JonFromVA wrote:JujitsuFlip wrote:I've been telling you for almost 8 months now, it is not about drafting players with those picks. It is the flexibility of having those assets to use in trades. Cavs have next to zero assets to upgrade the roster, that is the issue.JonFromVA wrote:
The Mitchell trade was about establishing our core, and I think you'll find most contenders play their core in the playoffs. So, Thibs stuck with RJ Barrett even though he looked pretty shaky in the first couple games, and JBB stuck with Allen and Mobley even though they were getting pushed around throughout the series.
He could have used Lopez when one of those guys were sitting, but he preferred to go small. I actually feel pretty good about Isaac going in to next season because of how he played against the Knicks, but our problems were obviously far deeper than slowing down Brunson and Randle.
If this truly was all JBB's fault, the players will have him fired. If they buy in to that this is a process where making the playoffs is just the first step for all of them, they will stick with it and do what it takes to not repeat their errors.
We were well on our way to becoming a 50-win team before trading for Mitchell, so, our draft picks weren't going to be especially exciting. We can use them to help fill a hole now rather than take a gamble that we might be able to fill a bigger hole somewhere down the line. And even with the Mitchell trade, we'll be able to do that every other year starting in 2024.
The expected draft position also affects the value of those picks in trade, but personally I'm more interested in improving the team long-term via the draft and player development. Get those Travers, Diops, Mobleys, and Diakites in the pipeline and something good should come of it. Undrafted picks got us Stevens and Wade. We will hopefully do better with those 2nd rounders from last year, and hopefully even better if we hold on to our firsts starting in 2024.
Look at the Knicks and all their first round picks. They got Cam Reddish with one and then traded him with another 1st for Josh Hart who is going to be a free-agent this Summer unless he goes insane and doesn't decline his player option. Sure, they can keep Hart but he's going to cost them and the 28 yr old for some reason has been real hesitant to fire up 3's this season.
He'd be a nice depth player and perhaps a short-term starter, especially in the short-term before Mobley, Allen, and Mitchell get their next deals; but pipelining affordable depth should be the goal, IMO.
Terms like development and long term are complete contradictions to the action of trading essentially 6 first rounders for Mitchell.
Also, the Knicks own all of their own firsts after this season plus they own the Mavs, Pistons, and Wizards first rounders next season... They can afford to throw firsts around, a luxury the Cavs won't have until 2030.
