Discussing Other Teams' Moves - Part 9

dckingsfan · Post #181 » by **dckingsfan** » Sun Jul 26, 2026 4:05 pm

Kind of feels like they believed (front office and ownership) they would be competing now. Hence the AD & Trae trades.

It is a little bit of bad luck (the east getting so strong so quickly) a little bit of willful ignorance to get to this point (not believing it could happen) and a tad bit of being overly optimistic that Trae & AD are all that.

If we had just not done the deals, we could have simply put our energy into current player development (and then extend the players that make the jump) and taken on draft capital for bad contracts (that expire in the right time frame).

It feels like we have snatched defeat from the jaws of a long-term victory - we stopped believing in the process.

Northwest Roddy · Post #182 » by **Northwest Roddy** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 12:26 am

We over paid Trae. With five year ago rules, he was great. With new defense rules, he’s a liability.

If they extend AD, then it’s #sowizards all over again.

We are the Charlie Browns of the NBA. I went to a practice in 1986 or so and John Williams was so big and skilled in the scrimmage i was convinced he was a future superstar and this was against Moses and Bernard King and Jeff Malone. He stood out. Reminded me of Chirac’s quite that Brazil was full of great promise and it always will be.

How does the football get pulled this time is the question.

doclinkin · Post #183 » by **doclinkin** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:50 am

Northwest Roddy wrote:We over paid Trae. With five year ago rules, he was great. With new defense rules, he’s a liability.

Yes but. The team is setting up for 3-4 years from now when our young core is hitting NBA prime. Either AD on court we can weather poor defense from one position. Having a rebounding paint deterrent means Trae only has to give a bit of effort on the small quick guards and rely on everyone else for help elsewhere.

Still. Pundits are seriously underrating the potential offensive effect Young has on this team. Not solely as a ball dominant attacker but as a floor stretcher and primarily as an addition of starpower to the squad. This affects refs, rep, league wide respect. Scouting report.

We built a team of role players and glue guys. A shooter in TJ (and combo guard Bub). A primary defensive specialist in Bilal (and role players Champ, Watkins). One anti-unicorn 4/5 in Sarr perimeter defensive big. A Swiss Army knife do-everything wing in George. And whatever Riley turns out to be, something like a 6’10” Ginobili.

None of those guys are an ‘I got this’ scorer with the swagger to win a game solo. Yet. Trae at his peak is that guy. Maybe he’s lost a step or maybe he needed time to rehab a variety of injuries brought on by carrying such an ungodly load.

Better still, he’s a league leading assist king. Defenses will key on him, leaving wide open high percentage shooters like Tre, Bub, Kyshawn, or low post loads like HOFer Davis or Ayton (who scores 80% on the interior).

Trae will make our young players better. And vice versa. He can exemplify not just the swagger that earns whistles and scouting report focus, but also how to run a team on offense. We see Kyshawn borrowing his moves in offseason runs. Looking forward to Riley and AJ xeroxing his tricks as well. Bub maybe. TJ.

BUT most importantly, he can show our #1 overall pick how to star. AJ has the swagger. Will get easy scores fed to him by Trae to help learn the off ball game. Has the hunger to improve where he seems he’ll be able to steal the spotlight before Traes contract is done.

Trae doesn’t need to carry a team like he has. Lower usage. Off ball motion. Using screens from our suddenly big front line. Able to rest any dings and tweaks. Mentor players from the bench. And it had been asked in the past: who’s been the 2nd best player on any of Traes teams in the past? (JJ maybe, he shined brightest when Trae was out, but then shrank when CJ joined the Hawks. Maybe he’s not a team player).

Trae has never had a HOFer perennial all star like AD to work with. Surrounded by shooters to give them space. If these two stay healthy, big if of course, but if so they can hang with any other 1&5 combo in the league. Meanwhile our young role players and alpha star get to feel what it’s like to win a few games. Get greedy. Grow up. Then take over.

Personally I think we are too used to the #sowizards tropes. Too quick to surrender. We added stars who are pizzed with something to prove. To a team of young talent ready to win. If the chemistry hits we may be a problem for teams who think they’ve got an easy night on the schedule. Should be fun to watch. Finally.

