Post#63 » by Djh7475 » Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:11 am
Depending on what happens with the PG/Hayward situation, AB could be available. Considering he hasn't gotten a massive contract and the fact that he's massively underpaid, he seems like a prime extension candidate if he played for a team with cap space. If the 76ers can trade for AB, extending him this offseason with a front-heavy extension could make a ton of sense. While a 3 year/$60M contract for AB seems around what he'd get on the open market, averaging it into the last year of his contract and frontloading it would make him an absurd value down the line. A 3/60 extension would look like:
Year 1 (27 years old): $18.6M (up from $8.8M)
Year 2 (28 years old): $17.67M (5% pay decrease)
Year 3 (29 years old): $16.74M (5% pay decrease)
Year 4 (30 years old): $15.81M (5% pay decrease)
This gets the 76ers AB through his prime getting less than Evan Turner/Mozgov/Deng money, and the dude literally improves every year. He's also been a mentor to our youngsters and is incredibly respected around the league on and off the floor, and he's one of the best locker room guys in the league. I think adding a tried and true veteran who can be part of the present and the future makes a ton of sense. While Reddick would help short term, it seems like the 76ers should add players that can start to make them look somewhat attractive to free agents. Short term free agents that are past their prime aren't going to do that.
Plus, AB is an absolutely epic fit for Philly. Considering Simmons and Saric have 3 years before they get paid and Fultz has 4 while Okafor doesn't seem like a priority nor does he seem due for a big payday, Philly should start to build around Fultz, Simmons, Saric, and Embiid. Unless any of those guys makes an All-NBA roster in the next 4 years, they aren't getting more than 25% of the cap, and if all 4 pan out as max-worthy players, the 76ers should flip Saric for a guy that doesn't play the same position as Simmons. From a timeline and cap perspective, it makes sense for the 76ers to sign some guys this offseason before extensions get closer.
Considering AB and Covington are the same age while AB is drastically superior offensively and superior defensively in my opinion (I know the advanced stat argument is coming, but when engaged, players understand he's the best lockdown defender in the NBA), a package based around AB for Covington could finally be conceivable with the PG/Hayward rumors. Covington would certainly be redundant on our roster, but we love positionless defensive-minded players, and he's one of the only guys that could work with our cap situation.
I'm not sure how 76ers fan would feel about it, but a Rozier, Djack, and AB for Covington and Holmes deal makes a ton of sense for both sides. Fultz, Rozier, and AB could be a special backcourt rotation with a ton of upside. AB replaces (and upgrades) Covington and fits like a glove. Rozier gives the 76ers another high upside young combo guard that could actually get minutes in Philly. Djack can be cut, but getting rid of his $650k guarantee is necessary for the C's. With Simmons and Saric both healthy now, Holmes's role is going to be reduced (even moreso if Embiid/Okafor are healthy). With 1 year left on his contract, moving him now for legit value makes sense.
While Celtics fans (myself included) won't love the fit or the value, the trade opens up around $9 million in cap space while adding a competent bench big and yet another positionless-type defender. This gives us a year to bring Jaylen, Tatum, Nader, Ojeleye, and Zizic along without putting too much pressure on them in a competitive environment early on. The resulting C's after Hayward/PG would look like:
IT/Smart
Hayward/Covington/Ojeleye
PG/Jaylen/Nader
Tatum/Holmes
Horford/Zizic
That roster is pretty terrifying. Holmes could possibly even start, or the Celtics could go big (move Horford to the 4, start Zizic) or small (start Smart or Covington at the 2), and we'd always have elite versatile defenders surrounding IT. I don't worry so much about rebounding late in the playoffs (ECFs/Finals), but adding Holmes and Zizic should help our rebounding woes during the regular seasons substantially. Obviously, it puts us in a tough spot next offseason (IT, Smart, Covington, PG, and Holmes would all be due for extensions), but with Smart, Covington, and Holmes all being RFA's, having their bird rights gives us options to match depending on who we draft.
It seems like a win-win for both sides if the money and timing were to work out. I'd follow it up by trying to sign Ingles like someone else suggested (depending on this price). Putting 2 top-flight 3 and D players on reasonable contracts around Fultz, Simmons, Saric, Embiid, and future draft picks will make their life a lot easier and will help the 76ers start to build a winning culture. Maybe the 76ers even leap all the way into the playoffs and turn into a viable free agent destination the next 2 offseasons when guys like PG, Jimmy, IT, Russ, Klay, Deandre, Lillard, Kemba, Lebron, Leonard, and Wall will all be free agents in the next 3 summers.
You could essentially build kind of like the Celtics. Add piece by piece in FA/trade where a bargain can be struck. With a far better roster, maybe you finally move some picks/players for a star and sign one without giving up on the youngsters. The 76ers could finally start to get over the rebuilding hump, but without killing any valhe or long term flexibility (AB will be incredibly movable on that deal).
