going to pay assets like he was playing at his all-star level.

Another fun fact, he’s never played 70 games in any season.

He’s averaging 56 games per season since entering the league.

Pass for me.

[MrBigShot]

If we continue on our trajectory our 1sts will be a mid to late 1st round pick. Prior to this year, the 2 years prior Lauri put up ~24ppg/8rpg on near 50/40/90. He is a legit all star caliber player. Two firsts and filler is a price i'd gladly pay to get a guy like that.

But Ainge has a rep of trying to mega rip off other GMs. I don't think there's any way you get Lauri in a fair deal.

[Canadafan]

If I’m going to part with Ivey and 2 firsts, I want a consistent proven commodity.

It’s cool to buy into Lauri “sandbagging” it but not if I’m going to pay assets like he was playing at his all-star level.

Another fun fact, he’s never played 70 games in any season.

He’s averaging 56 games per season since entering the league.

Pass for me.

I'm passing now too. Didn't realize that. Goes against Langdons availability needs.

How bout Sabonis?

[BadMofoPimp]

Goal: Upgrade without disrupting the team chemistry & core.

Solution: Sign Lari Markkanan. He improves the team & adds offensive dynamic instantly without disrupting team chemistry/identity. He has also played for JB and knows the system. He bloomed under Bickerstaff in 2021-22, the year of the Cavs sudden rise. He was a big part of that year's team and was the key player in the Donovan Mitchell trade that off-season. JB would suredly love to have him back.

It's a no-brainer.

.

Bad news amigo, Lauri isn’t a free agent until 2029-30.

My bad. Acquire Lari Markkenan.

Ainge is norotious for raping other teams in trades due to extremely high asking prices. Not sure what you would propose to trade away to get him.

[the_l_train]

I’m good on Okoro. We need offense. Too redundant with Holland.

[Warspite]

If we continue on our trajectory our 1sts will be a mid to late 1st round pick. Prior to this year, the 2 years prior Lauri put up ~24ppg/8rpg on near 50/40/90. He is a legit all star caliber player. Two firsts and filler is a price i'd gladly pay to get a guy like that.

But Ainge has a rep of trying to mega rip off other GMs. I don't think there's any way you get Lauri in a fair deal.

If Ainge is willing to trade him Im not sure I want him. Dealing with Ainge is a non-starter for me.

[GreekAlex]

If we continue on our trajectory our 1sts will be a mid to late 1st round pick. Prior to this year, the 2 years prior Lauri put up ~24ppg/8rpg on near 50/40/90. He is a legit all star caliber player. Two firsts and filler is a price i'd gladly pay to get a guy like that.

But Ainge has a rep of trying to mega rip off other GMs. I don't think there's any way you get Lauri in a fair deal.

If Ainge is willing to trade him Im not sure I want him. Dealing with Ainge is a non-starter for me.

I don’t want Lauri at his salary and cost of assets to acquire but don’t forget that Danny was the one who blessed us with Sheed 21 years ago

[tmorgan]

Don’t overplay the “availability” angle on Lauri. For the past three years, and even more last year, Utah scratched him while healthy many times.
-
There’s other reasons not to like the deal (Ainge, salary, cost to us), but that’s not a real one.

[the_l_train]

If we are going to overpay for a guy, i’d rather go for Sabonis than Lauri. Him next to Duren would be pretty rough on defense though….I’m really not a Bam guy and think Pat would ask for way too much.

Run it back and see how it shakes out with just upgrading the THJ spot.