jbk1234 wrote:The Hornets won.
I don't know that Dallas lost as badly as people are making out. It really comes down to how much value that 2027 1st would've held in a future trade, and whether it would've been enough to land a real difference maker. That always seemed pretty optimistic to me. Luka and Kyrie are on the team now. If you look at where the Clippers and Suns are weak, it's the frontcourt. The Mavs prospects of advancing are better than what they were on Monday.
I suspect the Lakers will be happy they didn't trade that 2029 1st in the long-term. Their window has closed, and if you're not honest with yourself about that, all you're going to do is make the hangover longer and worse.
I feel similarly about GS. People will say they should've put Kuminga into a deal with Klay or CP3 and gotten a difference maker, but if you push them on who that person is, there's no clear answer. Once O.G. was traded to the Knicks, that player was no longer on the market.
I have the Pistons, Nets, and Blazers as losers. Detroit for not trading Bojan and Burks last season when their value was higher (I do like them nabbing Grimes tho).
Maybe the Nets are convinced Mitchell won't extend this summer, but if he does, they really should move Bridges and DFS rather burn through more of those team-friendly deals.
The Blazers should've traded Brogdon for the best return they could get. I don't know how you watch what happened with O'Neale and Bojan and decide waiting was the better play.
The Heat lost when they traded that pick for Rozier.
I appreciate the thoughtful post as is standard from you. You've always approached exchanges and proposals in a fair-and-balanced manner. You're one of the main reasons I return to this forum despite some inherent toxicity which resulted in devalued Hornets, not just from fans of teams outside Charlotte but also from within.
On a broader scale, fans tend to lose sight of the limiting factors of overall market dynamics on a GM. Timing is everything.
The Heat and Thunder demonstrated acceleration to contender status in a short span with the play-in as the starting point of their respective rise.
I imagine the pressure to pay premiums for upgrades reached crescendo this deadline. Last deadline Rozier goes for 2nd rounder smorgasbord. Hayward goes for bad money or barely neutral value. PJ Washington goes for a late first.
The fanbase accuses the front office of "sitting on their hands" with a GM who has his "thumb stuck up his butt". It's emotional tripe I try to avoid. Defeatism is so unhealthy no matter how many losses your team accumulates. Fans want to blow up or gut a roster. They don't want to differentiate between long term assets and fungible pieces.
As it stands, moving forward Charlotte has zero bad contracts with significant cap space leverage, 2 high lottery talents (LaMelo & Brandon Miller) with 1 incoming via 2024 draft (I adore Nik Topic of Serbia who apparently and naturally plays an unselfish brand of ball influenced by Nik Jokic), Mark Williams (fingers crossed on his back), Miles Bridges, Nick Smith Jr., 2 lightly protected 1sts (Heat, Mavs), and control of all the team's own 1st round picks after surely missing the playoffs next season (1st owed the Spurs 2024-25 conveys as 2 second rounders from Kai Jones HR hack).
The offseason following this one, Hornets can bundle a trove of 1st round picks to add a third star to the 2 budding ones on the roster long term.
It didn't happen overnight and couldn't happen last deadline, mainly given market dynamics.
Some of the fanbase asserts new ownership "forced" the GM at gunpoint to make these moves. There's zero context in this take.
You always analyzed context and never succumbed to herd mentality and dog piling on players perceived as losers based on team performance.
All said, Thunder look legit even without the luxury of Gordon Hayward on a managed load playing off their bench. They're stacked with more PG talent than any team in the league, bleeding talent from their surplus here with Tre Mann (I like him as a change of scenery candidate comparable to Malik Monk). Thunder can really do no wrong. Presti's rebuild is the model Philadelphia envisioned but never achieved through The Process. Historical.
The Mavs never stagnate. Their owner and front office operate with constant maneuvering. PJ Washington has always been more talented to scouts than fans give him credit. Immense pressure to mortgage picks. Just when you think they're stuck, they manufacture some flexibility. PJ will be excited to play meaningful games. He never fears the moment. He was the only Hornet who looked like a real player through the play-in massacres. He's tough. But he's better catching and shooting. Perfect fit for their roster.
Terry fits in with Heat culture, but he's miscast as their PG. Can't blame Miami for doubling down after their run last season. 100% of the stars love the city. They will always spend big and land highly sought free agents.
