Post#433 » by TrueLAfan » Mon Jun 24, 2024 2:26 pm
First—if possible, I want to keep Russell Westbrook. His player option is for $4 million. That’s peanuts. He’s diminished (a lot) as a p[ayer but, ffs, he’s worth $4 million as a mentor and leader. The problem is getting him to accept that, really, he’s going to gradually be moving behind Bones Hyland in the rotation and helping the kid out.
I like Tobias Harris as a player and for what he can give us—consistent, decent play at PF. Look, there’s a reason why good teams are interested in him. My problem with anything involving Tobias is the lack of picks the Sixers have. I mean, they’ve got nothing—and nothing like equal or even close in player return.
The Knicks are, to me, the obvious destination for PG. They’ve got a ton of picks, they’re near the top in terms of having a championship team that needs a starf to get them over the top, and they’ve got players we could use and they either want to get rid of or aren’t crazy about – specifically, Julius Randle and Bojan Bogdanovic. Bogdonovic is old, but he can still play at a good level on both ends. He’s still a good shooter and scorer. He can’t keep up with quicker wings, but he gets good position; he’s a smart player. He’s a moderately significant downgrade from Paul George in that he’s an average to slightly above average starter—but he could and will play 60-70 games at 30 mpg wherever he goes next year. But I think we’d make that up with Randle. I know, I know … Randle is a problem. He hasn’t been a playoff guy. He’s coming off an injury season. But that’s why he might be available. You have to look at the pluses. He’s a true PF, which takes pressure of Kawhi. He gets a lot of boards and scores well. He can shoot on the perimeter. He’s a very good passer for his position. Prior to last year, he’d played in 90% of his team’s games over the last 8 years—and he’ll only be 29 at the start of next season. I think the package to go for is Randle + Bogdonovic plus a couple of mid level picks—Milwaukee’s first next year and the Knick’s pick in 2027 sound good—would push me toward that deal.
That’s if we don’t keep PG. I’m ambivalent about that. He’s a good player. Always has been. But he lacks an edge that would make him a true alpha guy. (I think he’d play terrific alongside Brunson, who is very much that type of player.) Personally, I think some of the “interest” from other teams is strictly to see if Ballmer will open his pocketbook without thinking. The fact that he isn’t is a good thing, IMO. Our offer for PG is fine. I wouldn’t change it a bit. If he wants more and is willing to go to a better team, opt in and send him to New York (or Orlando—I won’t go into it here, but they’ve also got plenty of pieces and enough picks to make a great package).
I’d keep Harden, and I’m kind of amazed I’m saying that. I didn’t want him. I question his work ethic. But he played well for us. He was sterling in the first four playoff games and terrible in the last two and I hate the inconsistency and inability to play well at closing time. (Still—25-8-4 in the first four games). I think/hope we’ll offer a 3 year/$100 million deal … I think making it to triple digits will be a pride thing that would help us. I’d have a 15 million buyout for year 3; he’d end up making as much if he exercised it. And I’d have decreasing salaries--$35 million, 33.5 million, $31.5 million.
I think the team is going to be watching Team Bahamas very closely in the Olympics – partly because they have a really decent team (Ayton, Hield, Gordon, maybe Klay Thompson). And partly because it looks like their backup big can/will be Kai Jones.
If we get Randle, keep Theis. If we resign and don’t trade PG, keep Plum.
What that would mean, if we traded PG to New York, is that we’d have a lineup of
C—Zu
PF—Randle
SF—Kawhi
SG— Bogdonovic
PG—Harden
Bench:
Mann
Powell
Theis
Westbrook/Bones
Coffey
Jones
Brown/P.J.
…with some draft picks now in the cupboard.
)for the next two seasons would still be awesome. : )