Post #184 » by **nate33** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 12:53 pm

Trae will helps the offense and hurts the defense. Currently, given the lack of primary offensive players, Trae will boost the offense more than he hurts the defense, making him a net positive player. But every year that AJ, Kyshawn and Riley improve as primary offensive players, the disparity between Trae and those guys will diminish. Eventually, we will reach a point where Trae’s advantage on offense is outweighed by his disadvantage on defense. At that point, he will be a liability on that contract.

I don’t know when we will reach that point. Probably in 1 or 2 years. Those 3rd and 4th years on the contract will be rough. Fortunately we have the cap room if we don’t extend AD.

payitforward · Post #185 » by **payitforward** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 12:57 pm

An imaginative & appealing tale, Doc -- may it be just as you describe!

The only thing you leave out is the explosive impact of the Trae-to-Cam hook up!

*

* ...just a little humor, doc -- don't take umbrage!

doclinkin · Post #186 » by **doclinkin** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 1:14 pm

payitforward wrote:An imaginative & appealing tale, Doc -- may it be just as you describe!

The only thing you leave out is the explosive impact of the Trae-to-Cam hook up! *

* ...just a little humor, doc -- don't take umbrage!

That too. Or Bilal. Though I mentioned AJ. But up to now what hyperathlete has Trae had as a back door threat? Look at his Atlanta teams when he was racking 10+ assists a game and wonder where those points were coming from. Then ask if we’ve got a guy who has the *potential* to be better in that spot.

doclinkin · Post #187 » by **doclinkin** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 1:18 pm

nate33 wrote:Trae will helps the offense and hurts the defense. Currently, given the lack of primary offensive players, Trae will boost the offense more than he hurts the defense, making him a net positive player. But every year that AJ, Kyshawn and Riley improve as primary offensive players, the disparity between Trae and those guys will diminish. Eventually, we will reach a point where Trae’s advantage on offense is outweighed by his disadvantage on defense. At that point, he will be a liability on that contract.

I don’t know when we will reach that point. Probably in 1 or 2 years. Those 3rd and 4th years on the contract will be rough. Fortunately we have the cap room if we don’t extend AD.

If that crew makes a jump to all star versions of themselves in 1-2 years, it’s a great problem to have.

And in all likelihood Trae supercharging our offense will have had something to do with them taking that jump.

In which case he will have been worth that contract not just on court but as a mentor and example. In other words the plan worked.

closg00 · Post #188 » by **closg00** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 2:10 pm

Dunno if this has been sourced, but it rings true of the Presti genius.

Read on Twitter

Post #189 » by **Rafael122** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 2:46 pm

9 and 20 wrote:I don't understand Golden State throwing away their last year or two of Steph. Adding Lebron and AD to that team could have challenged OKC and maybe San Antonio. Pretty decent shot at at least another conference finals appearance. Yaxel projects to be a good forward but he better exceed that by a good amount for the Warriors to feel good about not adding Lebron/AD this offseason

They should rip the band aid off and trade Curry. They will never do it, but that team is going nowhere. That whole mess started when they botched 3 lottery picks in 2 drafts. They didn't want to draft Lamelo b/c they didn't want to deal with Lavar Ball but he hasn't been an issue. Dynasties never end well, but their repeated attempts at running it back are hurting them long term. That team looks like a disaster once Curry, Green and Butler leave.

Post #190 » by **Rafael122** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 2:55 pm

dcPress wrote:Kind of ridiculous that we have more potential than almost any time in recent memory and the east blows up. This might be the strongest nba ever.

Honestly man, I think stone cold locks in the East are probably the Knicks and Sixers. If you told me the Wizards would finish 3rd in the East, I'd believe it. Seeds 3-10 are up in the air. Every team has issues, whether it's depth, lack of shot creation or creator, shooting, etc. All of them have issues.

Post #191 » by **nate33** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 3:44 pm

Rafael122 wrote:
dcPress wrote:Kind of ridiculous that we have more potential than almost any time in recent memory and the east blows up. This might be the strongest nba ever.

Honestly man, I think stone cold locks in the East are probably the Knicks and Sixers. If you told me the Wizards would finish 3rd in the East, I'd believe it. Seeds 3-10 are up in the air. Every team has issues, whether it's depth, lack of shot creation or creator, shooting, etc. All of them have issues.

