Sixerscan wrote:Tony Franciosa wrote:Sixerscan wrote:
Compared to the much more concrete rumors about Irving, Kawhi, Durant even Horford, the fact that we are less than a week out and it’s still this vague sort of stuff seems promising. Seems like a lot of posturing and negotiation between the guys and the team instead of someone definitively wanting to leave.
How bad is it for Brand if both Butler/Harris leave and we do not replace them adequately (and by adequately I don't mean Horford at 4 years $100 million)?
Is he done if he gave away all of those assets and we don't end up with anyone significant this offseason?
Ownership signed off on and were intimately involved in those moves. If they decide to want to pretend it was all on Brand and make him the scapegoat, they can, but it doesn’t really reflect reality.
That being said, I don’t see that result in free agency.
One would assume (might be wrong) that we committed to two five-year deals when making the trades.
So if that was the case, even if Brand and ownership are having second thoughts about Butler's age and
Tobias's skill set, we still are the only team that can offer both of them five years.
Then looking at the competition:
Houston: I don't see how Morey can free up enough cap space to sign Butler and I can't imagine anyone
taking on Chris Paul's salary. That's just media blather.
Celtics: They don't need Tobias. They've already got Tatum. And for toughness they've got Smart. I don't
see them making a play for Jimmy. They've got to deal first with Terry and no center, I would think.
Utah: Trading for Conley has narrowed their field. They'll have to unload Favors or refuse his team option
to free up enough money to sign Tobias to a four, not five-year max.
Lakers: Jimmy, again, would have to take a four-year deal (not five) and, if the Lakers can unload their
three semi-deadwood pieces, they would be a five-man roster. LeBron (who turns 35 in December), Davis,
Butler, Kuzma and a room exception. The rest: seven minimum contracts.
Brooklyn: Tobias would have to hate Philly pretty badly to go to a team without a legitimate big and, even
if the Nets win the KD sweepstakes, he won't be playing next season in the first of their four-year deals.
Dallas: I loved the headline of the Windhorst/MacMullan/MacMahon report: "Rumored speculation" has
Horford expecting an offer from the Mavs. Cuban's a wild card. I have no idea what he's thinking except
to make a happy home for Porzingis, and build around Porzingis and Doncic.
Clippers: I doubt that Jerry West will consider competing for Tobias's services and, as for Jimmy, to what
end? Again, a four-year deal.
Kings: Vlade's prone to do anything.
Anyway, I don't think our position has worsened since the Butler/Tobias trades were made. If anything
it's strengthened. Somebody's going to want Kyrie, for instance. I believe Leonard is going to stay in
Toronto, meaning a brilliant basketball guy (Jerry West) will make a smart basketball decision, which
is probably not to sign Butler to a four-year max deal.
