Eric Bieniemy wrote:danfantastk32 wrote:Eric Bieniemy wrote:I'm not immune, no.
In this particular instance though there seem to be several people, including yourself, who are either tone deaf or just don't get it. You're showing yourself to have blindspots in this discussion. Try a little humility, and you may just learn something.
So you got an answer for the $30mil we gotta come up with, or were you just trying to get a rise outa me all along? If you don't have an answer for the $30 mil, then I guess I won't be learning anything, and you were just a waste of time.
The Nets and Irving mutually agree to a divorce, Kyrie opts in to a one year deal for 37 mill, the Nets (working with Irving) trade him for anything they can get.
The Lakers trade Westbrook to "a team" then trade the returning players to the Nets for Irving.
Charlotte and Indiana, thus far, have been rumored to want Westbrook's expiring deal to come off more lengthy deals.
Before a trade is executed, if Durant chooses to stay with the Nets based on the return of the trade, the Nets take on the extra salary to field a more competitive roster.
The most popular and plausible scenario has Charlotte taking on Westbrook for Hayward, Oubre, and Plumlee. That means if Durant is satisfied with a roster of Ben Simmons, Gordon Hayward, Joe Harris, and Seth Curry, the Nets take that package and run.
So, there is no mystery 30 million. The Lakers would not sign him outright unless the Nets decide they don't want a player like Hayward. This scenario is possible, but most teams want an asset as opposed to simply letting a player walk for nothing.
We shall see how it all unfolds.
This is what's going to happen. There's a couple scenarios and it'll all happen on Thursday most likely before the opt-in deadline.
1) Kyrie Wins
- Brooklyn comes to him and says "What's your final decision?" He says, "I'm opting out into free agency."
- If that happens, Brooklyn is not going to let him walk for nothing. They'll find a team within the next couple days that will take on Westbrook and give Brooklyn players back. If they can't find a team, they'll be forced to take Westbrook and a 1st round pick. They're NOT going to let him walk for nothing out of spite and hard feelings. Westbrook at the very least is a $47M expiring contract. He's not a good basketball player. He's an asset that the Nets could theoretically tell to stay home and then trade him at the deadline.
2) Brooklyn Wins
- Brooklyn comes to Kyrie and says "Okay, what are you doing? Because we're not trading you anywhere." Kyrie goes "Uh, okay. Boy, I don't want to lose $30M. I'll opt-in."
- Brooklyn grins ear to ear, runs out of the room and high five each other knowing they don't have to take on Westbrook and they can flip Kyrie halfway through the season for anyone with a pulse and some picks once Kyrie rehabilitates himself and plays more basketball games.
3) Kyrie Opts Out, Becomes Free Agent
- I don't see this happening on so many levels. 1) Kyrie ain't losing $30M. 2) The Nets aren't letting him walk for nothing. 3) The Lakers don't want to lose their MLE by signing him. They want to acquire him while shedding Westbrook and THEN use the MLE on other players to surround Kyrie/LeBron/Davis.
All in all, he's probably coming here. Westbrook is probably going to Charlotte, OKC or Indiana. Players who are useful will go to Brooklyn. Some examples:
Charlotte: Hayward, Rozier, picks
OKC: Williams, Favors, Green, Muscala, picks
Indiana: Brogdon, Hield, picks
Let's see what happens.