Cleveland will be in the top 4. They have too many regular season minutes-eaters to win less than 50 games. I have no confidence in their playoff success though.

I also think Toronto, with Kawhi, are sure to be a tier ahead of us, as long as Kawhi plays 55 games or so.

dckingsfan · Post #192 » by **dckingsfan** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 5:53 pm

doclinkin wrote:
nate33 wrote:Trae will helps the offense and hurts the defense. Currently, given the lack of primary offensive players, Trae will boost the offense more than he hurts the defense, making him a net positive player. But every year that AJ, Kyshawn and Riley improve as primary offensive players, the disparity between Trae and those guys will diminish. Eventually, we will reach a point where Trae’s advantage on offense is outweighed by his disadvantage on defense. At that point, he will be a liability on that contract.

I don’t know when we will reach that point. Probably in 1 or 2 years. Those 3rd and 4th years on the contract will be rough. Fortunately we have the cap room if we don’t extend AD.

If that crew makes a jump to all star versions of themselves in 1-2 years, it’s a great problem to have.

And in all likelihood Trae supercharging our offense will have had something to do with them taking that jump.

In which case he will have been worth that contract not just on court but as a mentor and example. In other words the plan worked.

They don't need to become all-stars for the transition to take place. Trae's defense is that bad. And I think the transition happens this year or next at the very latest. Really a very stupid extension - no two ways around that...

DCZards · Post #193 » by **DCZards** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 6:03 pm

Trae is bad on D…but his offense and playmaking will help unleash the talents of AJ, Tre, Bilal and others.

payitforward · Post #194 » by **payitforward** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 6:39 pm

closg00 wrote:Dunno if this has been sourced, but it rings true of the Presti genius.

Read on Twitter

Oh that's really funny! & clever... of course.

Post #195 » by **LyricalRico** » Mon Jul 27, 2026 11:16 pm

Rafael122 wrote:
9 and 20 wrote:I don't understand Golden State throwing away their last year or two of Steph. Adding Lebron and AD to that team could have challenged OKC and maybe San Antonio. Pretty decent shot at at least another conference finals appearance. Yaxel projects to be a good forward but he better exceed that by a good amount for the Warriors to feel good about not adding Lebron/AD this offseason

They should rip the band aid off and trade Curry. They will never do it, but that team is going nowhere. That whole mess started when they botched 3 lottery picks in 2 drafts. They didn't want to draft Lamelo b/c they didn't want to deal with Lavar Ball but he hasn't been an issue. Dynasties never end well, but their repeated attempts at running it back are hurting them long term. That team looks like a disaster once Curry, Green and Butler leave.

Bill Simmons just wondered on his podcast what would GS do if the Spurs called and offered Fox plus however many picks/swaps it took to get something done. Would be weird to see Steph in black but can any contenders offer more, including factoring in an extension?

gambitx777 · Post #196 » by **gambitx777** » Wed Jul 29, 2026 4:23 pm

I really dont understand the Philly thing. The more I think about it like **** why?

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DCZards · Post #197 » by **DCZards** » Wed Jul 29, 2026 6:02 pm

gambitx777 wrote:I really dont understand the Philly thing. The more I think about it like **** why?

Why not? An incredibly high IQ, top 20-25 player who has shown throughout his career that he can fit into pretty much any situation/system…and you’re only paying him $4 mil per season.

gambitx777 · Post #198 » by **gambitx777** » Wed Jul 29, 2026 6:53 pm

Im not saying why for Philly im asking why from bron lol like I really dont see the appeal.

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Benjammin · Post #199 » by **Benjammin** » Wed Jul 29, 2026 7:20 pm

gambitx777 wrote:I really dont understand the Philly thing. The more I think about it like **** why?

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The players don't fit that well together but the talent is excellent. If Embiid is somehow mostly healthy for the playoffs they will be quite a load to handle.

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doclinkin · Post #200 » by **doclinkin** » Wed Jul 29, 2026 8:30 pm

gambitx777 wrote:Im not saying why for Philly im asking why from bron lol like I really dont see the appeal.

Best collection of talent for chasing another ring. At this point he gets to cherry pick the situation that pleases him. If Embiid is healthy Philly has starpower 1-3 & 5. Bron slots in at 4. He doesn’t have to carry the load, just seize opportunities.